Expertise • Enthusiasm • Excellence
“With students, Adam is exceptionally kind, caring, and supportive. He's an intuitive teacher, with a knack for sensing what students need and finding multiple ways to communicate concepts. Adam is also a wonderful musician. There are few bass players I have met or known who have the type of diverse chops that he has, equally comfortable and confident in multiple genres. And he's a fantastic listener, always focused on how he can best support the playing of those around him. (This, of course, is also how he teaches!) All that said, however, I think the most succinct way I can tell you how I feel about Adam is this: if there was anything I could do to get him to move back here to Arizona to help me run my year-round program, I would do it in a heartbeat. He is, in a word, incredible.”
Taylor Morris, Director, StringPlay
Adam Gurzcak
Double Bass
Adam completed his MMus from Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arizona with a B.M. in Music Performance, a B.A. in Italian Studies, and a Thematic Minor in Global Studies.
Adam has premiered many new works both as a soloist and chamber musician. He has performed with the New England Symphony, Boston New Music Initiative, Boston Chamber Symphony, New England Philharmonic, and Tucson Symphony Orchestra, among others.
Outside of the classical realm, he works as the Education Manager for the Grammy Award-winning Silkroad; is the Head of Communications and Design for Out to Lunch Records; and is the bassist in the four-piece roots band Amber Wilds. He is passionate about collaboration and social change through music, and is dedicated to implementing culturally-responsive and equity-centered programs.
As a teacher, he runs his own private studio and is a founding faculty member at StringPlay, Arizona, where he has worked since its founding in 2013. Previously, he taught at the Boston Music Project (formerly the Josiah Quincy Orchestra Program), where he co-taught in two orchestras with students ranging from grades 1-5; the New England Music Academy; and at schools in Tucson, AZ. His teaching focuses on healthy playing, creative development, and skill-building for success.
Beyond performing and teaching, Adam is also a freelance photographer, designer, and painter, working with unconventional media such as tea and coffee.
Meet Adam
- How/what age did you start your instrument?
I began playing bass at the age of 10, when I first moved to Arizona, but didn't start taking lessons until I was in high school. Funnily enough, I actually hated playing bass for my first few years! But thanks to the encouragement of my teachers, I stuck with it and fell in love with it. - Did you come from a musical family?
Nope! I didn't grow up in a musical household at all. My mom and brother played some guitar and piano at one point, but I was never exposed to it growing up. Even among my extended family, I'm one of (if not the only?) practicing musician! - Best or funniest (or even worst!) musical memory from childhood?
I took group piano lessons for a brief time, and they had me recite a monologue from the Music Man.... on stage at the Arizona State Fair.... while wearing a purple sequin vest..... I still cringe at the thought of it. - A highlight or two from your performing career:
One of my very favorite performances was the last concert I did in graduate school at the Boston Conservatory. Three Silkroad artists – Sandeep Das, Maeve Gilchrist, and Kaoru Watanabe – joined the Boston Conservatory Symphony at Symphony Hall, and I got to perform with them as the principal bassist! The concert was incredibly powerful and showcased the kind of multicultural music that I absolutely love playing – and just a few months later I started working for Silkroad full-time!
Another more recent highlight has been performing on and producing my singer-songwriter friend's upcoming album (to be released in 2023!). I've adored working with her to create something that is so deeply meaningful and personal to her, while also having the opportunity to bring in my own ideas and vision. - What do you love about teaching?
Teaching, for me, is all about the connections, whether they be personal, interpersonal, or musical. These connections allow us to find our passions, have fun, and connect more deeply with the world around us, and being a part of that cycle is one of my greatest joys. - What would you like your students to know about you?
Never be afraid to ask questions or share ideas! There's no one "right" way to be a musician, so let's work together to figure out what is best for you and how we can make it fun and rewarding. - Can you share a non-musical fun fact about you?
Polish is actually my first language! I first learned English when I started kindergarten.