Marcos Machado is a highly acclaimed Brazilian-American double bassist celebrated for his virtuosic performances and inspiring stage presence. The Strad has praised his “incredibly fluid” left-hand technique, while Fanfare has commended his “musicianship and technical prowess.” Dr. Machado serves as a Professor of Music at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM). At USM, he has organized fourteen editions of the “Southern Miss Bass Symposium.” He is also the founder of the Pampa International Music Festival (FIMP) in Brazil and Bass by the Sea, a national double bass competition in memory of UIUC Professor and his mentor, Michael Cameron.
Machado’s impressive career includes active performing and teaching schedules, tours throughout the USA, Europe, and South America, and three Grammy® nominations. He is the only South American to have earned both the “Teaching” and “Performance” diplomas from the prestigious L’Institut International de Contrebasse de Paris, where he studied with the world-renowned double bassist François Rabbath.
Machado’s versatility has inspired many composers to write works for the double bass dedicated to him. He has given world premiere performances of several works, including American composer P. Kellach Waddle’s “The Dark and The Silent” for solo bass, Brazilian composer B. Cunha’s “Momento Nordestino n°2,” Arthur Barbosa’s “Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra,” and the world premiere of American composer Frank Proto’s Partita for Solo Double Bass. Machado also gave the South American premiere of “Wolf Totem” by Tan Dun and two of Frank Proto’s Concertos: “A Carmen Fantasy” and “Nine Variants on Paganini” for double bass and orchestra.
Machado has authored “Tao of Bass,” a multi-volume technique book incorporating three decades of double bass technique research. Several universities have adopted the first volume as a required text, and the second volume will be released soon. He has also collaborated with Geoff Chalmers to create the “Integral Technique” online course, published by the British company “Discover Double Bass.” “Integral Technique” is a comprehensive study of left-hand technique and includes numerous orchestral and solo repertoire demonstrations. Both are available at taoofbass.com.
Expanding his contributions to double bass education, Marcos Machado introduced “Keen Bass: The Mindful Bassist's Journey” in January 2024. This forward-thinking weekly booklet series is designed to diversify bassists' practices with unique concepts and excerpts. Additionally, purchasers are invited to an exclusive, complimentary hour-long Zoom discussion with Machado, enhancing their understanding and facilitating engagement within the bass community.
Machado’s discography includes many collaborations with ensembles and musicians. The Duo Machado-Fialkow (with Brazilian pianist Dr. Ney Fialkow) has published two CDs with the Blue Griffin label, “Metamorfora” and “Fantasy,” both critically acclaimed by publications such as The Strad and Fanfare. Machado performs on a David Tecchler double bass, c. 1700, and a modern custom-built double bass by Italian-Brazilian luthier Andrea Spada (1975-2022). Machado’s signature bow, “Tao,” was crafted by the world-renowned luthier Alessandro Alberi.
​
CONTACT