Linda McKnight is a

double bassist The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox additions such as the octobass). Simila ...

particularly known for her teaching and solo performances. She is part of the music faculties at

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory in New York City. The school offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition, as well as a bachelor's in mu ...

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...

, Columbia Teachers College, and

Montclair State University Montclair State University (MSU) is a Public university, public research university in Montclair, New Jersey, with parts of the campus extending into Little Falls, New Jersey, Little Falls. As of fall 2018, Montclair State was, by enrollment, ...

Career

McKnight earned her bachelor of music degree from

The Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

under

Frederick Zimmermann Frederick Zimmermann (May 18, 1906 – August 3, 1967) was an American double bassist and teacher. He played in the New York Philharmonic from 1930 to 1966 and taught at the Juilliard School, Mannes School of Music, Columbia University, Manhatt ...

and pursued additional studies with

Stuart Sankey Stuart Sankey (December 31, 1927 – May 1, 2000) was a pedagogue of the double bass. His students included Gary Karr, the first bass player of the modern era to make a career as a solo artist, and Edgar Meyer. He taught for nearly 50 years at the ...

, Joseph Cascelli,

Warren Benfield Warren A. Benfield (February 12, 1913 – July 8, 2001) was a classical double bass player. He enjoyed a long career in the bass section of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and was professor at Northwestern University. Studies and orchestral ca ...

, Henry Portnoi, and

Homer Mensch Homer Mensch (November 14, 1914 in Sussex, New Jersey – December 9, 2005 in Manhattan, New York) was a prominent classical bassist who was a former member of the Pittsburgh Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, the New York Pops, and the NBC ...

. She is a member of the Colonial Symphony of New Jersey and has appeared in chamber groups in Michigan, Iowa, and Indiana during conventions of the International Society of Bassists. Her summer teaching has included the New Jersey Summer Conference for String Education and Chamber Music (formerly NJ-ASTA Summer Conference), Manhattan School of Music Summer Music Camp, and the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute. McKnight has been a featured guest artist at workshops and clinics from Maine to Texas, addressing groups of parents, educators, and students on the contrabass and music education. In 1986 she was honored with the NJ-ASTA (

American String Teachers Association The American String Teachers Association (ASTA) is a professional organization for bowed string music teachers based in the United States. It is the largest organization in the U.S. for string teachers. ASTA serves teachers and students in all are ...

) Distinguished Service Award for her seven-year term as NJ-ASTA president from 1979 through 1986. Her writings have appeared in ''String Tones, Tempo, American String Teacher'', and ''International Society of Bassists'' magazines, and she is the editor of

Paul Ramsier Paul Ramsier (September 23, 1927 – January 31, 2021) was a classical composer most noted for his contributions to the bass literature. Ramsier, born in Louisville, Kentucky, showed promise as a pianist at the age of five, and began composin ...

’s Pieces for Friends, published by Boosey & Hawkes. McKnight has recorded for the Swedish record label BIS. She is currently on the board of directors for the

International Society of Bassists The International Society of Bassists (ISB) is a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization for anybody who enjoys the double bass. The society was founded in 1967 by Gary Karr as the International Institute for String Bass (IISB). After a two-year hiat ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKnight, Linda American classical double-bassists Women double-bassists Columbia University faculty Manhattan School of Music faculty New York University faculty Juilliard School alumni Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Women music educators 21st-century double-bassists 21st-century American women musicians American women academics