Biography

Samuel Dahmer is a prominent Brazilian bassist living in the US. With a wide experience as an orchestral musician and music educator, Dr. Dahmer has performed with many orchestras in the United States and abroad, and taught a varied set of string students.

He is currently the Adjunct Bass Professor at William Carey, and has been for many years a Strings Teacher at the Hattiesburg Public School District Strings Program, a successful strings program that gives access to music education to more than 300 students in Southern Mississippi. Previously, Dahmer has served as adjunct double bass professor at The University of Southern Mississippi and University of West Florida.

Dahmer holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, in Brazil, and a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in String Bass Performance and Pedagogy degrees from The University of Southern Mississippi. He has been awarded Graduate Assistantships for both his Master and Doctor's degrees at USM, and has served as a Teaching Assistant of the USM Bass Studio for many years as well as Adjunct Bass Professor at USM.

Samuel Dahmer's orchestral career started in Brazil as the Principal Double Bass of the PUCRS Philharmonic Orchestra and section bass of the University of Caxias do Sul Symphony Orchestra, orchestras that he performed over many years. At the PUCRS Philharmonic, Dahmer had the opportunity to perform with important Brazilian artists such as Milton Nascimento, Caetano Veloso, Zizi Possi, MPB4, and the famous British rock group Jethro Tull.

In 2004, after finishing his Bachelor's studies, Dahmer performed for three years in a major full-time orchestra in Brazil, the Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra (OSPA). At OSPA, Dahmer developed a vast acquaintance with orchestral repertoire, performing all the most important orchestral works under the baton of many acclaimed conductors such as Isaac Karabchevistky, Kiyotaka Teraoka, Roberto Duarte, etc.

As a chamber musician, Dahmer had the opportunity to play with famous Brazilian chamber groups such as the São Paulo String Quartet and the Villa Lobos Woodwind Quintet, and was also a regular member of many other chamber groups such as the PUCRS String Quintet and PUCRS Brass Sextet, with which he recorded two CDs for the Zaffari Company.

In the United States, Dahmer is the Principal Bass of the Meridian Symphony Orchestra, and bass section of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra, Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra and Pensacola Symphony Orchestra. He also has performed with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra, the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, and performs every summer with the Festival South Symphony Orchestra.

Throughout his orchestral experience, Dahmer had the opportunity to perform with many acclaimed musicians such as Francois Rabbath, Itzhak Perlman, Mark O'Connor, Renee Fleming, Nadia Salerno-Sonnenberg, Antonio Menezes, Sandi Patty, Beach Boys, etc.

Dr. Dahmer is also an active Bass Coach for summer strings camps in the Southern Mississippi area, such as the Hattiesburg Orchestral Academy.