Travis Harrison
DOUBLE BASS
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Travis Harrison teaches double bass at the University of Toronto. He is in high demand as a freelance soloist, chamber musician, and section leader in the Southern Ontario region, having served as guest Principal Bass with the National Arts Centre and Canadian Opera Company Orchestras, among others. His deep love of music led him to his Toronto Symphony debut at age 18, Montreal Symphony at 19, and a tenured position with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra through his 20’s. His performances have received critical acclaim, as both a central member of “a bass section most orchestras could only dream of having” (Le Devoir, 2019); and ability to accompany the full Toronto Mendelssohn Choir of over 150 voices: “the string quintet packed a punch, especially from Travis Harrison on the bass, whose resonant and rhythmic playing formed a formidable foundation” (Ludwig van Toronto, 2024).
He has served the bass community as a Board Chair of the International Society of Bassists; as a consultant for tonebase where he was responsible for their double bass content and platform curation; and co-authored The Canadian School of Double Bass technique books and music editions with his mentor, Joel Quarrington. Travis has also published articles on double bass technique in Bass World, and has been featured as a guest on the Contrabass Conversations podcast and the International Society of Bassists’ Center Stage series. His self-produced video recordings have been featured by The Strad, and are widely circulated across media platforms.
Pedagogy is central to Travis’ musical life - a natural leader in the classroom, he began teaching professionally at an early age, and continued to teach at the musical institutions of each city he has lived in, from Sistema Winnipeg to the University of Ottawa, and is proud to now be leading the classical double bass department at the University of Toronto and at York University. The pillars of Travis’ teaching style are support, respect, and inclusivity; combined with an energetic drive to be a positive force for change in the Canadian classical music scene.
Travis proudly performs on a bass commissioned from Montreal master luthier Mario Lamarre and bows by Ottawa’s Bernard Walke. He is committed to supporting Canadian artists at every available opportunity in the classical music world.
He has served the bass community as a Board Chair of the International Society of Bassists; as a consultant for tonebase where he was responsible for their double bass content and platform curation; and co-authored The Canadian School of Double Bass technique books and music editions with his mentor, Joel Quarrington. Travis has also published articles on double bass technique in Bass World, and has been featured as a guest on the Contrabass Conversations podcast and the International Society of Bassists’ Center Stage series. His self-produced video recordings have been featured by The Strad, and are widely circulated across media platforms.
Pedagogy is central to Travis’ musical life - a natural leader in the classroom, he began teaching professionally at an early age, and continued to teach at the musical institutions of each city he has lived in, from Sistema Winnipeg to the University of Ottawa, and is proud to now be leading the classical double bass department at the University of Toronto and at York University. The pillars of Travis’ teaching style are support, respect, and inclusivity; combined with an energetic drive to be a positive force for change in the Canadian classical music scene.
Travis proudly performs on a bass commissioned from Montreal master luthier Mario Lamarre and bows by Ottawa’s Bernard Walke. He is committed to supporting Canadian artists at every available opportunity in the classical music world.
