Raquel Leite

I am a 23-year-old double bassist from Portugal, currently pursuing my master's degree at CODARTS Rotterdam under the guidance of Luis Cabrera. I began playing the double bass at the age of 10, initially drawn to the depth, power, and importance of the instrument within the orchestra. 

I completed my bachelor's degree in Lisbon, studying with Manuel Rego and Domingos Ribeiro, which laid the foundation for my artistic development and musical identity. 

As an orchestral and contemporary performer, I have collaborate with ensembles and orchestras such as the Portuguese Chamber Orchestra, Gulbenkian Orchestra, Sinfonia Rotterdam, and the national youth orchestras in Portugal, the Netherlands, and Romania. Alongside my orchestral experience, I am engaged in contemporary music and chamber music practice. I collaborate directly with composers such as Franck Bedrossian, Mateo Tundo and Yuri Demetz, and I am a founding member of Concrète [Lab] Ensemble, a collective dedicated to experimentation and the interpretation of contemporary classical music. I also perform in a duo with violin, an ongoing chamber project based in the Netherlands. 

I currently play this double bass from circa 1900 loaned by the Netherlands Musical Instrument Foundation. This smaller instrument has been essential in helping me express my artistic vision with better ease. It offers a well-balanced response, excellent projection, and a rich palette of colors, It has been, in the past few months, supporting my development as a musician and performer. I am very happy and grateful to have with me for now.