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Double bassist Michael Marks joined the National Symphony Orchestra in September of 2020. Originally from Gilbert, Arizona, Mr. Marks received his bachelor’s degree from the Colburn Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Peter Lloyd, and his master’s degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where he studied with Timothy Pitts. While at Rice, he also had the pleasure of working extensively with Paul Ellison.

Mr. Marks’ orchestral career began at a young age – he won his first position at age 19 when he was appointed Principal Bass of the Arizona Opera, a position he held for three seasons while simultaneously pursuing his undergraduate studies in Los Angeles. Before joining the NSO, Mr. Marks performed a season each with the Houston and San Diego Symphonies and made appearances with many major American orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Detroit, Utah, Fort Worth and Phoenix Symphonies, and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

Mr. Marks is widely sought-out as a chamber musician and soloist and has been featured in the Colburn Chamber Music Society’s concert series in Los Angeles and Houston’s Hear and Now new music series. In addition to performing numerous solo recitals in Houston and Los Angeles, he was selected in 2018 to represent Rice University in recital at the Terrace Theater of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Mr. Marks is a winner of the 2016 Doublestop Foundation’s instrument loan competition and, as such, performs on a 19th-century Venetian double bass attributed to Giacinto Santagiuliana.