Commissioned Composer

Nicole Buetti is an award-winning composer with over 400 recorded and published musical works in a wide variety of genres. She has been composing professionally for more than 25 years.  Nicole composes extensively for chamber ensembles, large ensembles of various configurations, as well as children’s music and music for media. Prior to completing her Master’s Degree at the University of Northern Colorado, she spent a decade in the Los Angeles area working as a composer in the film and television industry. She has been honored for her film score work at the Wild Rose International Film Fest, Dodge Grant Association, and Telly Awards Association – receiving a Telly Award in June 2024 for online children’s programming for her video song series “Meet the Planets.”

Nicole’s chamber and orchestral music has reached audiences all over the world. She was appointed the “Composer in Residence” for the Assisi Performing Arts Music Festival in Italy in 2013. Nicole’s chamber piece “Chameleons” received the honor of being a finalist in American NFA’s Newly Published Music Competition. Her chamber piece, “Halloween Masquerade Waltz” won Fan Favorite in the 10th annual Independent Music Awards (Best Holiday Song Category) and became the featured midnight waltz for the Annual PDX Vampire’s Masquerade Ball.

Nicole is also a Partner of Goes to Eleven Media, a music & media publishing company specializing in children’s educational songs and videos featuring the popular puppet characters, The Nirks®. In 2017, she released her 6th album of educational songs for children titled “Just Be You!” This album was honored by both the Parent’s Picks Award for “Top 5 Best Preschool and Elementary Music CD’s of 2018” and “2017 Educational CD of the Year” by Creative Child Magazine. Her “Meet the Universe” musical, educational series was honored with a How To Homeschool Award for “Best Homeschooling Curriculum and Resources 2020-21.” During the pandemic, she collaborated with the Portland Columbia Symphony to create her “Meet the Instruments” series that introduces audiences to all of the instruments of the orchestra. “Meet the Instruments” received several honors, including a 2022 Parent’s Picks Award for “Best Educational Products of the Year,” and a 2022 How To HomeSchool Award for “Best Homeschool/Curriculum Products of the Year.” It is also an educational resource for the Save the Music Foundation. Nicole is highly dedicated to combining music and learning to bring accessible and fun education to children through music.

Nicole thrives on creating music that uplifts, educates and engages audiences. She strives to create stimulating music that audiences and musicians can enjoy while embracing the beauty and whimsy of the world around us.

When she’s not composing, Nicole is an active contrabassoonist and bassoonist. She is the contrabassoonist for the Vancouver (WA) Symphony, Portland Columbia Symphony and the Oregon Coast Music Festival, and Principal Bassoonist in the Portland Choir Orchestra. She also freelances and performs with ensembles all across the Pacific Northwest including the Oregon Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Oregon Symphony. She has performed with the Haydn Music Festival Orchestra in Vienna, and as a soloist and chamber music artist with the Assisi Performing Arts Festival in Italy. 

She  teaches bassoon at the University of Portland, Willamette University and Clark College as well as maintaining a large private studio. In addition to her musical endeavors, Nicole is also an extremely active voice artist.  She regularly voices and records for The Nirks® for their many educational songs and videos.  Her most well-known role is as the voice of the adorable, astronomy-loving cyclops Vincent.  Over the years, she has voiced dozens of different characters for hundreds of videos, songs and albums.  Nicole loves coming up with new and unique character voices for the many different creatures, planets, and celestial objects created by the Nirks®.