Nikolaus Keelaghan could be described as a percussionist with an unlimited supply of energy and passion for music. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Nikolaus Keelaghan started his musical career on drum set at the age of ten. He began studying classical music and percussion as a freshman at California State University, Fullerton, under the tutelage of Todd Miller and Ken McGrath, and graduated magna cum laude. Nikolaus Keelaghan studied with Raynor Carroll and Theresa Dimond at UCLA and finished his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in percussion performance only ten years after he began studying the art. He is the principal timpanist/percussionist of the Pasadena Community Orchestra and with this group just recently performed the West Coast premiere of Gabriel Prokofiev's Concerto for Bass Drum. Through teaching private lessons, elementary school classrooms, and giving college lectures, he has over a decade of teaching experience. Nikolaus Keelaghan is also an avid motorcycle enthusiast and owner of large reptiles, and enjoys running and hiking. He is constantly pushing the boundaries of his abilities, indulging in the extended technique of six-mallet marimba playing, and doubling on viola.