The College of New Jersey

Quick Facts

Christopher M. Clark, bass faculty

General Statistics

  • US News Ranking: #3 (tie) in Regional Universities North
  • US News Overall Score (out of 100): 92
  • In-State Tuition & Fees 2016-17: $15,794
  • Out-of-State Tuition & Fees 2016-17: $26,971
  • Room & Board 2016-17: $12,881
  • Total Enrollment: 7,406
  • Acceptance Rate (from 2015): 49%
  • Student – Faculty Ratio: 13:1
  • 4 year graduation rate: 72%
  • % of undergrads receiving Financial aid: 49%
  • Average Financial Aid: $11,636

Double Bass Statistics

  • Average number of undergraduate bass students: 1-4
  • Bass Ensembles

What Alumni Are Doing

  • Craig Stanton, who went on to study with Linda McKnight at Columbia, teaches music in Westfield, New Jersey.

Perspectives from the Bass Faculty

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

A: While I do love hearing the final results, I also love the week-to-week interactions in the lessons.

About The Bass Faculty

Christopher Clark

Adjunct Instructor of Music (Double Bass)

M.M., Double Bass Performance, University of North Texas
B.M., Double Bass Performance, University of North Carolina-Greensboro

Chris Clark has been a part of the musical life of The College of New Jersey since 1999, when he met his future wife during TCNJ Orchestra rehearsals for Gianni Schicchi and Suor Angelica by Puccini. As an adjunct since 2004, he has mounted faculty recitals of classical music as soloist, has been a guest artist with the Jazz Ensemble and the TCNJ Orchestra, and has taken part in jazz faculty recitals with his TCNJ colleagues, including local alto saxophone legend Richie Cole. In addition, he has given TCNJ performances of original guitar/bass arrangements of the music of Frank Zappa with longtime collaborative guitarist/arranger and TCNJ alumnus Kevin Kuchinsky, and has performed the Koussevitzky Concerto as soloist with the Bryn Athyn Orchestra, as conducted by Dan Kujala.
In 2012, Chris’ bass work on the family release Fitness Rock & Roll by Miss Amy and Her Big Kids Band was recognized with a Grammy nomination for the album, and he continues to collaborate with Amy Otey and her husband Alex Otey of Ewing as a jazz and popular music styles bassist. Most recently, Chris joined fellow string faculty member Harold Levin onstage in Mayo Concert Hall to give the world premiere of Levin’s composition before and after…(2014) for viola and double bass, a companion-bookend piece to the second movement of Dittersdorf’s Sinfonia Concertante. In 2015, Mr. Clark ushered in American premieres at TCNJ of The Last Poppy, a piece for three double basses, and the poppies blow… for double bass and piano, both by English composer David Heyes. In addition to preparing solo double bass works and works with piano for recital performances, Chris also belongs to a commissioning group dedicated to fostering the composition of new double bass works through private donations.

Mr. Clark holds a Masters of Music from the University of North Texas where he studied with Jeff Bradetich, and he keeps an active teaching schedule at TCNJ, the Lawrenceville School, and his own private studio.

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