Nick Villalobos
Nick Villalobos is a bassist and is cofounder of Simply Three Trio. He holds a Masters of Music Technology degree from Southern Utah University. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Performance from Arizona State University.
Following graduation, Nicholas toured the United Stated with the Sphinx Virtuosi Orchestra as an alumni of the Sphinx Competition. Nicholas recently placed third at the National Sphinx Competition.
Nicholas received world-class training from a young age studying with Barry Olson principal bass of the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra from sixth grade through high school. He has performed with some of the most elite ensembles for young musicians including the World Youth Symphony at Interlochen, the National Honor High School Orchestra, and Tanglewood Institute Orchestra.
As a professional symphony player Nicholas has performed in the Phoenix Symphony, Utah Chamber Orchestra, and Orchestra at Temple Square including with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
As a soloist, Villalobos has performed concertos with prestigious orchestras including the Phoenix Symphony, Tempe Symphony, Scottsdale Baroque Orchestra, the Coeur d’Alene Symphony Orchestra, and the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra. Nicholas won first prize at the American String Teachers Association Double Bass Competition. He also won the Clotilde Ortando Prize with the Phoenix Symphony and was the a finalist in the 2011 International Society of Bassists Solo Competition where he received an award for best performance of the required modern piece, “Celestial Dance,” by Rufus Reid. In 2013 Nick placed 3rd in the Sphinx Competition which included a televised concert of the finals where he performed with the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra.
Villalobos served as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Orlando, Florida.
The two other members of Simply Three are fellow Latter-day Saint Zack Clark, whom he met in ninth grade in Arizona All State Orchestra, and Glen McDaniel, who is Christian but not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. McDaniel is a violinist and joined the group in 2014.[1]
The group has also performed covers for Twenty One Pilots, U2, Imagine Dragons, Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, and the Eurythmics, to name a few. They have been touring worldwide since their formation. Their 2022 album All Amazed is available at Deseret Book.
