Sara Nell Chase is a senior double bassist from Asheville, NC. She began playing double bass in sixth grade and, before coming to the UNCSA bass studio, had been primarily self-taught with two notable exceptions: she got her start with the late Eliot Wadopian, and beginning in 2021 had a year of intensive study under Kevin Kehrberg, chair of Warren Wilson College's Music Department and IBMA award-winner. She is a member of UNCSA’s high school bass quartet and enjoyed the quartet’s recent performance at the Winston-Salem Symphony’s Symphony by the Glass event celebrating Edgar Meyer’s performance with the orchestra.  A versatile bassist, she has performed as bassist with UNCSA’s Jazz Ensemble and in the jazz combo program at UNCSA under Steve Alford.  Additionally, she has performed professionally many times at old time, blue grass, and folk events.  In February, 2024, she was one of two bassists selected to perform in the Fletcher Opera production of Donizetti’s Maria di Rohan.

Bryson Fink is an undergraduate bassist from Sumter, South Carolina. He began playing when he was in 6th grade and developed quickly through the public school system. Attending South Carolina All-State Orchestra clinics since the 8th grade and being a part of the South Carolina Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Bryson found his passion playing music within the bass community. At the 2022 Brevard Summer Institute he learned about attending UNCSA as an undergraduate.  After attending Bass Day and Preview Day and meeting Professor Sharpe, he decided it was the place for him.  Selected as a Posse Scholar, he has been able to attend UNCSA tuition free, and has greatly appreciated the support that the Posse community offers.  Not only is Bryson growing quicky as a double bass player, he is also interested in the construction and repair of the instrument, and he is eager to grow his knowledge and skill in both areas.   

Gavin Hardy is high school double bassist native to Winston-Salem, NC. He started his journey as a string musician playing the violin and cello, but after hearing the double bass's warm, resonant, and powerful sound at the age of 12, he was hooked. During his study with Professor Paul Sharpe at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), he was invited, along with four other bassists internationally to participate in the Pirastro Strings Elite Soloists Program. He was selected as the winner of the 2021-22 Harlan Duenow Young Artist Concerto Competition and was the winner of the 2023-2024 Peter Perret Solo Competition, performing the third movement of Andrés Martín’s Concerto for Double Bass with the Winston-Salem Symphony in March 2024. Gavin has been accepted into very prominent youth orchestras including both the National Youth Orchestra’s NYO-2 and NYO-USA programs, along with the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Young Artist Orchestra. This summer, Gavin is looking forward to touring South America with NYO-USA.  Recently named a Jack Kent Cooke Artist, he will be heard on a future broadcast of NPR’s From the Top.  Gavin's goal as a musician is to become the principal double bassist of a major symphony and teach the double bass at a music conservatory.

From Winston Salem, North Carolina, Sarah Jafroodi is a sophomore in the UNCSA high school program. She began her musical journey as a violinist in 2nd grade and started learning bass in 6th grade. During her time as a musician, she has been a long-serving member of the Winston Salem Youth Symphony program for seven years and was selected for North Carolina Honors All-State Orchestra in 2023. She began her private study in double bass with Professor Sharpe in 2021, prior to joining the bass studio at UNCSA. When she is not playing bass, she enjoys reading and spending time with her cat.

Aaron Lawton grew up in Garner, North Carolina and started playing the double bass in his senior year of high school, while juggling a busy baseball schedule for the Cleveland Wildcats.  A versatile athlete, the only positions he didn’t play were left and right field.  A baseball injury forced him to become serious about the double bass, and he attended Oberlin Bass Workshop.  In addition to performing with the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra, he has performed in the Duke Symphony Orchestra and in the UNCSA Bass Quartet.  Aaron has been a camp counselor at Luzerne Music Center and a teacher at Lamar Stringfield Music Camp in Raleigh. 

Michael Stratford is a junior in High school and is originally from Mooresville, NC. They started playing bass in the 4th grade and were completely taken by the instrument. At the age of 12, they began studying with Dr. Adam Booker from Appalachian State University, eventually being accepted to study with Professor Paul Sharpe at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Before attending UNCSA, Michael participated in countless performances, including working under the baton of Christopher James Lees as principal double bass of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra, and served as principal double bass for NCMEA All State Orchestra in 2022.  This summer, they are looking forward to being a member of the Youth Orchestra of the United States (NYO-USA) and touring South America with the orchestra.  They have also found success in solo competitions, including being selected as a finalist in the Charlotte Symphony Guild’s Young Artist Concerto Competition in 2022 and the 2024 Peter Perret Young Talent Search Concerto Competition. As a member of the UNCSA’s high school double bass quartet they performed at the recent the Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony by the Glass event preceding Edgar Meyer’s performance with the orchestra in 2024.

Simon Vázquez-Carr is a bassist who has lived in many different places across the United States. He is currently a senior in high school and has been studying bass for 6 years. When his family moved to Durham, North Carolina, Simon auditioned, and was accepted into the high school program of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and where he began studying with Professor Sharpe in his freshman year. During this time Simon was selected to participate in Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 program, named an alternate in the 2023 International Society of Bassists Solo Competition, attended the International Chamber Music Academy in Ochsenhausen, Germany and Jeff Bradetich’s Masterclass in Mittenwald, Germany in 2023, and is currently looking forward to joining the bass section of NYO-USA and touring South America with the orchestra this summer.  Although the bass is his instrument of choice, he explored other instruments well before landing on the bass. He took piano and guitar lessons, sang as a member of the Wilmington (DE) Children's Choir and later played in his school's band, jazz band, choir and chamber choir. He started playing bass in the Kennebec (ME) Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra and since then Simon has greatly enjoyed learning more about music and the bass. He hopes to continue his study of classical music in conservatory and become a professional bassist.

Erik Wilson is from Charlotte, NC and began playing the double bass in 2018.  Drawn to the size of the instrument, and the pleasing low sounds the instrument is capable of rendering, he rejected the instrument his mother had steered him towards in middle school - the “headache producing violin” - and happily became a double bassist. Through multiple all-county and youth orchestras, as well as the inspiration of the fine program at Northwest School of the Arts under the direction of Erica Heffner, his fate was sealed, and he is now majoring and in his first year of double bass performance at UNCSA. Outside of the double bass, he enjoys sewing, crocheting, and playing with his cat.