double bass

Cécile-Laure Kouassi (she/her) is a French-Norwegian bassist who performs across Europe and the US. Recent chamber music appearances include Yellow Barn, Konzerthaus Berlin, Salle Cortot, Bergen International Festival, Stavanger Kammermusikkfestival. 

Her debut recording ‘Beaux Jours’, with pianist Ole Christian Haagenrud, is available on all platforms.

Before embarking on a freelance career, she served as assistant principal bass with the Oslo Philharmonic for nearly a decade. She has appeared as guest principal with Les Dissonances, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Les Siècles, co-principal with the Royal Danish Opera, and assistant principal with Orchestre National de France and Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, in addition to section work with Orchestre de Paris and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.

She has been invited to teach at several courses: Voksenåsen, OKA Summerkurs, Ringerike Sommersymfoni and through the Norwegian Kontrabassklubb.

Cécile-Laure Kouassi trained at Juilliard, where she received the Scholastic Distinction for her paper on Poulenc and Surrealism, and holds a master’s from Rice University. Interested in physiology and injury prevention, she pursues further studies in medicine at UCLouvain through their PEPS Program for working artists.

She plays a 1770 Ongaro double bass, on generous loan from the Dextra Foundation and featured in The Strad, a modern instrument by Seth Kimmel and a bow by Boris Fritsch.