Profile on Magician Nicolas Catusse De Boyer De Camprieu

For the past eight years, Camprieu has been trying to perfect his magic at birthday parties and weddings, and on the street. But one thing that makes Camprieu stand out is that he's not just an illusionist. He's an aspiring doctor.

For this summer, Camprieu has performed around Harvard Square. He sets up a foldable table and starts to perform. He also sets out a hat in which he collects donations.

These donations along with his salary from various other jobs are used for tuition at Aix en Provence ISO, a well known Osteopathy school in France. "It (magic) is my main source of income being a student," said Camprieu. "The money goes towards my studies and living needs."

Camprieu has always aspired to be a doctor. He graduated from the University of Marseille's medical school program at age 22, and continued on to Aix en Provence ISO right afterward. He is now 26, and is in his last year of schooling before he becomes a certified Osteopathic Physician.

He has maintained many other jobs to pay his tuition and rent. "I worked fields, picked fruits, carried boxes, washed (dishes) in a restaurant," said Camprieu, describing his other summer jobs. During the year "I usually work in restaurants, table hopping."

This young magician has had years to perfect his art, as he continues to become better and better at what he does. "I began practicing magic tricks when I was a child," said

Camprieu. "But I really began learning when I was 18."

Camprieu has learned his magic tricks from a variety of sources. He taught himself a few of them, and his friends taught him some of the more difficult ones. "No matter which trick you choose, they all take much practice."

While he is great at what he does, not that many people know about him. He is relatively new to the United States, coming for the summer to visit his sister and nephews. He has only worked on the street for one night, but plans to keep doing it for the rest of the summer. Camprieu says he may even street perform back in France, once he starts his schooling again.

"I am not really a street magician," said Camprieu. "I usually perform for birthday, wedding, seminars, and special events, usually during the evening and night." While he is not used to performing on the street, he certainly is good at it as he made over $100 in donations on his first night of performing.

There is a saying that magicians never reveal their secrets, and Camprieu goes by that saying when performing. That being said, some people are stunned at how he does some of his tricks.

Matthew Askaripour is a Harvard SSP student that watched him while he performed one of his magic tricks. "That was pretty cool," said Askaripour. "I have no idea how he did that." Askaripour was referring to one of Camprieu's favorite tricks.

Camprieu asked Matthew to pick any card he wanted out of a deck of 52 cards. He chose one, and on it he signed his initials. He gave the eight of diamonds back to Camprieu, and he quickly shuffled the deck several times.

He put the cards back into the box, and put the box into an envelope. He pulled out a knife and struck it into the deck of cards, inside the envelope. He pulled the knife out, hanging on its serrated edges the signed eight of diamonds.

All in all, Camprieu knows over 20 tricks, utilizing most of them every time he performs. "I love magic," said Camprieu. "I do it to make money, and to have fun."

And he is definitely having fun as he continues to impress his audiences with his skills in the art of illusion. A spectator name Paul Taylor in Camprieu's audience commented on his work. "He's great," said Taylor. "Some of the tricks he does are pretty unbelievable."

In the next several years, Camprieu hopes to complete his schooling at Aix en Provence ISO and receive his M.D. specializing in Osteopathy. After doing so, he says he will travel to Spain, where he will start a full time career as an Osteopathic Physician in Barcelona.

Why Osteopathy? Why not any other type of medicine? "I wanted to help people, and try to make them live better," said Camprieu. "Osteopathy revealed itself to be perfect for me, 'cause it's a holistic medicine and uses only the hands."

Camprieu has certainly proven to be good with his hands throughout his career as a magician. In his free time, he likes to play the piano, which helps him further develop the dexterity in his hands and fingers.

Camprieu is still performing his magic on the street, but he will be back in France to start and finish his schoolwork at Aix en Provence ISO at the end of the summer.