By Matt Hoover
USD 475 Communications Coordinator
JUNCTION CITY, Kan. –Nicholas Paradas, a music teacher at Grandview Elementary and Milford Elementary, is making a difference not only in USD 475, but also as a member of the prestigious Sonus Chamber Choir, a professional recording ensemble based out of Topeka.
As a part of the ensemble, Paradas, who is in his second-year teaching in USD 475 and is a 2019 Junction City High School graduate, will soon be known worldwide as he will have his music featured on an upcoming album, titled Sanctuary: Choral Music for Sacred Spaces. It will feature three world-premiere recordings, including music by Paradas. The album is anticipated to be commercially released worldwide in the spring of 2026.
"I have been writing classical music since I was 16 years old. While in high school, I premiered my very first choral composition at the 2019 Kansas Music Educators Association Conference where my music gained the attention of Grammy award winning choral lyricist, Tony Silvestri, who has since collaborated with me on a piece of choral literature called, Out of Time, in 2020. Today, my skills as a classical music composer are used to visually enhance my lessons in the classroom. I am very passionate about ensuring that my students are moving toward musical literacy and have a fine understanding of how music effects our culture and society,” said Paradas.