“A master of the mandolin” – Songlines
Renowned for his expressive mandolin playing and inventive compositions, Nic Zuppardi has performed and taught professionally for over fifteen years. He is best known as one third of the acclaimed Shackleton Trio, with whom he has toured extensively across the UK and Europe. His playing features in a wide range of ensembles and recording projects, including with long-time musical partner Adam Clark as Clark & Zuppardi.
As a teacher Nic regularly facilitates workshops on the mandolin and traditional music at festivals and venues throughout the year. He maintains a busy schedule as a private tutor, and leads the monthly Norwich Old Time Slow Jam which provides new instrumentalists with an opportunity to collaborate and play together in a supportive setting. He is currently setting up the Norwich Mandolin Ensemble as a new opportunity providing more formal performance opportunities for amateur players of fretted instruments.
Nic is also in demand as a session musician, contributing mandolin to a wide range of recording projects. He has performed and recorded with artists including Karen Tweed, Dan Walsh, Nick Wiseman-Ellis, Christina Alden and Alex Patterson, and Darius Rucker, with his playing featured multiple times on BBC Radio 2, 3 and 4.
In 2022, Nic released his debut solo album North Cape, a collection of original compositions featuring Alex Patterson (fiddle), Christina Alden (guitar), and Calum McKemmie (bass). With the mandolin at its heart, North Cape highlights Nic’s flair for crafting thoughtful, self-penned tunes and arrangements, blending bluegrass, old-time, Swedish, and French/Breton influences into a distinctive and compelling sound.
