Principal
Bass

A member of the Nashville Symphony since 1998, bassist Joel Reist was "hired a second time”, by Music Director Kenneth Schermerhorn, as Principal Bassist in 2003. Before joining the orchestra, he was a fellowship recipient to the New World Symphony and the Aspen Music Festival. He currently serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music,  having previously taught at Belmont University. Many of his students have gone on to enjoy successful careers as performers and educators. Joel has presented masterclasses at numerous universities and colleges, including Indiana University, Carnegie-Mellon, and Texas Christian University, among others.

Originally from Western Pennsylvania, Joel studied at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh and at Rice University in Houston, receiving a BFA and MM, While in school, he was a guest musician with the Houston Symphony and the San Antonio Symphony.

Joel is active in Nashville’s rich commercial recording community and enjoys collaborating with the city’s diverse artists, both in the chamber music setting and in the recording studio. He is married to cellist Sari DeLeon Reist and has raised two daughters, both of whom are involved with the arts.

Joel plays a bass made c.1795 by Pietro Cateni of Livorno, Italy.