UNCSA Double Bass Day
UNCSA Double Bass Day
Paul Sharpe and the UNCSA Double Bass Studio are hosting UNCSA Double Bass Day 2025 on Saturday, October 4, 2025.
UNCSA Double Bass Day will feature two incredible guest artists -- international soloist and bass phenom, Mikyung Sung, in recital and solo masterclass; and Kristen Bruya, Principal Bass of the Minnesota Orchestra, in a masterclass with orchestral focus. Additionally, Matt Rybicki, the new jazz bass professor at UNCSA will be joining us for a jazz session in the morning, while Paul Sharpe covers classical technique.
Bass Day is geared to all levels of bassists, from middle school to professional. Explore what vendor Gencarelli Bass Works from SC has to offer! Don't miss this exceptional celebration of the artistry of double bass with Mikyung Sung, Kristen Bruya, Matt Rybicki, and Paul Sharpe, promising a day filled with passion, inspiration, and exceptional music.
Registration
The registration fee for this event is $35.
Included with the registration fee:
- Participation in Double Bass Day
- T-shirt
- Lunch
- Two complimentary tickets to recital with Mikyung Sung at 3 p.m. (Value: $40)
If you have any questions about the registration, please email Paul Sharpe at sharpep@uncsa.edu.
UNCSA Double Bass Day Schedule
| 9:15-9:30 a.m. | Check In Watson Hall Lobby |
| 9:30–10:30 a.m. | Warm Up with Bass Orchestra! with Paul Sharpe SMC 167 |
| 9:30-11:00 a.m. | Jazz Session with Prof. Rybicki SMC 168 |
| 11:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m | Solo Masterclass with Paul Sharpe Watson Hall |
| 12:00–1:00 p.m. | Lunch Dining Hall |
| 1:00–3:00 p.m. | Masterclass with Kristin Bruya Watson Hall |
| 3:00-3:30 p.m |
Q&A with Kristin Bruya |
| 3:30-4:00 p.m. | Break and visit our vendors (BVS and Giancarelli Bass Works) Watson Hall |
| 4:00–5:30 p.m. | Recital with Mikyung Sung Watson Hall |
| 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Masterclass with Mikyung Sung Watson Hall |
Guest Artists
Mikyung Sung
Mikyung Sung, a native of Seoul, South Korea, is an active female double bassist who has gained international recognition as a soloist, teacher, and chamber and orchestra musician. Her fearlessly virtuosic and engaging performances are notable for their bel canto lyricism and emotional expression.
Since her professional debut as soloist at age 11 with the Guri Philharmonic Orchestra, Ms. Sung has performed as soloist with orchestras such as the Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie (Germany), Philharmonie Baden-Baden, Bergen Filharmoniske Ungdomsorkeseter (Norway), Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra, Musicians' Initiative (Singapore), Erato Ensemble, Philharmonia Corea, Colburn Orchestra, Korea National University of Arts Orchestra, University of Guanajuato Orchestra, Concordia University Irvine Orchestra, Sunhwa Arts School Orchestra, Atlanta Festival Youth Orchestra, Caesura Youth Orchestra, and with conductors such as Ludovic Morlot.
Established as a renowned concertizing solo bassist in South Korea, Ms. Sung performed recitals at Seoul Arts Center’s IBK Chamber Hall, Lotte Concert Hall, Kumho Art Hall, Kukje Art Hall, The Raum Social Venue, Music in PyeongChang, The House Concert series, and the Korea National University of Arts concert series. She has also been featured on KBS 1TV's “Classic Odyssey” and “Masterpiece Scandal”, and KBS Classic FM, TBS FM 95.1, and SBS radio.
As a teacher, Ms. Sung has presented master classes at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Stanford University, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Pennsylvania State University, Columbus State University, Royal Academy of Music (UK), Royal College of Music (UK), Qingdao Yehudi Menuhin School (China), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Singapore), and University of Guanajuato (Mexico), and is featured in online video lessons by Tonebase.
In the 2018-19 season, Ms. Sung was a Principal Bassist of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and taught at the Shanghai Orchestra Academy. She had previously won the audition for Assistant Principal Bassist with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in 2015, which she declined in order to attend graduate school.
Initially taught by her double-bassist father, Ms. Sung enjoys collaborating with other musicians and performing a variety of musical genres. She spent six years concertizing across South Korea as a double bass duo with her brother, as well as performing in double bass duos at the Sierra Madre Playhouse in the Los Angeles area with a mixed program of classical standards and arrangements of film scores, and at Pittsburgh double bass symposium, University of North Carolina School of the Arts Double Bass Day. She performed in a double bass quartet at the Ditto Festival, and later founded the Emeth Ensemble double bass quartet, giving performances across Korea including at IBK Chamber Hall and with an orchestra at Lotte Concert Hall. She has also performed at the Palm Springs Life Festival with Sarah Chang, Music From Angel Fire, Qingdao Yehudi Menuhin School, Roswell Music Club, Pennsylvania State University, Columbus State University, and with the Emory Chamber Music Society.
In 2010 at age 17, Ms. Sung was awarded First Prize, Audience Prize, and the Special Jury Prize at the International Johann-Matthias Sperger Double Bass Competition in Germany. In 2015 she was awarded the Thomas Martin prize for the best performance of a work by Bottesini and second place overall at the International Society of Bassists Solo Competition in Colorado. In 2017 she was awarded the internet-voted prize for audience-favorite finals performance and Honorable Mention overall at the Bradetich Competition in Texas. She had previously been awarded first prize in numerous competitions in Korea.
Ms. Sung received her Artist Diploma from The Colburn School's Conservatory of Music in 2017, studying with Peter Lloyd. Prior to that, she received her Bachelor of Music degree from Korea National University of Arts, having entered early as a gifted student after graduating from Sunhwa Arts Middle School. She participated in master classes given by artists such as Berlin Philharmonic principal bassist Janne Saksala, London Symphony Orchestra principal bassist Rinat Ibragimov, former Staatskapelle Berlin principal bassist Klaus Trumpf, Guarneri String Quartet violinist Arnold Steinhardt, pedagogue and cello soloist Hans Jørgen Jensen, and Beaux Arts Trio and former Cincinnati Symphony principal cellist Peter Wiley. Ms. Sung's debut album, "The Colburn Sessions", has been featured on nearly 100 radio stations worldwide and received glowing reviews from publications such as Strings Magazine, Bass World, Bass Magazine, Fanfare, American Record Guide, HiFi News and Record Review, Classics Today, Classical Candor, Violinist.com, Textura, and The Whole Note. Her performances have also been recognized online by publications such as The Strad and Classic FM.
Kristen Bruya
Kristen Bruya joined the Minnesota Orchestra as principal bass in February 2015. Prior to this, she was the assistant principal bass of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and was also previously a member of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. She received an undergraduate degree in music from the University of Michigan, did extended studies at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, received a master’s of music from Rice University and was a fellow in the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida.
In addition to her duties as principal bass, Bruya enjoys playing chamber music and teaching. She has collaborated with various chamber ensembles throughout the Twin Cities, Toronto and Nashville, and has performed at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and with Music from
Angel Fire. She has presented master classes at New World Symphony, Northwestern University, Indiana University, the Peabody Institute and Michigan State, among others. Bruya served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Toronto and in 2023 she was on the faculty at the Aspen Music Festival. She has served as a member of New World Symphony’s Alumni Advisory Council with the mission to connect alumni with each other and with current fellows.
Aside from music, Bruya is passionate about practicing and teaching 26&2 Hot Yoga (formerly known as Bikram Yoga). During the COVID pandemic she had the opportunity to pursue a 300 hour teacher training program offered by Minneapolis Yoga, where she’s practiced since moving to the Twin Cities. She currently both practices and teaches yoga at Minneapolis Yoga and has received her Level 1 OHYA teacher certification. She also enjoys cooking, reading, snowshoeing, and walking her dog around Minneapolis’ beautiful parks and lakes. She resides in south Minneapolis with her husband Andy Chappell, bass trombonist of the Minnesota Orchestra.


