Bio

Robert Kassinger joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1993, and previously served as assistant principal bass for the Colorado Symphony and section bass for the New Orleans Symphony.

An active chamber musician, Robert has appeared with Daniel Barenboim, Menahem Pressler, Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, the Fine Arts Quartet, the Orion Ensemble, Fulcrum Point, Ars Viva, Music of the Baroque, MusicNow, and radio broadcasts on WFMT.

Robert is adjunct professor of Double Bass at DePaul University. He has also served as guest instructor at Indiana University, and interim instructor at Northwestern University. He is a frequent master clinician at Manhattan School of Music, the Juilliard school and International Society of Bassists. It was Robert’s honor to teach at the West- Eastern Divan, a ground-breaking youth orchestra that brings together musicians from Israel and various Arab countries to study with Daniel Barenboim, Yo-Yo Ma, and members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, and Staatskapelle Berlin.

Robert grew up in a family of musicians in Boulder, Colorado. He began his bass lessons with Frank Carroll at the University of Colorado. In 1985 he moved to New York to study with Homer Mensch at Manhattan School of Music and the Juilliard School, followed by studies with Bruce Bransby at Indiana University.

Some of Mr. Kassinger’s most influential experiences as a student were his two years as principal bass of the New York String Orchestra, directed by Alexander Schneider, and two summers as a fellowship student at the Aspen Music Festival, studying with Stuart Sankey and Bruce Bransby. In 1989 Robert was the winner of the Aspen Double Bass Competition.

Robert's experience as a jazz performer began in his teen years, working in the house rhythm section at the Denver jazz club El Chapultapec. Since then he has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Kenny Burrell, Woody Herman Orchestra, Conte Candoli, Charlie Rouse, Teddy Edwards, Harold Land, Red Holloway, Charles Brown, Richard Stoltzman, Gary Burton, Alex Acuna, Laurence Hobgood, and Bobby Lewis.