Double basses

Kees Boersma: Brian and Rosemary White Chair of Principal Double Bass

Born in the Netherlands, Kees Boersma completed his undergraduate studies at the Victorian College of the Arts before returning to the Netherlands to undertake post-graduate studies at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam. He then worked with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for two years, performing at the Salzburg Festival, the BBC Proms in London, and on tours to Montreux, Lucerne, Paris, Vienna and Berlin. On his return to Australia, he performed as Principal Bass with the State Orchestra of Victoria and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, before joining the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as Principal Double Bass in 1990.

Kees Boersma was a founding member of the Brisbane based contemporary music group ELISION, with whom he has recorded several CDs and undertaken concert tours to Italy and Germany, including performances at the Ultraschall Festival in Berlin. He also performs and records with the Sydney Soloists, and appears regularly in concert with the Australia Ensemble. In 2004, he performed Schubert’s Trout Quintet and Brett Dean’s Voices of Angels with the Australia Ensemble during a national tour for Musica Viva. He was also involved with the inaugural Melbourne Spoleto Festival, performing chamber music with Joshua Bell, Colin Carr and Carter Brey. In addition to his work in the field of contemporary music, his other area of interest is the solo double bass repertory of 18th-century Vienna.

Kees Boersma has also appeared as a soloist with the SSO, performing Colin Bright’s Double Bass Concerto, Dittersdorf’s Divertimento for Viola and Double Bass, and Bottesini’s Concerto for two double basses and orchestra.

Kees Boersma plays a double bass made by John Lott Snr, London, circa 1810. 

Alex Henery: Principal Double Bass

Born in England in 1966, Alex Henery moved to Australia with his family in 1979. He studied double bass at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music from 1985 to 1986 before moving to New York, and later Boston.

In 1989, he returned to the UK where he began his professional career, working initially with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. He was offered the position of Co-Principal Bass in the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in 1990 and, in 1992, took up the Co-Principal position with London’s Philharmonia Orchestra.

During his time in London, Alex Henery was a regular Guest Principal with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and numerous chamber orchestras.

On his return to Australia in 1998, he was appointed Principal Double Bass with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. He performs regularly at various music festivals and has been featured as a soloist with the SSO, performing Bottesini’s Concerto for two double basses with his colleague Kees Boersma, and Bottesini’s Concerto No.2 in B minor in 2004. In addition to his work with the SSO, Alex Henery also teaches double bass at the Sydney Conservatorium.

David Campbell: Double Bass

As a student, David Campbell was a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra, Australian National Academy of Music, attended two National Music Camps, was a soloist in the 1999 Encore performance at the opera house, and received his Associate and Licentiate performance diplomas with distinction. He completed his undergraduate degree at Rice University in Houston, Texas.  During his time in the US he studied with Paul Ellison at the Shepherd School of Music, where he held the William Schiffick Scholarship. He was the runner up in the school’s concerto competition and graduated with the Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts. He also spent two summers as a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Centre, where he studied and played with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

David Campbell returned to Australia in 2003 and worked on a casual basis with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, and the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. He was also the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s double bass fellow in 2005. He has been a member of the Sydney Omega Ensemble since its founding in 2006, and teaches at Sydney Grammar.

In 2008 David Campbell took part in the string final of the ABC Young Performers Awards, performing with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. He was a tutor at the Australian Youth Orchestra’s Young Symphonists program in 2009 and also tutors at the Riverina Summer School for Strings.

David Campbell joined the Sydney Symphony double bass section in 2006.

Steven Larson: Double Bass

Born 1969 Minneapolis, USA, Steven studied Bass from Age 9.
He studied with Clifford Biggs and James Clute of Minnesota Orchestra in High School.

In 1987 Steven studied with Bradley Opland (Chicago Symphony) at De Paul University, Chicago.

In 1988 studied with Roger Scott of Philadelphia Orchestra at Curtis Institute of Music, and graduated in 1991.

In 1988-93 Steven became Principal of Region Orchestras in new Jersey and Philadelphia area. After Conservatory, Steven played with Philadelphia Orchestra as a substitute. 

From 1993-1994 Steven Played with Sarasota Opera (Principla '94)

From 1994-2001 he was the Principal of Orquesta Sinfonica De Galicia, La Coruna, Spain.

In 2002 Steven joined the Sydney Symphony.

Richard Lynn: JCDecaux Chair of Double Bass

Richard Lynn was born in Perth and began studying double bass at the age of 14. He studied at the Edith Cowan University in Perth before graduating with a Bachelor of Music Performance (Double Bass) degree from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 1991.

Whilst a student, Richard performed orchestral, opera and music theatre concerts with the Philharmusica Orchestra and, following his graduation, was a casual and contract musician with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra before winning his full-time permanent position as tutti double bass with the Sydney Symphony in 1997.

Since relocating to Sydney, Richard has played with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Sydney Soloists, the National Philharmonic and the Philharmonia Orchestras.