Nicholas Lobanov-Rostovsky is originally from Denver, Colorado and has performed in a variety of ensembles to include numerous symphony orchestras, opera orchestras, ballet orchestras, brass quintets, woodwind quintets, and military bands. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Music from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1986 and a Master of Music degree from The Cleveland Institute of Music in Cleveland, Ohio in 1989. His private studies on the Horn include lessons with Eric Ruske, Forrest Standley, and Richard Solis.

While in Cleveland he substituted with the Cleveland Orchestra and performed as principal horn with the Cleveland Opera and Ohio Ballet orchestras. In 1991 he enlisted in the army band and retired after 22 years of service in 2013. While in the army he performed with military bands in Missouri, Korea, Kentucky, Texas, and Hawai‘i and a one year deployment to Iraq in 2011. He currently lives in Honolulu and in addition to performing with the Royal Hawaiian Band, performs with the Hawai‘i Opera Theater, the Hawai‘i Pops, and substitutes with the Hawai‘i Symphony.