The Sunshine Coast is blessed with many talented and dedicated musicians, working in every aspect of music creation, production, and performance.
One of the most beloved has lived on the Coast for more than forty years, arranging, producing, coaching, and directing. Nikki Weber’s projects, collaborations, and kindly inspiration leave a trail of delight.
Vocalist Trudi Diening can’t say enough about Nikki’s influence:
“In many ways Nikki totally feels like my ‘musical Mother.’ We are both Dutch, and that has played strongly into our relationship. We have often said to one another that if we had been a similar age, we would have gotten into all kinds of trouble together. I have a very strong character, and Nikki has found every way possible to bring out the best in me musically . . . Nikki is LOVE . . . love of music; love of people. She is an incredible mentor who has added more to my life than I feel I’ll ever know.”
Born Nylka Gorsira in 1927 in Curaçao, a Dutch island in the Caribbean, Nikki moved with her family to the Netherlands when she was ten for educational opportunities. The Second World War separated her family and brought fear, hunger, and restrictions. Despite the risks, Nikki and her sister joined the Dutch underground in 1941.
After the war, when travel was again possible, Nikki sailed on the first ship out of Holland back to Curaçao. She eventually came to Canada, where music was a constant in the busy life that unfolded, bringing two marriages and three sons.
One of her earliest memories is of her mother playing piano and singing. By the time Nikki was twelve, she had her own quartet of young women for whom she arranged music and played guitar. Over the next eight decades, Nikki performed with and directed more groups than can be easily counted, including six years with a female trio for CBC radio and television.
Contributing and community have always been at the heart of her efforts, and most of the concerts Nikki has produced have been fundraisers for local organizations. These were so successful that, in 1992, Nikki received a Governor General’s award for “significant contribution” to her community. Here on the Sunshine Coast, where Nikki has lived for the last forty years, she is loved by the musical community and by music-loving audiences.
Now well into her nineties, Nikki continues to arrange music and to direct both the popular male quartet “Sh-Boom” and the female trio “J-Tones.” Nikki works with the best to give her performers and audiences an elevated musical experience. One of these is career musician and renowned jazz pianist, Miles Black, who told ZOOM:
“I met Nikki in ‘98, and since then she has become a very close friend. Over the years Nikki has hired me to perform for her variety concerts at various venues on the Sunshine Coast. She’s a top notch musician and vocal coach, and inspiring to all who work with her. She’s encouraging, fun, energetic, and kind. I worked on a double album with Nikki and her many singing friends and family, which was a joy!”
