KCBass History: Tracy has been apart of KCBASS from the very beginning and is another great person whom influences Johnny’s programing mindset. Tracy taught at George Vance camps and is one fo the leading teachers of young bassists using the George Vance Method. She has been on faculty at KCBASS many times including the second year (when it was much smaller). She also represents the female bassists in such a wonderful way. The bass world landscape has changed because of people like Tracy, who is an amazing performer, teacher, and mother. Yes nothing seems to slow her down.
Biography
Tracy Rowell is an active performer and teacher in the Cleveland area. Formerly the Assistant Principal Bassist of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, Canada, Tracy currently serves as Principal Bass for CityMusic Cleveland.
Ms. Rowell has also performed with orchestras such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, and Carmel Bach Festival. She may be heard as a soloist in Telemann’s Grillen-Symphonie with Apollo’s Fire (Koch International recording).
As a chamber musician, Ms. Rowell has collaborated with musicians from the Cavani, St. Lawrence, Pacifica, and Parker string quartets. She teaches at the University of Akron and is on the preparatory faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Music. She is a frequent clinician at such bass workshops as the Institut Francois Rabbath Summer Bass Workshop, the Kansas City Bass Workshop, and Peabody Bass Works.
She has received fellowships from the Aspen Music Festival, the Tanglewood Music Center, and the Solti Orchestral Project at Carnegie Hall. Ms. Rowell studied with Paul Ellison at Rice University, and received her Masters degree from Boston University as a student of Edwin Barker.
Currently a faculty member at the Cleveland Institute of Music Preparatory division, and at Oberlin Conservatory, Tracy Rowell also serves on the Board of Directors for the International Society of Bassists. She regularly teaches at summer programs such as Bass Works Maryland, Rochester Bass Retreat, Kansas City Bass Workshop, Milt Hinton Institute and was a faculty member at George Vance’s Summer Bass Workshops. She regularly presents lectures and master classes for organizations such as the Ohio Music Educators’ Association, Texas Music Educators’ Association, International Society of Bassists and the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Formerly the assistant principal bass of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, Rowell is an active performer in northeast Ohio on modern and historical double bass. Rowell received her Bachelor of Music from Rice University, where she studied under Paul Ellison, and she earned her master’s degree at Boston University, studying with Edwin Barker. In 2016 Rowell received a grant to study abroad with legendary bassist Francois Rabbath. Rowell also currently teaches at Oberlin Conservatory and serves on the Board of Directors for the International Society of Bassists.