Musical direction
Conducting, coaching and shaping productions with casts and live musicians, from first rehearsal to opening night.
Musical Director · Educator · ResearcherNorth West England / UK
Making musical theatre happen
NICK
SANDERS.
From the orchestra pit to the first performance of a new musical.
For more than 35 years, Nick has brought performers, musicians and writers together to make theatre. Today his work spans musical direction, new British musicals, performer training and research.
01 / The work
01 / The work
A life in the making of musical theatre.
Musical direction is more than keeping time. It is listening closely: to a score, to a performer, to a writer, and to what an audience discovers in the room.
35+years making music
for performance
for performance
New musicals
Giving writers and performers the time, space and practical support to discover what a new show can become.
Teaching & research
Connecting musical theatre training to the realities of making work, building careers and sustaining the art form.
02 / New musical theatre
Page to Stage · Edge Hill University
SIX YEARS.
SIX NEW
MUSICALS.
Since 2022, Edge Hill’s Page to Stage initiative has put a new musical on stage each year. Five have premiered. Southbound is the sixth, with its world premiere planned for January 2027.
Explore Musical Theatre at Edge Hill2022The Girl in the HatWorld premiere
2023Pop ArtWorld premiere
2024The Forty ElephantsWorld premiere
2025FLIPWorld premiere
2026WYTCHWorld premiere
2027SouthboundWorld premiere · January
From the production archive
03 / Next on stage
The next chapter
SOUTH
BOUND.
A new musical. A company of emerging performers. A world premiere in January 2027.
As the sixth annual Page to Stage production, Southbound continues a practical conversation about how new British musicals are developed and what can happen when writers have access to a full company, musicians and a stage.
Production details and booking information will follow the public announcement.
04 / External work
EXTERNAL
WORK.
Selected musical direction
Working with casts, orchestras and creative teams across the North West.
A selection of productions musically directed by Nick with Blackburn Musical Theatre Company and PADOS Theatre Group.
Discuss a production
05 / Reviews
IN THE
SPOTLIGHT.
Selected review excerpts on Nick’s musical direction.
North West End
Spamalot
“The band sounded absolutely incredible, as did the singing.”
Read full review excerpt
“Nick Sanders did a sterling job as Musical Director, entering into the comedy from the outset with his pistol firing. Sanders’ experience shone through as he remained unfazed by the chaotic nature of the show, not to mention the atmospheric dry ice pouring in the direction of the orchestra pit! The band sounded absolutely incredible, as did the singing. What an absolute joy to stay to the very end to hear this talented band play the final reprise of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life in its entirety”
NODA
Spamalot
“that unmistakable Sanders sparkle”
Read full review excerpt
“Spamalot - Musical Director Nick Sanders provided a vibrant and skilfully shaped musical foundation, drawing excellent ensemble harmonies from the company. The score’s patchwork of styles, from medieval chant to Broadway pastiche, was navigated with complete ease, with crisp transitions, well‑landed musical jokes and big numbers that carried real punch. The orchestra supported the cast with colour and confidence while never overwhelming the comedy, giving the whole production that unmistakable Sanders sparkle”
NODA
Beauty and the Beast
“the musical execution was precise and dynamic.”
Read full review excerpt
“Musical Director Nick Sanders led a rich live orchestra that blended beautifully with the cast’s vocals. Whether the moment called for tenderness, like Mrs. Potts’ ballad, or bombast, like Gaston’s tavern number, the musical execution was precise and dynamic. The balance between pit and performance, expertly managed by sound designer John Ormerod, ensured every harmony soared and every lyric resonated with clarity”
NODA
Sunshine on Leith
“the harmonies and interlacing of voices were, at points, breathtaking.”
Read full review excerpt
“Musical Director, Nick Sanders had honed the company into a well-oiled vocal team. There were many cleverly written songs, with a multitude of vocal performances all happening at once. They were exceptional, the harmonies and interlacing of voices were, at points, breathtaking. Nick brought the best out of each singer on the stage. His orchestra complimented the vocals perfectly. I thought the timing throughout was excellent. Music isn’t only there to sing along to, it creates atmosphere, it stirs emotion. The music performed by Nick and his orchestra in this production was, astonishingly good”
06 / About Nick
THE PERSON
BEHIND THE
BATON.
Nick Sanders is a musical director and Senior Lecturer in Musical Theatre at Edge Hill University, where he leads the BA (Hons) Musical Theatre programme.
His career has moved between community and educational theatre, live music and higher education. He trained as a classical musician, later completing a master’s degree in music performance, and has spent more than three decades working with casts, orchestras and creative teams.
At Edge Hill, Nick champions new writing through the Page to Stage initiative. His wider interests include the development of British musicals, musical direction, performer training and the contribution of amateur theatre to the UK’s cultural life.
Read Edge Hill’s profile of Nick
07 / Media & speaking
A VOICE FOR
MUSICAL
THEATRE.
Available for interviews, podcasts, panels and commentary.
Request an interviewTopics Nick can discuss
- How new British musicals are developed
- Musical direction and the changing orchestra pit
- Training and careers in musical theatre
- Why amateur theatre matters
- Universities as spaces for new work
Short biography
Nick Sanders is a musical director, educator and advocate for new British musicals. A Senior Lecturer and Musical Theatre Programme Leader at Edge Hill University, he leads Page to Stage, an annual initiative bringing new musicals to their first full productions. His work spans more than 35 years of musical direction, performer training and research.
08 / Get in touch
LET’S MAKE
SOMETHING
HAPPEN.
For musical direction, new-work collaborations, speaking and media enquiries:
sandersn@edgehill.ac.uk