Tristen Jarvis is an upright and electric bassist, producer, arranger, composer, and teaching artist. Having witnessed powerful examples of how music can heal, empower, elevate, and inspire audiences from all walks of life, Tristen aims to transform the human condition across the myriad of spaces he engages. Present in his artistry are the tenets of joy, adaptability, resilience, versatility, imagination, and sensitivity. These qualities allow him to function as an ambassador for the arts and as an advocate for arts education being essential for a healthy society.
Known for his chameleonic aesthetic, Tristen has experienced a diverse array of fulfilling performances and collaborations that demonstrate his ability to “cross-over” in today’s 21st century musical landscape. In orchestral settings he has appeared with The Orchestra Now, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble X, and is a member of the Snow Pond Chamber Players. He can also be heard on the soundtrack of Netflix's GRAMMY-winning feature film Maestro written and directed by Bradley Cooper. In solo settings, Tristen has won First Prize at the 2014 Anthony R. Stefan Concerto Competition and received an Honorable Mention as a finalist in the 2021 International Society of Bassists (ISB) Solo Division Competition for his conceptual solo recital program, “Hyperlink.” He was also a semi-finalist in the 2025 ISB Solo Division Competition held at Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL, where he was praised for his inclusion of his original compositions "Eye on the Our" and "Amnio | Chorio." Outside of competition, Tristen has notably performed Missy Mazzoli's Dark with Excessive Bright Concerto for Double Bass with both the Cornell University Chamber Orchestra and Ithaca College Chamber Orchestra, along with his 2025 Ithaca College solo faculty recital, Vicennium, which celebrated his 20th anniversary of playing the bass. In jazz settings, Tristen has appeared as a feature act at the 2025 Hudson Jazz Festival and as an opening act for the Eddie Gomez Trio on Scott LaFaro Day in Geneva, NY. In rock and pop settings, Tristen has appeared on tour as a supporting act with hard rock/heavy metal royalty Joan Jett and Halestorm alongside phenom Mariah Formica (Trans-Siberian Orchestra), as producer in recording settings with guitarist/songwriter Aaron Rizzo (Shameless, NBC's The Voice) featuring Grammy-nominated jazz and groove-music drummer Nate Smith, as sideman with "Mr. Las Vegas" Wayne Newton, and as featured performer at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA.
Tristen earned music performance degrees from Ithaca College (B.M. ’18) studying with Nicholas Walker, and from the Cleveland Institute of Music (M.M. ’20) studying with Scott Dixon, as well as an Advanced Certificate in Orchestral Studies in 2022 as a member of The Orchestra Now while in residence at Bard College. He also studied privately from the age of 13 with Luke Baker, Principal Bass of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Tristen has spent summers at Le Domaine Forget, Orford Musique, Wabass Institute, Peabody Bass Works, and the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America program through Carnegie Hall, all of which allowed him to work closely with renowned bass pedagogues including Francois Rabbath, Paul Ellison, John Clayton, David Allen Moore, Etienne Lafrance, Tracy Rowell, Derek Zadinsky, Ira Gold, Harold Robinson, Ranaan Meyer, Eric Larson, Ali Yazdanfar, and Jeffrey Turner. He has also studied chamber music with members of the Orion, Emerson, Meliora, Dover, and Manhattan String Quartets, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Knights Chamber Orchestra, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
From 2022-2023, Tristen was fortunate to serve as the Interim Double Bass instructor at his alma mater, Ithaca College, where he has since continued to serve as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Bass. He also teaches at Cornell University as Visiting Lecturer of Bass and at the Opus Ithaca School of Music where he works with children aged K-12 and adult students. During the summer, Tristen teaches at the New England Music Camp in Sidney, ME, and has given masterclasses and been on faculty at the Ithaca College Summer Music Academy and International Society of Bassists Young Bassists Program. He has also been a featured presenter at the 2024 Winter NYSSMA Conference.
Tristen performs on a double bass made by Keiran O'Hara in 2019, as well as a Schroetter Hybrid double bass restored by Arnold Schnitzer for jazz and solo playing. Tristen owns bows made by Jeffrey Krieger, John Norwood Lee, Bernard Walke, and David Herman. He also is a proud owner of custom bow sleeves made by Birdie Chesanek at The Bird's Nest. For electric basses, Tristen performs on his custom Dingwall Super P, as well as a Fender P-bass and Schecter Diamond P-bass. Tristen uses Darkglass and Carvin amplification along with Boom Bass Cabinets and Lahney cabinets. He is also a proud member of the International Society of Bassists.
In 2025 Tristen was honored by his high school alma-mater, the South Colonie Central School District, by being inducted as a member of the South Colonie Hall of Fame.