Anna Jensen
Director of Orchestra and Affiliate Artist, Double Bass
Dr. Anna Jensen’s passion for music translates to her deep involvement in music education. In addition to instructing at the University of Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran University, she is the Executive Director of the Tacoma Youth Symphony Association. During the summer she teaches at the Evergreen Music Festival and the Hammond Ashley Bass Workshop. Dr. Jensen has also taught at Central Washington University, Bowling Green State University, and was a graduate student instructor at the University of Michigan. In recent years, Dr. Jensen was awarded the Outstanding Master Studio Teacher Award from the American String Teachers Association, WA Chapter and the Washington State Music Educators Association “Friend of Music” award.
As a conductor, Dr. Jensen is a frequent clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor for contests, festivals, and workshops across the Pacific Northwest, including Alaska. She has conducted numerous All-State orchestras, regional honor groups, summer music festival orchestras, and city-wide orchestra festivals. During the year, Dr. Jensen conducts the University of Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra, the Tacoma String Philharmonic at the Tacoma Youth Symphony Association, and is the Director of Orchestras at the Annie Wright Schools.
Dr. Jensen is the assistant principal bassist of Symphony Tacoma, the principal bassist of the Tacoma Opera Orchestra, the principal bassist of the Tacoma City Ballet Orchestra, and regularly performs with orchestras across the region including the Paramount Theater Orchestra which performs with touring artists and shows. She has performed with the Second City Chamber Music Series, the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, the Kairos Music Festival and Lyceum, the Rackham Chamber Music Series, and the All Rivers at Once contemporary music series. Her vast interest in contemporary music has brought about numerous new chamber music works for the double bass and she has presented the world premieres of these works. She can be heard on William Bolcom’s Grammy Award winning recording of his “Songs of Innocence and Experience”, conducted by Leonard Slatkin.
Over the years, Dr. Jensen has been the featured double bass soloist with the Everett Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lake Chelan Bach Festival Orchestra, the Pacific Lutheran University Symphony Orchestra, the Wenatchee Symphony Orchestra, and the Tacoma Young Artists Orchestra. Dr. Jensen has won the Spokane Allied Arts Young Artist Competition, the Helen Snelling Crowe Competition, and was a finalist in the American String Teachers Association National Solo Competition.
Receiving her doctorate in musical arts degree in double bass performance at the University of Michigan, she studied with Dr. Diana Gannett and was a graduate student instructor. She holds degrees from the University of Michigan (DMA and MM) and Central Washington University (BM) and has been the recipient of the Mildred Tuttle Fellowship, the Farrell Merit Scholarship-Grant and was awarded the Presser Scholar. When not performing or teaching, Anna can be found exploring the outdoors with her four children, hiking in the woods, or encouraging her own family’s improvisational skills and joy of music!
Dr. Jensen was recently appointed by the Pierce County Council to the Pierce County Arts Commission as the representative from District No. 7. She also serves on the Equity Review Team for the Tacoma Public Schools and the Finance Committee for the International Society of Bassists.