What is the Artemis Bass Initiative?
The Artemis Bass Initiative was founded with the goal of empowering women and nonbinary bassists to lead and succeed in the bass community. Through mentorship, professional development seminars, and scholarships, we can help to increase female and nonbinary students’ access to opportunities and role models as they build the confidence they need to thrive in the current male-dominated environment.
Throughout my work as both a teacher at Peabody Conservatory and an advocate for gender equity in the bass community, I have come face to face with the breadth and variety of challenges that our female and nonbinary students experience. I’ve heard stories ranging from simple microaggressions to clear discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. As teachers, we are often unaware of the prevalence of these situations and the detriment that they can have on the trajectory of a student’s life. Additionally, the representation of women and nonbinary bassists is low and in many cases absent in our professional bass sections. We can counteract this absence of localized role models with mentorship, community, and resources. The mission of the Artemis Bass Initiative is to help our female and nonbinary students navigate through anything they might face, so they are able to continue on to success.
The specifics
The four components of the initial launch of Artemis are:
Mentorship Program
A 12 month partnering program connecting mentees (age 18+) who are pursuing a professional performing career with successful women and nonbinary bassists in the industry.
Orchestral Training Program held at the Symposium for Women and Nonbinary Bassists at the Curtis Institute
A 4-Day program led by Nina DeCesare at the Symposium for Women and Nonbinary Bassists at Curtis Institute, focused on standard orchestral repertoire and audition preparation, culminating in an orchestral competition with cash prizes.
Professional Development Seminar Series
Professional Development Seminars led by leaders in the field aimed at educating and empowering the network of women and nonbinary bassists with the goal of raising awareness around gender equity and building community.
The Summer Festival Scholarship Fund and the Instrument Fund Scholarship
Why Your Support Matters
Philanthropy plays a pivotal role in sustaining and expanding these essential programs. Your support directly enables us to:
Provide scholarships to talented musicians facing financial barriers.
Expand mentorship opportunities to reach more aspiring artists.
Develop new initiatives that address systemic inequities in classical music.
Join Us in Changing the Future
With your generosity, women and nonbinary bassists gain the support, inspiration, and sense of belonging they need to flourish. Together, we can create a future where classical music is more inclusive, welcoming, and filled with opportunity for every bassist.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can’t donate now, but want to get involved:
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Attend our first seminar, a panel discussion “Women in Bass” hosted by the ISB CenterStage series, featuring Nina Bernat, Kristen Bruya, Nina DeCesare, Gaelen McCormick, Tracy Rowell, and Patricia Weitzel
Spread the word to students, colleagues, and friends!
