Nicholas Sainato is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance at Youngstown State University. He is currently writing and performing with his band The Strange Familiar, and also with the YSU SMARTS Beats educational outreach program.

Originally from Boardman, OH, Nicholas graduated from Boardman High School in 2006. He toured and recorded with the band Another Found Self from 2004-2009, being featured on NBC’s StarTomorrow as well as winning the Cleveland.com High School Rock-Off. Prior to YSU, Nicholas also attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, CA.

After moving to LA in 2009, Nicholas joined the Strange Familiar. Since then, the band has appeared on Season 5 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Shortly after they signed with NYC-based label Krian Music Group and released their debut album “Chasing Shadows” in April of 2012. The first single “Being Me” reached #1 on mtvU. Several songs from the album have been featured on ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars, Switched At Birth, and the CW’s Vampire Diaries. The Strange Familiar has been a featured performer at SXSW in Austin, TX and the CMJ Music Marathon in NYC, as well as a feature article Billboard Magazine. 

While attending YSU, Nicholas has been part of the YSU Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Ensembles 1 & 2, and Jazz Combos. As a part of the Youngstown Percussion Collective, Nicholas participated in the preparation and recording of “Forms of Things Unknown” by Dave Morgan. He can also just finished recording for the Youngstown Jazz Collective’s “Absent Dreamers” which is soon to be released.