Frederick D. Tinsley

Frederick D. Tinsley has been a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra since 1974. He is currently on sabbatical from the Philharmonic, as he completes doctoral studies in music at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Tinsley began his professional music career with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, of which he was a member from 1969 to 1974. He also served as assistant principal bassist of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra from 1971 to 1974. Prior to joining the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1974, Tinsley was a substitute musician for the New York Philharmonic.

While growing up in Hartford, Tinsley attended local schools, graduating from Weaver High School. He went on to obtain a bachelor of fine arts in music from the University of Connecticut, where he was principal bassist of the university’s symphony. Tinsley also studied under Bertram Turetsky at Hartt College of Music in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Other former teachers include John Schaeffer of the New York Philharmonic and Bill Rhein of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 1993, Tinsley received a master of music degree in performance from the University of Redlands.

A member of the Society of PHI KAPPA LAMBDA, Tinsley has served as a string bass instructor and chamber music coach at a number of institutions, including Pomona College, University of Redlands, California Institute of the Arts, and the University of Connecticut.

As a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Tinsley’s repertoire is bent on classical music. Nonetheless, Tinsley is a true jazz aficionado. Over the years, he has performed in “jam” sessions with the several noted jazz musicians, including: blue note recording artist Johnny “Hammond” Smith, Academy Award nominee Dexter Gordon, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, guitarist Kenny Burrell, tenor saxophonists Jimmy Heath and Houston Person, and award-winning flutist James Newton.