Welcome to the Doctoral Programs page, a platform intended to list all institutions worldwide that offer doctoral programs in performance and research of double bass, or have produced doctoral research theses related to the general bass heritage. Commonly, these programs are offered within the two types of doctoral degrees: the Philosophy Doctor – PhD degree that assumes the most advanced research work in the fields of Musicology, Music Theory, Music Education or Acoustics, and the Doctor of Musical Arts – DMA degree that combines advanced performance study with the academic research of a PhD profile. PhD has been a traditional final degree in all scholarly disciplines, thus in music too, while DMA is a more recent doctoral profile intended primarily for advanced instrumentalists. The DMA degree was formulated during 1950s in the USA and has since been accepted in many other countries.
Currently, the entire education system of Europe is in the process of reform according to Bologna Declaration directions, including in it the field of doctoral studies in music as well. The proposed classification of degrees in Europe is thus formulated in the form of three cycles, where the last – third cycle will encompass doctoral study of traditional research style as well as allow for mixed performance & research doctorates equivalent of the US DMA level. Further information on the status of doctoral studies in Europe can be found at the AEC – European Association of Conservatories – Third Cycle page.
The listing offered here is designed to present pertinent information in the following sequence: institution name and link, the listing of all degrees offered including a record of PhD level research for those institutions that do not offer DMA, and the linked citations of current bass teachers providing their academic rank as cited on their school page. Also, it should be noted that some listed schools may actually not have a record of previous doctoral candidates or graduates in the bass field, although they do officially offer a DMA degree in the area of instrumental performance.
–
–
Europe
Austria
Degrees: PhD in Acoustics
[research doctorate – field: acoustics of double bass]
Degrees: PhD in Musicology
[research doctorate – field: jazz bass]
Belgium
Degrees: PhD with focus on practice-based research in musical arts
Vincent Meelberg – Teaching Staff, Double Bass
–
Bulgaria
Degrees: Doctoral Program – Instrumental Studies
Dr. Petya Bagovska-Galabova – Professor of Double Bass
Dr. Tsvetomir Lazarov – Assistant professor of Double Bass
–
France
Degrees: Doctoral
[research doctorate – field: orchestral bass history]
Germany
Degrees: PhD in Musicology
[research doctorate – field: double bass at the time of Viennese Classicism]
–
Degrees: Doctoral Degree
[research doctorate – field: double bass virtuoso Domenico Dragonetti]
–
Degrees: Doctoral Degree
[research doctorate – field: acoustics]
–
Degrees: PhD in Musicology
[research doctorate – field: double bass at the time of Viennese Classicism]
Hungary
Dr. Péter Kubina – Associate Professor of Double Bass
Lithuania
Degrees: Art Doctorate (D.A.) in performance
Netherlands
Degrees: Ph.D. in Musicology
[research doctorate – field of 17th and 18th Century double bass history]
Romania
Degrees: Licentă, Master, Doctor în Muzică
Dr. Ştefan Thomasz – Associate Professor of Double Bass
Dr. Săndel Smărăndescu – Associate Professor of Double Bass
–
Dr. Liviu Moga – Professor of Double Bass
United Kingdom
Degrees: Doctoral Degree
[research doctorate – field: double bass virtuoso Domenico Dragonetti]
–
Degrees: BM, MA, DMA, PhD
–
Degrees: BA, MA, DMA, PhD
Asia
Israel
Degrees: PhD in Musicology
[research doctorate – field: bass register & bass instruments evolution]
Australia
Australia
Degrees: BM, MM, PhD
Max Mc Bride – Distinguished Artist in Residence – Double Bass
[PhD degree page indicates a performance option – citation: “You may also study and participate in the interpretation and performance of musical repertoire]
–
Degrees: BM, MM, PhD in Music Performance
Robert Nairn – Associate Professor of Double Bass
–
Kees Boersma – Lecturer in Double Bass
Alex Henery – Lecturer in Double Bass
–
Degrees:BA, MM, DMA, PhD
–
Degrees: BM, BA, MM, Higher Degrees by Research – Performance
Dushan Walkowicz – Instrument Teacher Double Bass
–
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD
No bass faculty currently listed
New Zealand
Degrees: BM,MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Evgueni Lanchtchikov – Performance Teacher
–
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD
–
Degrees: BM, MA, MM, DMA, PhD
Joan Gariga – Artist Teacher of Double Bass
North America
Canada
British Columbia – BC
Kenneth Friedman – Sessional Lecturer in Double Bass
Ontario – ON
Degrees: BM,MM, DMA, DMA Early Music, PhD
Tim Dawson – Sessional Teaching Staff – Double Bass
Jeffrey Beecher – Sessional Teaching Staff – Double Bass
Paul Rogers – Sessional Teaching Staff – Double Bass
Joelle Morton – Sessional Teaching Staff – Early Bass Instruments, Violone
Québec – QC
Degrees: BM, MM, DM, PhD
Brian Robinson – Assistant Professor, Double Bass
Ali Yazdanfar – Assistant Professor, Double Bass
Fraser Hollins – Faculty Jazz Bass
Adrian Vedady – Faculty Jazz Bass
Alec Walkington – Faculty Jazz Bass
United States of America
The standards of music education and the accreditation of institutions in the United States, are governed by the US Department of Education and the National Association of Schools of Music – NASM. Thus the PhD, DMA and similar degrees of DA, DM, DME that may encompass bass related fields, are also classified and regulated by them. Neither of these institutions unfortunately offers a direct link to a detailed online descriptions of PhD and DMA music programs, yet instead offer respectively the doctoral degree equivalency charts, and the explanation of the official music doctoral degree standards within the following two documents:
- US Department of Education : US Network for Education Information [contains] Research Doctorate Degrees.doc
Look for Doctoral Degrees in Music, Chapter XVI, p.134-137 for the official information on Purpose, Prerequisites, Degree Types and Specializations available for the doctoral study areas in music.
Lastly, due to the specifics of cultural development in the US, not all of the schools have opted to become members of NASM, among them some very reputable and established ones. This exclusivity should not be understood as any type of non-compliance to the general music standards presented by NASM, but rather as mode of preservation of individual liberties these institutions have accomplished over a period of time. Usually but not exclusively, you will find that old conservatories and prestigious Music Departments from the top ranking universities may not be NASM members, and yet their level of instruction and the status of doctoral contributions certainly rank among the best in the American academe. Thus you will find here the Non NASM institutions cited separately, only because the process of registering and entering these institutions was organized in such a way.
Alabama – AL
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Ben Crofut – Instructor of String Bass
Arizona – AZ
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Music Education, BA, MA in Musicology
Catalin Rotaru – Associate Professor of Double Bass
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Music Education
Philip Alejo – Assistant Professor of Double Bass and Music Theory
California – CA
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
David Allen Moore – Assistant Professor of Strings
Alphonso Johnson – Adjunct Instructor of Jazz Bass
Edwin Livingston – Adjunct Instructor of Jazz Bass
Darek Oles – Adjunct Instructor of Jazz Bass
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Chris Hanulik – Adjunct Professor – String Bass
–
Non NASM:
Degrees: MA, DMA in Composition, PhD in Musicology
[previous record of research and composition theses related to double bass]
Degrees: BA, MA, PhD in Musicology
[research doctorate – field: Basso Continuo in 17th c. Italy]
Degrees: BA, MM, DMA, PhD in Composition
Mark Dresser – Professor of Double Bass
Colorado – CO
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Dr. Paul Erhard – Professor of Double Bass
Connecticut – CT
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology, PhD in Music Education.
Robert Black – Professor of Double Bass; Chair of Strings.
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Gregg August – Instructor of String Bass
Degrees: MM, DMA at the School of Music, PhD in Musicology at the Department of Music
Donald Palma – Professor of Double Bass
Florida – FL
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Melanie Punter – Associate Professor of Double Bass
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Dr. Brian Powell– Assistant Professor of Double Bass
Georgia – GA
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Dr. Milton Masciadri – Professor of Double Bass and Strings Area Chair
Illinois – IL
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Andrew Raciti – Lecturer in Double Bass
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Michael Cameron – Professor of Double Bass and Chair of the String Division
Indiana – IN
Degrees: BM, MM, DA
Ju-Fang Liu – Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor of Music Performance (Bass)
Degrees: BM, MM, DMP, PhD in Musicology
Kurt Muroki – Professor of Music
Jeffrey Turner – Professor of Music
Jeremy Allen– Assistant Professor of Music (Jazz Studies and Jazz Bass)
Iowa – IA
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Volkan Orhon – Professor of Double Bass and String Area Head
Kansas – KS
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Richard Ryan – Lecturer in Double Bass
Kentucky – KY
Degrees: MM, MA, DMA, PhD in Musicology, PhD in Music Education
Karl Olsen – Instructor String Bass
Louisiana – LA
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology, PhD in Music Education
Yung-chiao Wei – Professor of Double Bass
Maryland – MD
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Ira Gold – Faculty
Paul Johnson – Faculty
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Richard Barber – Lecturer
Anthony Manzo – Lecturer
Robert Oppelt – Lecturer
Massachusetts – MA
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Edwin Barker – Associate Professor of Music, Double Bass
Carolyn Davis Fryer – Lecturer, Double Bass
Benjamin Levy – Lecturer, Double Bass
James Orleans – Lecturer, Double Bass
Todd Seeber – Lecturer, Double Bass
John Stovall – Lecturer, Double Bass
Lawrence Wolfe – Lecturer, Double Bass
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
James Orleans – Faculty
Donald Palma – Faculty
Todd Seeber – Faculty
Lawrence Wolfe – Faculty
Michigan – MI
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Music Education
Kevin Brown – Assistant Professor of Double Bass
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology, PhD in Music Education
Max Dimoff – Associate Professor of Music, Strings
Minnesota – MN
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Christopher Brown – Faculty
Mississippi – MS
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Dr. Marcos Machado – Associate Professor of Double Bass
Missouri – MO
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Jeffrey Kail – Adjunct Professor of String Bass
Nebraska – NE
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Dr. Hans Sturm – Professor of Double Bass and Jazz Studies, Area Head for Strings
Nevada – NV
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Thomas Warrington – Professor Emeritus (jazz)
New Jersey – NJ
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Timothy Cobb – Faculty Double Bass
–
Non NASM:
Degrees: PhD in Musicology
[research doctorate – field: bass part at the time of Viennese Classicism]
Jack Hill – Faculty Double Bass
New York – NY
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology, PhD in Theory, PhD in Music Education
James VanDemark – Professor of Double Bass, Co-Chair Strings Department
Jeffrey Campbell – Associate Professor of Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media [jazz bass]
–
Non NASM:
Degrees: BA, MA, DMA, PhD in Musicology and Composition
Lou Kosma – Associate Faculty, Upright Bass
Degrees: DMA
Faculty: None listed
Degrees: BM, Artist Diploma, MM, DMA
Eugene Levinson – Faculty
Timothy Cobb – Faculty
Harold Robinson – Faculty
Albert Laszlo – Faculty
Doug Balliett – Faculty – Historical Performance
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Timothy Cobb – Faculty
Orin O’Brien – Faculty
David Grossman – Faculty
Linda McKnight – Faculty
Jeremy McCoy – Faculty
Orin O’Brien – Faculty
Jay Anderson – Faculty Jazz Bass
Harvie S – Faculty Jazz Bass
Larry Ridley – Faculty Jazz Bass
- New York University
Department of Music, New York City
Degrees: BA, MA, PhD in Musicology
[research doctorate – field: Frederick Zimmermann Bass Pedagogue]
Degrees: BM, MM, PhD in Music Performance
Joseph Bongiorno – Associate Professor of String Studies
Degrees: BAM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Kurt Muroki – Artist in Residence
Rachel Calin – Faculty
North Carolina – NC
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in music education
Craig Brown – Lecturer
Steve Haines – Associate Professor – Jazz Bass, Director of Jazz Program
North Dakota – ND
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Doug Neill – Tuba, Bass [adjunct faculty]
Ohio – OH
Degrees: BAM, MA, DMA in Historical Perfomance Practice, PhD in Musicology
Bass Faculty: None listed
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Scott Dixon – Faculty
Derek Zadinsky – Faculty
Kathleen Horvath – Secondary Instruction Faculty
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Paul Robinson – Professor of Double Bass
Andrew Woodson – Lecturer Jazz Bass
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Rachel Calin – Associate Professor of Double Bass
Owen Lee – Adjunct Assistant Professor of Double Bass
Oklahoma – OK
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Dr. Anthony Stoops – Professor of Music (Double Bass)
Oregon – OR
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Tyler Abbott – Senior Instructor of Bass & Jazz Bass
Pennsylvania – PA
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Music Education.
Joseph Conyers – Adjunct Faculty, Double Bass
John Hood – Adjunct Faculty, Double Bass
Robert Kesselman – Adjunct Faculty, Double Bass
Anne Peterson – Adjunct Faculty, Double Bass
–
Non NASM:
Degrees: BM, MA, PhD
Jeffrey Mangone – Performance Faculty
[research doctorates – field: American Jazz Bassists]
South Carolina – SC
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Music Education.
Craig Butterfield – Professor of Classical and Jazz Bass
Tennessee – TN
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
John Chiego – Professor of Double Bass
Tim Goodwin – Associate Professor of Jazz Bass and Jazz Studies
Texas – TX
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Yuan Xiong Lu – Associate Professor of Double Bass
Kyp Green – Jazz Bass Faculty
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, DPhil in Fine Arts
Dr. Mark Morton – Associate Professor of Double Bass
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Dennis Whittaker – Affiliate Artist in Double Bass
David Klingensmith – Affiliate Artist in Jazz Bass
Degrees: BM,MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology, PhD in Music Education, PhD in Theory
Jeff Bradetich 1, Jeff Bradetich 2 – Regents Professor of Double Bass
Gudrun Raschen 1, Gudrun Raschen – Faculty Classical Bass
Lynn Seaton – Professor of Bass
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology, PhD in Theory
Joel Braun – Associate Professor of Double Bass
–
Non NASM:
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Paul Ellison – Lynette S. Autrey Professor of Double Bass, Chair of Strings
Timothy Pitts – Professor of Double Bass
Utah – UT
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Music Education
David Yavornitzky – Adjunct Professor
Denson Angulo – Assistant Professor (Lecturer) Jazz Bass
Virginia – VA
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Dr. Sam Suggs – Assistant Professor, Bass
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Dr. Donovan Stokes – Professor of Bass, Coordinator of Strings
Washington – DC
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology
Paul DeNola – Private Instructor
Washington – WA
Non NASM:
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Music History, PhD in Theory, PhD in Music Education
Barry Lieberman – Artist in Residence, Double Bass
Luke Bergman – Artist in Residence, Jazz Bass
West Virginia – WV
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA
Dr. Andrew Kohn – Professor of String Bass, Theory & Composition Area Coordinator
Wisconsin – WI
Degrees: BM, MM, DMA, PhD in Musicology, PhD in Theory
Richard Davis – Professor of Bass (Classical & Jazz)
Additional Resources
–
PHD Portal offers a searchable database of all European institutions in higher education. If you go to “Discipline” search form and set the search limits in first field to “Arts, Design & Architecture” and the second one to “Music”, you will get a number of institutions where a doctorate in Musicology, or even Music Performance may be awarded. However, most of these institutions will not have a record of a prior doctoral research related to the double bass field, with the exception of those cited above under the separate European country headings.
Page Development
Searched:
Subject: Institutions that offer DMA degree in the US | 56 Institutions cited as of October 15, 2015
Cross-reference of the listing to locate all institutions that have produced in the past either DMA and PhD theses in the field of bass research, and are not members of NASM | listing current as of October 12, 2015
- Other Institutions in the World that offer DMA Degrees
Web search of Australia and New Zealand | 9 institutions found with listed DMA degrees as of October 17, 2015
Web Search Canada | 3 institutions found with listed DMA degrees as of October 20, 2015
Page Development Assistance
ABP is grateful on any information that may widen the scope of this listing. Should you know of any other institution that offers a doctoral degree in bass performance, or has produced a Ph.D. thesis related to the field of bass research, please contact ABP and your effort will be credited here.
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Last Update: October 14, 2019
Published: October 23, 2015