Local Singer Nicole D’Angelo to perform at Belmar Public
Library
by Bill Kolbenschlag for The Coast Star
January, 2001
BELMAR-Singer Nicole
D’Angelo has become a local favorite over the past year, and will bring her
amazing talent to an upcoming performance at the Belmar Public Library scheduled
for Feb. 7 at 7p.m.
A resident of Belmar, Ms.
D’Angelo is an accomplished musician who has been performing for audiences all
her life. She not only sings, but
plays the guitar, harmonica, and keyboard.
Since she cannot play all of
the instruments live at the same time, she records some of the instrument rifts
beforehand, which allows the audience to get the full effect of each song she
plays. While recording the sounds
of each instrument, she leaves out the one instrument that she plans on playing
during the show. Most of her
performances consist of cover songs that people can sing along to.
Ms. D’Angelo began
performing along the Jersey Shore nearly five years ago.
At the same time she started her own music business, “Music By
Nicole.”
Through “Music By Nicole,”
people can contact the singer and schedule her to perform at different events
for them. Ms. D’Angelo has been booked to play in several different
bars, restaurants, and other establishments throughout the area.
She also performs at weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, and other
engagements.
After playing at different
places in the area, she slowly became well known among many local residents, and
eventually became someone many people wanted to see.
While gaining popularity as a
singer, Ms. D’Angelo said that she also gained a sense of accomplishment.
“It was so rewarding. I
knew that I had done something good when the crowd started banging on the bar
and chanting ‘one more song.’”
Ms. D’Angelo has performed
at the Tropicana Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City.
She has also recorded with jazz bassist Rufus Reid on his latest CD
entitled “Back to Front.” She
also had the opportunity to perform at actor/musician John Stamos’ birthday
party celebration at the Holiday Inn in Tinton Falls.
Not only has she recorded on
the album of a well-known jazz bassist, but she also has her own CD, which is
titled “Blinded By Love.” The
album includes a various different covers and one original composition.
Belmar Library Director Lois
Gallagher said that she is very excited about having Ms. D’Angelo perform at
the library. “This is the time of
year when everybody needs a shot in the arm more or less,” Ms. Gallagher
explained. “It’s a time where
it’s important to bring the community together for something.
This is something that we can all do as a community.”
Although she switches venues
on a constant basis, Ms. D’Angelo has been accustomed to playing in different
atmospheres. “I like playing in
different venues because it allows me to do different types of music,” she
said. “If
I only played at the same place all of the time it would get boring.”
She also explained that by
playing at different venues it allows her to get work on all of the different
types of music that she can play. For
example, at a bar she would play music that everyone could sing along to.
But at a restaurant she would be more likely to play soft ballads that
may serve as more of background music.
The performer says that she is
looking forward to the concert at the Belmar Library.
“I’m very excited about it, mainly because it’s hometown,” she
said.
She also explained that at the
library, guests of the show will probably be people who have seen her at all of
the different places she has played. She
said that she expects there to be a mixed crowd, some who want to hear softer
music, and others who are looking to sing along and dance.
Ms. D’Angelo graduated from
Hanover Park High School in East Hanover, where she was heavily involved in all
aspects of the music department. While
in school, she became more experienced in music by performing in various vocal
and instrumental ensembles including the highly selective All Eastern Chorus and
New Jersey State Chorus.
She went to college at William
Paterson University in Wayne. She
majored in music education, while also serving as the president of the WPU
Collegiate MENC chapter during her senior year.
Ms. D’Angelo was also a
member of Pi Lambda Theta: International Honor Society and Professional
Association in Education, as well as an active member of NJMEA.
She was presented with the 1999-2000 Outstanding Music Education Student
Award and graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in music
education with a concentration in voice and minor in piano.
Ms. D’Angelo now holds a
fulltime teaching position at Collins Elementary School and Riker Hill
Elementary in Livingston, NJ, where she currently teaches K-5 General Music and
fourth and fifth grade chorus.
In the fall of 2001, Ms.
D’Angelo plans to pursue her master’s degree in music education at William
Paterson University.
During her time off from
teaching, Ms. D’Angelo spends her weekends and summers performing at the
Jersey Shore.
For more information on
Nicole’s scheduled performance, please contact Lois Gallagher at the Belmar
Public Library at (732) 681-0775. To
schedule Ms. D’Angelo for a wedding or party, please contact her at (732)
280-1499, or visit her website at www.MusicByNicole.net
.
