Double bass

Jesus Apodaca joined the Music Faculty of the University of Texas at El Paso in Fall 2023 and is an active educator, freelance orchestral bassist, and soloist.

As an orchestral double bassist, Jesus was previously Principal Bass of the El Paso Symphony, a position he won in 2015. Jesus has performed with many orchestras including Symphony in C, the Annapolis Symphony, the Maryland Symphony, the Fairfax Symphony, the Occasional Symphony, New Prism Ensemble, and as guest principal with the Washington Chamber Orchestra. Jesus has previously been a member of the Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra and the Orquesta Sinfónica de la UACJ.

As a soloist, Jesus has performed solo recitals at the Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall, and Leith Symington Griswold Hall at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD. He has appeared as a soloist performing the Koussevitzky Double Bass Concerto with orchestra at the Peabody Conservatory with conductor Jaime Reeves. Jesus has been guest Principal Bass with the Washington Chamber Orchestra in performances of Stravinsky’s Pulcinella.

Jesus maintains a private studio of talented elementary, middle school, and high school students as well as college graduates working toward auditioning for graduate schools.

Jesus plays a Trevor Davis double bass, built for him by Trevor in 2017.

Education

Jesus is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland under the tutelage of National Symphony Orchestra double bassist Ira Gold. Jesus received his Master of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory in 2017. 

Jesus studied with world renowned pedagogue Paul Ellison in Houston, TX prior to his studies at the Peabody Conservatory.

Jesus has attended Domaine Forget, Orford Music Academy, DC Bass, Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute and was chosen as one of five full scholarship students to study with Jeff Bredetich at the Pirastro Strings Elite Soloists Program in Denton, TX. He has had additional studies with François Rabbath, David Moore, Nicholas Walker, Scott Dixon, and Ali Yazdanfar and earned a Bachelor of Music Education at the University of Texas at El Paso.