Nick Marsella

When Nick arrived in New York City from the deserts of Nevada in 2015, he had two goals: graduate from The Juilliard School as a composer and build what he now calls That One Ensemble, a philharmonic orchestra composed of New Yorkers facing homelessness. 

After an initial rejection from the school, he spent the next four years working in Juilliard's bookstore, quietly filling the gaps in his knowledge. He reapplied to the graduate program, was accepted, and graduated in 2021–further positioning himself to bring his orchestra vision to life.

Nick sees music as a unique tool to restore human dignity to unhoused New Yorkers.

Through partnerships with organizations like The Bowery Mission and City Relief that identify individuals well-positioned to thrive in the program, That One Ensemble provides participants with an instrument, weekly lessons with professional musicians, and a biweekly stipend for their time. The program's first participant, Makala, recently completed a six-month pilot. In that time, she secured housing, full-time employment, and a renewed joy for music. Nick sees Makala’s experience as the model by which That One Ensemble scales into a full orchestra and performs for the city. Through it, he envisions a New York that challenges the stigma around homelessness and invites all New Yorkers to see their unhoused neighbors as human beings with immense potential.