Grace Lewis
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Grace Lewis is a double bassist based in Houston, TX. Lewis received her Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Performance from Oklahoma City University and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Instrumental Performance at the University of Houston, where she is a graduate teaching assistant and served as principal double bassist for the Moores School Symphony, Opera, and Ballet Orchestras in their 2017-2018 season. Lewis maintains a private studio in the Houston area and is a freelance performer as well. She was recently seen in concert with the internationally-known 2Cellos during the Houston performance of their 2017 World Tour. She is currently on staff with the Texas Music Festival and looks forward to returning to the faculty of the Oklahoma City University Bass Camp in late July 2018. During her time in Oklahoma, Lewis held a faculty position with El Sistema Oklahoma and was an assistant instructor in the Oklahoma City University Double Bass program’s outreach clinics and concerts. Lewis enjoyed reuniting with the OCU Double Bass program to assist in a presentation on double bass chamber ensembles at this year’s American String Teachers Association Convention in Atlanta. As a performer, she was the 2016 OKC Ladies’ Music Club Solo Competition Collegiate Strings Division winner, as well as the 2015 Oklahoma City University Concerto Competition winner and 2014 competition finalist. She was also a semi-finalist in the 2017, 2016 and 2015 Naftzger Young Artist Competition in Wichita, KS. Lewis has held principal positions with the University of Houston and Oklahoma City University Symphony Orchestras and the OCU Opera and Musical Orchestras, and has also performed with the Fort Smith Symphony in Arkansas, the St. Luke’s United Methodist Church Ensemble, the OCU Wind Philharmonic, the OCU Early Music Ensemble, the Canterbury Choral Society, in collaboration with the OCU Project 21 Composition Studio and with the University of Houston Composition Studio. In her native Virginia, she performed with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the Symphonicity Orchestra of Virginia Beach, the Hampton Roads Chamber Players, and the 
Tidewater Wind Ensemble, and later coached chamber ensembles for the HRCP summer chamber program as one of its alumni. She has performed in masterclasses for such renowned bassists as Francois Rabbath, Edgar Meyer, David Murray, Mark Dresser and Michael Klinghoffer. Lewis is a Presser Scholar and a recipient of the Martin Mailman Excellence in Performance Endowed Scholarship, as well as a member of the International Society of Bassists, the American String Teachers Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, and the Phi Eta Sigma National Honors Society. She will be featured on an upcoming episode of Jason Heath’s “Contrabass Conversations” podcast.
