Nicole Jordan was appointed principal librarian of The Philadelphia Orchestra in 2020, the first African-American woman to join the Orchestra as a full-time member. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she began her musical journey at a young age, first learning the trumpet before switching to viola while attending the Philadelphia High School for Girls. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree in viola performance from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and a Master of Music degree in music history from Temple University.
Beginning her career as a performance librarian with The Philadelphia Orchestra, Ms. Jordan served as the Orchestra’s library fellow from 2008 to 2011. Following her fellowship, she was appointed assistant principal librarian of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in October 2011 and held that position for five years. In September 2016, she was named principal librarian of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, becoming the first African-American to hold that position at a major orchestra. Other organizations at which she has held library include the Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Aspen Music Festival and School.
Ms. Jordan is an active member of the Major Orchestra Librarians' Association (MOLA) and frequently serves as a moderator/presenter on varying topics in the performance library field. A passionate advocate of education, she served on MOLA's Education Committee for several years and acted as co-chair of that committee from 2017 to 2019. She is also active in planning MOLA’s annual conferences.
As a freelance librarian, Ms. Jordan participates in a myriad of projects for an assortment of individuals and organizations. She also uses her knowledge and varied skill set to advise composers, conductors, and librarians new to the field. Outside of the library, she enjoys learning languages, tennis, cooking, gaming, and spending time with her friends and family, and her cat, Tahoe.
