Emily Tarantino, bass, and Riley Zimmermann, bass

Emily Tarantino is an associate musician of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and Assistant Principal Bass of the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra. In addition, she frequently performs with the Erie Philharmonic, Canton Symphony Orchestra, Akron Symphony Orchestra, Resonance Works Chamber Orchestra, and the Kassia Ensemble. She is one half of the double bass duo, Contraduo, that performs in the Greater Pittsburgh area. In addition, Tarantino also writes new compositions and arrangements, and hosts workshops with her duo partner & husband, Riley Zimmermann.

Tarantino is a double bassist and educator based in Pittsburgh, Pa. She holds a B.M. in Music Education from the State University of New York at Fredonia and an M.M. in Performance from Duquesne University. She also holds an Advanced Musical Studies Certificate from Carnegie Mellon University. Tarantino's formative teachers include Micah Howard, Aaron White, Brett Shurtliffe and Peter Guild.

Riley Zimmermann is the current Acting Principal Bass of the Richmond Symphony. He is a native of Dillsburg, Pa., and did his schooling in Pittsburgh, Pa. Zimmermann holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Duquesne University and a master’s degree in Double Bass Performance from Carnegie Mellon University. His principal teachers include Micah Howard, Jeff Mangone, Aaron White, Peter Guild, Duane Botterbusch, and the entire Pittsburgh Symphony bass section.

Before joining the Richmond Symphony, Zimmermann held a busy teaching schedule in the Pittsburgh area. While maintaining a private studio of bassists, he taught elementary orchestra in the North Allegheny School District. Zimmermann served as interim bass faculty at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pa. Some of his favorite teaching, however, has been working with students and faculty at Bass Works, a double bass camp based in Baltimore, Md. Currently serving on the faculty, Zimmermann has worked with Bass Works since 2019. He has also worked with the Young Bassists Program of the International Society of Bassists.