List of classical double bass players

Classical double bass players are performers who play the double bass, the largest and lowest-pitched commonly played bowed string instrument. They perform European art music ranging from Baroque suites and Mozart-era Classical pieces to contemporary and avant-garde works in a variety of settings, ranging from large symphony orchestras to small chamber groups, or as soloists. Historical double bassists such as Domenico Dragonetti (1763–1846) and Giovanni Bottesini (1821–1889) established a tradition for playing the instrument that was carried on in the 20th and 21st century with a number of double bass players.

Some of the most influential contemporary classical double bass players are known as much for their contributions to pedagogy as for their performing skills, such as US bassist Oscar Zimmerman (1910–1987), known for his teaching at the Eastman School of Music and, for 44 summers at the Interlochen Music Camp in Michigan and French-Syrian bassist François Rabbath (born 1931), who developed a new bass method which divided the entire fingerboard into six positions. Bassists noted for their virtuoso solo skills include US player Gary Karr (born 1941) and Finnish bassist-composer Teppo Hauta-aho (1941–2021).

This is a list of notable professional classical double bass players, including orchestral performers, soloists, chamber musicians, and teachers.

Historical

Johannes Matthias Sperger (1750–1812) composer
Domenico Dragonetti (1763–1846) composer, conductor
Giovanni Bottesini (1821–1889) composer, conductor
Franz Simandl (1840–1912) composer
Édouard Nanny (1872–1943) composer
Serge Koussevitzky (1874–1951) composer, conductor
Ludvig Juht (1894–1957) composer

North America

Europe

South America

Edicson Ruiz

Asia

Mikyung Sung

Australia

Phoebe Russell

References

^ "First Philharmonic Orchestra Children's Concert" (program booklet). New York Philharmonic Society and American Orchestral Society. January 1924. pp. 1, 10 – via Shelby White & Leon Levy Digital Archives (New York Philharmonic).

[1] "First Philharmonic Orchestra Children's Concert" (program booklet). New York Philharmonic Society and American Orchestral Society. January 1924. pp. 1, 10 – via Shelby White & Leon Levy Digital Archives (New York Philharmonic).

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