University of Memphis

• State: Tennessee
• State School (public)
• School Website

John Chiego, bass faculty

• Email John
• John’s Website

General Statistics

• In-State Tuition & Fees 2016-17: $8,903
• Out-of-State Tuition & Fees 2016-17: $20,615
• Room & Board 2016-17: $9,061
• Total Enrollment: 20,585
• Acceptance Rate (from 2015): 92%
• Student – Faculty Ratio: 15:1
• 4 year graduation rate: 18%
• % of undergrads receiving Financial aid: 67%
• Average Financial Aid: $6,165

Double Bass Statistics

• Average number of undergraduate bass students: 7
• Average number of graduate bass students: 1
• Studio Class, Orchestral Repertoire Class, Bass Ensembles

What Alumni Are Doing

• Principal Bass of the Naples Philharmonic
• Section Bass New Jersey Symphony
• Bassists for all of the major service bands/orchestra/strolling strings, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines

Perspectives from the Bass Faculty

Q: What are some of your favorite experiences teaching at your school?

A: Touring with our bass ensemble, The Memphis Bass Thing, and breaking into the jail of “Hanging Judge Parker” in Fort Smith, Arkansas; sharing a stand in Carnegie Hall with a former student for a Nashville Symphony performance.

I share the “classical” teaching duties with Sean O’Hara, a current DMA student, so the students get the best of both worlds, an older bass player, me, in the Benfield tradition, and a young player with chops out the wazoo, Sean, who is current with the latest techniques and approaches. We also have a jazz bass professor, Tim Goodwin, soon to retire and replaced by Sam Shoup, who teaches both upright and electric basses. At the University of Memphis, bass players really do have it all.

About The Bass Faculty

John Chiego is Professor of Double Bass and the Director of the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis. Mr. Chiego has been an active performer his entire career serving in positions such as Principal Bass of the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and bassist for the Orpheum Theatre Orchestra in Memphis, playing for touring Broadway shows. He was the long-time Principal Bass of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and has served on the faculties of the Hot Springs Music Festival, Brevard Music Center, Allegheny Summer Music Festival, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts, and the National Music Festival.

Mr. Chiego has also been a frequent performer with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, appearing on many of their recent CDs, and is active in the recording studios of Nashville, performing on the soundtracks of many recent movies, television shows and video games. He has been an Artist-in-Residence at the Bay View Chamber Music Festival and toured with artists such as Amy Grant and Vince Gill. As a recitalist and clinician, Mr. Chiego has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe, with featured solo recitals at the Edinburgh International Double Bass Festival and The International Society of Bassists’ worldwide convention.