Tracy Rowell

Tracy Rowell is on the faculty of the Oberlin Conservatory and the Cleveland Institute of Music.  An active performer on modern and historical bass, Tracy is the former Assistant Principal Bass of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, a major Canadian ensemble. Currently the principal bassist of Citymusic Cleveland Chamber Orchestra, she also performs with Apollo’s Fire, Cleveland’s Baroque Orchestra.   A founding member of the Pantheon Ensemble, Tracy has also performed with groups such as the Cavani, St. Lawrence, Pacifica, Jasper, Jupiter and Parker Quartets.

Serving on the Board of Directors for the International Society of Bassists as Education Chair, Ms. Rowell co-directed the Young Bassists Program at ISB Convention 2019 and for the 2021 virtual ISB YB.  She led the fundraising effort in 2019 to create the George Wellington and George Vance Scholarship Fund for young bassists to attend ISB Conventions.   Tracy is a founding member of the Project for All Gender Equality (PAGE).

Ms. Rowell performs and teaches at summer programs such as Bassworks Maryland, Kansas City Bass Workshop, Milt Hinton Institute, Bass Club (UK), and the Rochester Bass Retreat.   She was a faculty member at George Vance’s Summer Bass Workshops.  Ms. Rowell regularly presents masterclasses at institutions such as The Colburn School, USC, Northwestern University, and Peabody Conservatory.  

In 2016, Tracy received a grant from Oberlin, to continue her studies in Paris with the acclaimed virtuoso, Francois Rabbath.   She received her MMus from Boston University, where she studied with Edwin Barker.   She received her BMus from Rice University, as a student of Paul Ellison.