Chad Wesselkamper

double bass

A native of Cincinnati, Chad Wesselkamper is a graduate of Rice University, where he studied double bass performance at the Shepherd School of Music under the tutelage of Timothy Pitts and Paul Ellison. He has played with orchestras such as the National Youth Orchestra of the USA, The Aspen Festival Orchestra, The New World Symphony, the Conservatorium van Amsterdam Symphony, The Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra, and many more. Mr. Wesselkamper performed at Carnegie Hall three times before the age of 19, and he has toured the world performing in countries such as South Korea, Japan, Prague, the Netherlands, France, Denmark, England, and more.

After beginning to play piano at age three, Mr. Wesselkamper started double bass studies in high school. Since then, he has learned from jazz greats such as Benny Golson, Antonio Sanchez, Carl Allen, Rodney Whitaker, Erwin Stuckey, Michael Dease, and Rufus Reid. His dedication to the music was awarded with a position in the Jazz Hall of Fame.

Mr. Wesselkamper has performed with acclaimed artists such as the Eagles, Phyllisia Ross, Vincent Powell, T. NAVA (Free Nationals), Jens Lindemann, Jon Kimura Parker, Aloysia Friedmann, Mary Griffin, Donald Harrison, Gil Shaham, Dennis Matsuev, and Valery Gergiev. He leads several bands in Houston, including the Chad Wesselkamper Quintet and the Houston Ensemble. He performs jazz and jazz-inspired music every week with the Vanguard Collective, which is sought after at some of Houston’s top venues, and he also plays with artists all over Houston and the state of Texas.

When he is not performing, you can find Mr. Wesselkamper creating visual art, podcasting, cooking, and exploring nature. For more information about Chad Wesselkamper, visit chadwesselkamper.com.

Sponsor: Keiko Parker