Nikki Porter is a singer, songwriter, vocal coach, choir director and recording artist who has traveled throughout the United States and Europe singing and teaching Gospel music. She teaches annually at the Gospel Connection conference in Assisi, Italy, directing a 350-voice mass choir comprised of singers from across Italy. This is her second year directing the PSO Lift Every Voice Unity Choir.

Some of Nikki’s favorite performances include singing at the Grand Ole Opry Theater for Verizon’s How Sweet the Sound pre-Stellar Awards showcase; touring as actress/singer with the hit Gospel musical The Bold & The Sanctified II featuring Ruben Studdard; opening for Kirk Franklin; singing background vocals with Grammy-Award-winning artist Common and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at Heinz Hall; and touring Europe’s beautiful cathedrals and opera houses singing Gospel music.

Nikki is the Minister of Music at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, a cross-cultural, inner-city congregation in Pittsburgh’s East End. She provides oversight of the church’s music department including leading worship, directing the adult and youth praise teams, directing the children’s and mass choirs and teaching private voice lessons in the church’s afterschool music program, The Judah Project, which she established in 2005.

Nikki received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Duquesne University, where she also studied jazz voice with the late Maureen Budway and founded the Gospel choir Gospel Joynotes. Her private studies include piano with Dr. Alton Merrell and classical voice with Eugene Perry.