B i o g r a p h y
Double bass player and teacher Douglas Nestler is excited about moving to Cary, North Carolina in the early summer of 2025!
In August 2017, he followed his wife Jemma Kang's career to Cincinnati. Since then, Doug has played with the Dayton Philharmonic, the Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony, and the Kentucky Symphony, and taught bass lessons and sectionals in the Mason, Loveland and Mariemont schools.
Doug and Jemma spent the 2016-17 academic year in Indianapolis. During that time, he quickly established himself as one of the most in-demand bass players and teachers in the area, making frequent appearances with the Indianapolis Symphony, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, the Carmel Symphony, the Lafayette Symphony, and playing with The Who on their "Moving On!" tour. In addition, he participated in many recording sessions at studios such as Aire Born, The Lodge and the Gaither Studio, and taught bass lessons and sectionals at schools around the I-465 loop.
From 2009-2011, Doug was a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Also in 2009, he began his tenure as a member of the Illinois Philharmonic in Frankfort, IL. His numerous performing engagements around the Chicago area included regular appearances with the Rockford Symphony, Elgin Symphony, five summers as principal of the Wheaton Pops Orchestra, and as guest principal of the Northbrook Symphony. Prior to moving to Chicago, he played in the Amazonas Filarmonica in Manaus, Brazil, during the Amazonas Festival de Opera in 2008, which included the English language premiere of Roger Waters' opera "Ca Ira."
Doug is dedicated to teaching the bass to students of all ages. He has completed two books of Suzuki bass teacher training with Virginia Dixon. His students have attended the Interlochen Arts Camp and the Butler University bass camp, and gone on to major in music at Vanderbilt University, the University of Illinois, the University of Wisconsin and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
Originally from Norwalk, CT, Doug earned a Bachelors of Music degree from New England Conservatory of Music, in Boston, MA, where he studied with Lawrence Wolfe and Donald Palma; a Masters of Music degree at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, PA, studying with Jeff Turner; and did further graduate study at Indiana University in the Performers Diploma program as assistant instructor with professor Lawrence Hurst. He was a fellow in the orchestra of the American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival in the summer of 2007.
In addition to his musical activities, Doug is an avid runner. He has completed three Cincinnati Flying Pig marathons, one Chicago Marathon, several half marathons, and logs many miles on the roads and trails around Cincinnati.
