Professor of Music Douglas Nimmo, most commonly referred to as Nimmo, is, in a word, passionate. Whether he is conducting or instructing, it is clear that he loves what he does. “I often say, ‘Together is good,’ and at Gustavus it’s about music and life for me. I can’t separate my music teaching endeavors from life. It’s all wrapped up,” Nimmo said.

It is clear that Nimmo passion affects his students in particular. “Whenever Dr. Nimmo conducts a piece, you can tell that he loves his work here. His enthusiasm spreads to the ensemble and inspires all of us to become better musicians,” First-year and Vasa Wind Orchestra Member Emily Hamberg said.

Nimmo conducts the Gustavus Wind Orchestra and Vasa Wind Orchestra. He also teaches brass techniques, conducting, special methods of music and supervises student teachers. In addition to teaching, Nimmo serves as the liaison between the college, the department of music and the organization Friends of Music. This organization is all about “raising dollars that directly impact the educational experience of musicians at Gustavus,” Nimmo said.

Nimmo got started in the music world at a young age.  “When I was young, music made a connection with my life in ways that I couldn’t explain, but I knew it was powerful. It, to me, was of the power that it brought me a fulfillment that was not the same as other kinds of courses. I saw myself as wanting to be a part of that in the lives of young people,” Nimmo said.

Nimmo got his B.S. in music education from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He always knew he wanted to get his master’s degree, and he got it from Vandercook College of Music. Five years later, Nimmo surprised himself and decided to get his doctorate from Arizona State University so that he could teach at a college level. “As my young career was evolving, I realized I had a broad base of interest, some of which could be found at the college level, so in order to do that I had to pursue a doctoral degree,” Nimmo said.

Nimmo has been teaching for 37 years, 24 of them at Gustavus. Before he came to Gustavus, Dr. Nimmo worked for 13 years in public schools in Montana as an elementary and high school teacher.

It is clear that Nimmo believes he made the right choice in coming to Gustavus. “I have found in my 24 years here that the Gustavus students are really outstanding men and women who come to college expecting the best in life,” Nimmo said.

Nimmo’s students appreciate that their instructor has such enthusiasm for his position. “Dr. Nimmo has an unrelenting passion and love for what he does, and it’s contagious. He spreads that energy and makes you want to be a better musician and a better person and just give it everything you’ve got,” Senior Religion Major and Gustavus Wind Orchestra Member Brendan Wilkes said.

“Dr. Nimmo is a very energetic individual who puts a lot into his work,”First-year and Vasa Wind Orchestra Member Kevin Heetland said.

Nimmo is not just a director, but a musician himself. “My primary instrument is the trumpet, but at Gustavus I don’t teach trumpet, so I’ve often said that my primary instrument is the baton,” Nimmo said. This transition from musician to director is  not one that he dislikes, adding, “Having a baton in my hand and conducting is a joyous experience. It is extraordinarily rewarding to stand before the Gustavus musicians and study, learn and perform music with them. When I do a performance, there’s a real majesty about that, it’s a real celebration of study and learning and sharing it with everybody.”

Nimmo explains that the reward of all of his devotion really lies with his love of music.“It’s the reward of growing and understanding things which cannot be explained in words but are real and are powerful,” Nimmo said.

The Gustavus Wind Orchestra just completed its tour around Minnesota and Wisconsin, which culminated in the home concert in Christ Chapel on Feb. 12. Future events, featuring both the Gustavus and Vasa Wind Orchestras, include the end-of-winter concert on Mar. 18 and the spring concert on May 14.
Nimmo’s feelings about conducting two of Gustavus’s musical ensembles are simply that “everything is right when we start to play.”