Mike White, a native of Flossmoor, IL, is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the University of Iowa where he served as the double bass studio’s Teaching Assistant. Mike holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Iowa where he studied with Professor Volkan Orhon. Previously, he received a Bachelor of Music degree from Illinois State University where he was a student of Dr. William Koehler. While a student at Iowa, Mike performed with the UI Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, UI Opera, and the Center for New Music.  Mike has participated in masterclasses from renowned double bassists including Diana Gannett, David Murray, Barry Green, Anthony Stoops, and Paul Sharpe.

In 2013, Mike joined the faculty at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, IA where he teaches double bass studio lessons and assists with the college’s orchestra and jazz ensemble. In 2020, Mike joined the faculty at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL where he teaches applied bass lessons and string methods. Mike often works with local middle and high school musicians as a private teacher and clinician. From 2016 to 2019 Mr. White was a faculty member at the Upper Midwest String Camp in St. Joseph, MN where he taught masterclasses, technique classes, and coached chamber music ensembles. Mike is currently a Teaching Artist with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra’s Private Lesson Program.

Mike has been involved in recent chamber music projects including performances of Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet, Erwin Schulhoff’s Concertino for Flute, Viola, and Double Bass, John Adams’ Chamber Symphony, Stravinsky’s L’histoire du Soldat, and all six of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. In 2017, he performed James Stephenson’s “Devil’s Tale” with the Rountree Ensemble, the faculty ensemble of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Mike performed a recital with the University of Iowa Double Bass Ensemble at the 2017 International Society of Bassists Convention in Ithaca, New York. In 2018, he joined the University of Northern Iowa Faculty Septet for a performance of Michael Daugherty’s “Dead Elvis.”

Mike has been a member of the WCF Symphony since 2011 and also appears regularly as a guest musician with Orchestra Iowa, the Peoria Symphony, Dubuque Symphony, and the Illinois Symphony, among others. In 2016, he performed with the Missouri Symphony during their Hot Summer Nights music festival.

Website: https://mikewhitebass.wordpress.com/