About Me
Jarrett Bastow is a professional double bassist, educator, clinician, and freelance music coach with over a decade of experience performing with professional orchestras, guiding students in their musical development, and mentoring freelancers in building sustainable, purpose-driven careers.
Currently based in Greater Dallas, Mr. Bastow maintains an active performing schedule across multiple states, a robust private teaching studio, clinician services in schools, and a coaching practice supporting musicians as they transition from burnout to balance. He helps artists build freelance careers rooted in autonomy, strategy, and systemization.
As a performing artist, Jarrett has held leadership positions with regional orchestras, including serving as Principal Bass of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas and Assistant Principal Bass of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (MO). He currently performs as a section bassist with the Tulsa Symphony and has appeared with numerous other organizations including the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Tulsa Opera, Texarkana Symphony Orchestra, and Shreveport Symphony Orchestra.
His orchestral and chamber work spans traditional repertoire, contemporary music, and cross-genre collaborations.
Mr. Bastow is a Suzuki-trained teacher in both cello (Units 1–8) and bass (Units 1–5), with training from leading pedagogues such as Beth Cantrell, Andrea Yun, Shu-Yi Scott, Zachary Sweet, Avi Friedlander, Kate Jones, and Virginia Dixon. His private studios—Low End String Academy and Strung Low Teaching Studio—serve cello and bass students of all levels and ages.
Low End String Academy supports students ages 18 and under through a Suzuki–Vance blended approach, emphasizing character development, technique building, artistry, and problem-solving skills.
Strung Low Teaching Studio is designed for older students and adult learners, focusing on body-aware technique, musical expression, mindset development, and efficient practice habits for long-term, sustainable growth.
His teaching experience includes faculty positions at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas Community College, as well as teaching artist roles with Harmony Project Tulsa and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. He maintains a strong commitment to parent involvement, individualized lesson planning, and holistic student development.
As the founder of Bisectional Low String Clinician Services, Jarrett specializes in cello and bass sectional coaching, masterclasses, and workshops for middle and high school orchestra programs. His clinics emphasize ensemble cohesion, bow technique, posture, intonation, and musical leadership within the section. He has worked with programs across multiple states, including:
Conroe ISD (The Woodlands High School)
Deer Park ISD (Bonnette & Deer Park Middle Schools)
Bartlesville Public Schools (Bartlesville High School, Central & Madison Middle Schools)
Jenks Public Schools (Jenks East Intermediate & Middle Schools)
Bentonville Public Schools (Fulbright, Grimsley, Lincoln & Washington Junior High Schools; Bentonville and Bentonville West High Schools)
Pasadena, Humble, Aldine, and Tomball ISDs, among others
His approach is collaborative and results-oriented, supporting orchestra directors in improving ensemble sound, increasing student engagement and confidence, and enhancing technical consistency.
As the founder of Opus Freelance, Jarrett Bastow supports musicians and creative professionals at every stage—from collegiate artists to seasoned freelancers—in building sustainable, self-directed careers with structure, clarity, and confidence. Opus Freelance is designed for creatives who want to work with intention instead of burnout, offering tools, education, and strategy for navigating the modern freelance landscape.
Through coaching, bootcamps, workshops, curriculum, and media, Jarrett focuses on practical systems that help artists grow beyond survival mode. Areas of focus include time management, personal and professional branding, diversified income streams, financial planning, strategic decision-making, and long-term career design.
Before founding Opus Freelance, Jarrett worked extensively as an arts administrator in both operations and education & community engagement roles with multiple orchestras. These experiences gave him a behind-the-scenes view of how performing arts organizations function—from production timelines and budgeting to educational outreach, donor relations, and audience development. Seeing the gap between artistic training and real-world career demands, Jarrett built Opus Freelance to provide creatives with the structure and support often missing from traditional pathways. That experience, combined with his work as a performer and educator, inspired Mr. Bastow to create a space where musicians could receive the kind of direct, actionable guidance he wished had been available during his music studies and early career. Jarrett’s coaching is grounded in lived experience and formal training in arts leadership & cultural management, change management, and grant proposal writing.
He believes that freelance musicians deserve more than survival tactics—they deserve the skills, systems, and support to build independent careers rooted in autonomy, creativity, and financial clarity.
Whether you’re looking for a bassist for your ensemble, a clinician for your program, a private teacher for your student, or a coach to support your next chapter, Jarrett brings professionalism, insight, and dedication to every collaboration.
Let’s connect and explore what we can build together.