Born to a family of classical musicians, Jemma Jones grew up in Calgary, Alberta surrounded by music and began studying double bass at eight years old. However, her musical endeavours did not actually begin with double bass. She began violin lessons at a young age and performed in a class recital after three short months of playing violin. Playing in this recital, however, was unbeknownst to young Jemma until a few minutes before she performed. After witnessing an older classmate perform Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, she attempted, far too confidently, to squeak out the same tune. It was at that moment that her family knew she would be a performer, just not a violinist.

A few years later, Jemma began to show an interest in double bass. At age 11 she began playing in youth orchestras in Calgary, sparking a love for symphonic music. She studied for nine years in Calgary with Sheila Garrett of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra before moving to Montreal, Quebec to attend McGill University. Jemma received both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Double Bass Performance from McGill, studying with Brian Robinson and Ali Yazdanfar of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal. Throughout her time in Montreal, Jemma performed with multiple ensembles around the city, most recently with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal.

Jemma has also had the pleasure of returning home to Calgary on a few occasions to play with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, in which both her parents play. During the summers, Jemma has participated in the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Domaine Forget Music Academy, and Orford Music Academy, where she learned from masterful bassists and received scholarships for her playing. Jemma joins Symphony Nova Scotia as Assistant Principal Bass in fall 2022 and could not be more excited to begin playing with the Symphony and to get to know the city of Halifax.

Q&A WITH JEMMA

Why did you begin playing your instrument?
I grew up with two musician parents, a flutist and a trumpeter. So, it was an easy decision for me to not play either of those instruments! Some of our family friends played bass – 8 year old Jemma thought they were pretty cool and wanted to be like them when she grew up. I guess I figured playing bass was a good place to start!

What do you love about symphonic music?
I feel that music can connect with people, with emotion, in a more profound way than anything else in our world. I love getting to be a small part of a group creating that connection every week. As a bassist, I get to set the foundation for beautiful melodies or bring more gravitas to a particularly epic or heartfelt moment of a piece. I love all the little parts coming together to create something beautiful, and I feel truly privileged to get to help bring that to life.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love spending time outdoors. Hiking, swimming, skiing; anything that gets me outside, active, and in nature. And it’s always better with friends and family!