Stephen Pfeifer

Bassist/USA

Born in New York and raised in Southern California, Stephen began his studies on the Double Bass at the age of 10. For his Bachelor of Music Degree he studied with Oscar Meza, Assistant Principal Double Bass of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at California State University Northridge. It was under Mr. Meza’s tutelage that Stephen became a member of the well known American Youth Symphony with Maestro Alexander Treger, and Principal Bass of the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Symphony with Maestro Joana Carneiro. The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts was the next step for Stephen and in 2007 he achieved a Masters in Music. At NEC Mr. Pfeifer studied with Donald Palma, founding member and Bassist of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. In addition to freelancing throughout the greater Boston area Stephen joined the Indian Hill Symphony Orchestra with Maestro Bruce Hangen, and The Cape Cod Symphony with Maestro Jung-Ho Pak. Stephen participated in the Schleswig Holstein Music Festival where he toured Europe with Maestro Chistoph Eschenbach and later worked with other well known conductors such as Heinrich Schiff, Mikhail Pletnev, Herbert Blomstedt and Kolja Blacher. In 2010 Stephen was asked to play principal bass for the SHMF tour of North America with Maestro Eschenbach and Soloist Lang Lang.

Mr. Pfeifer moved back to California in 2008 and now lives in Altadena with his wife Rebecca and daughter Addison. Stephen is also a Los Angeles Philharmonic Teaching Artist with the Harmony Project and maintains a private teaching studio from his home. As an active chamber musician, Mr. Pfeifer is solo bass with Definiens, performs regularly with WildUp, and is a member of The Upside, a trio performing music ranging from Bach to Brubeck. Mr. Pfeifer often works in the numerous recording studios throughout Los Angeles and is a substitute musician with many Southern California Orchestras.