Multi-Focus Performance: Contrabass

Peter Rofé has been a bassist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra since 1986. He also performs with the Philharmonic's New Music Group and Chamber Music Society Concert Series, with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and does freelance work.

He began his orchestral career as the principal bassist with the San Diego Symphony and the San Diego Opera, and held those posts for 14 years. He also served as principal bassist with the Chautauqua Symphony and played in numerous summer festivals, including the Kapalua Chamber Music Festival in Maui, the San Diego Mainly Mozart Festival, the Grand Teton Music Festival and as a guest artist at the Sitka Chamber Music Festival and the Anchorage Basically Bach Festival.

Rofé has taught bass at CalArts for more than 10 years, and also teaches at Cal State, Los Angeles. He has been on the faculties of San Diego State University, the Chautauqua Summer School of Music, Pepperdine University and Occidental College. He has given master classes at the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Summer Institute, the Anchorage Symphony, the Music Academy of the West and UCLA. He lives in Santa Monica with his wife, Judy, a children's television writer and lyricist, and their two young sons, Leo and Ike.

Press Quotes:

"...an expert instrumentalist...Peter Rofé plays a strikingly melodious double-bass." Andrew Porter, The New Yorker

"Although he was responsible for the lowest musical line, he functioned as a potent integrating and unifying force in the ensemble … he produced an agile melodic line and a haunting double bass solo."
Kenneth Herman, The San Diego Union

"...impeccable intonation and understanding of the shape of the music…a pleasure to hear it played so stylishly."
Jonathan Saville, The San Diego Reader

profe@calarts.edu