Musician and educator Rufus Reed working with students — Musician and educator Rufus Reed works with students in the Jazz Performance program during a master class. Photo credit: John Seyfried

Program Overview

Double Bass

Program Type: Major

Bachelor of Music (BM)

Division: Strings

Study of the double bass is centered on the broad experiences of our faculty, who provide students with rigorous instruction tailored to their needs and goals as a musician. Our goal is to develop students’ talents to the highest musical and professional levels through private lessons, coaching, instrumental technique, master classes, and a range of performance opportunities.

Conservatory students in a small jazz ensemble perform in a concert at Finney Chapel — Conservatory students in the small jazz ensemble called the Ben Cruz Quintet performed in a concert in Finney Chapel that featured the Terence Blanchard Quintet. Photo credit: Scott Shaw

Small Ensemble

Students have many opportunities to perform with their chosen instrument(s). The conservatory has small and large ensembles such as the Oberlin Orchestra, the Oberlin Chamber Orchestra, and the Oberlin Jazz Ensemble. These and other music groups add to the more than 500 concerts presented on campus each year. Whether you play with a large group or a band you’ve put together, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to share your talents in a community that values the arts.

Performance Ensembles

Sample Courses

MUTH 131 - Music Theory I 4 credits
MUTH 132 - Music Theory II 4 credits
APST 285 - Orchestra Rep for Dble Bass 2 credits
APST 812 - Double Bass Ensemble 2 credits

Curriculum and requirements

Double Bass Faculty

Conservatory faculty maintain active performance schedules while remaining accessible and committed to their students. Individual instruction is paramount to helping students develop their mechanical, technical, stylistic, psychological, and musical skills.

Explore Faculty within Double Bass

“I can go out on a limb and say we’re probably the best undergraduate double bass experience for any student in the country because we cover so much areas of double bass performance. I let the student determine the style they want to go into and play. I’m setting them up to play the bass with great pitch, great rhythm, great articulation.”
Peter Dominguez, Professor of Jazz Studies and Double Bass

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