Jeff Nissman '24 began playing classical piano when he was five years old. It was not until 2018 when he joined School of Rock and switched to playing rock music and keyboard that he noticed he enjoyed performing. Ever since, Nissman has been playing popular songs in front of crowds of various sizes and is always ready for a bigger group at the next show. Nissman got the opportunity of a lifetime when he toured Europe for a month this summer, playing music for eager concertgoers at each stop. 

Nissman said he was in the right place at the right time when the opportunity to go on tour presented itself. A member from the touring group of Jon Anderson, the former lead singer of Yes, attended a show Nissman was playing at School of Rock - "Yes vs. Genesis" - after seeing an ad for it on Facebook. He told Nissman that he enjoyed his playing and about his plans for the summer, which had Nissman hooked. After about a week and a successful audition, Nissman got the gig. 

Being on tour was new and fast paced, but there was a lot of time spent on the tour bus rehearsing, talking, or catching up on sleep. On show days, the group would load into the venue in the early afternoon to set up their own gear and do soundcheck before the show started at 7pm. Nissman said that hearing the massive crowds singing along and cheering loud was an amazing feeling and something that he will never forget. Despite playing numerous shows, Nissman felt that a few stood out more than the others.  

"The first Jon Anderson show in Madrid blew my mind because I didn't know what to expect until that moment when I walked out on stage," Nissman said. "It was the first time in my life playing music in front of thousands of people and I was instantly hooked. Shows in London at Shepherd's Bush Empire were meaningful because it is such a historic venue that many artists have played at including Prince, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Pearl Jam, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, The Smashing Pumpkins, and The Who. I will never forget the Burg Herzberg Festival we headlined in Germany because there were 10,000 people in a huge field, and it looked to me like the photos I've seen of Woodstock." 

The group also played a show away from the Jon Anderson tour - an exclusive tribute concert for John Wetton, the late singer for King Crimson, U.K., and Roxy Music, in Sussex, England. This show was the one that Nissman said ranked above all the rest. At the show, he met Bill Bruford (drummer/founding member of YES, King Crimson, Genesis), Guy Pratt (guitarist for Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson, The Smiths, Madonna, Tears for Fears, Iggy Pop), Mel Collins (saxophone for King Crimson, Rolling Stones, Alan Parsons Project, Roger Waters), David Cross (violinist for King Crimson), and Steve Hackett (founding member and lead guitarist of Genesis). 

"I met so many legends and performed live onstage with them," Nissman said. "I got to meet and chat with my idol, Rick Wakeman, backstage. We only had a couple days on the bus to learn the songs and then a quick rehearsal that afternoon with the artists, and then boom...live webcast around the world to 30,000 pay-per-view fans."  

The senior said that the experience does not even compare to previous summer vacations, and that being in Europe playing at historic venues with his new friends was surreal.  

"I formed friendships with my bandmates that were unexpected and will last a lifetime," Nissman said. "I learned what I am capable of, I cherished every single moment of it, and know that after that experience, I am forever changed as a musician and as a person."