Dr. Kris Monson is a professional double bassist and educator based in New York City. Monson has had the honor of working with many top musicians in the international jazz, contemporary, and new music scenes – including Marc Cary, Tyshawn Sorey, Renée Fleming, Vince Mendoza, Veronica Swift, Steve Wilson, Ari Hoenig, Charles Owens, and Rex Richardson – on stages such as Carnegie Hall (NYC), the Kennedy Center (DC), Opera America (NYC), the Panama Jazz Festival (Panama City, Panama), the Providencia Jazz Festival (Santiago, Chile), Smalls Jazz Club (NYC), Smoke Jazz Club (NYC), Blues Alley (DC), the DC Jazz Festival, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (Canada), and the Sewanee Summer Music Festival (Tennessee).
photo: Katie Simbala
A passionate educator, Monson is the Adjunct Assistant Professor of Double Bass at the Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College. In addition, he teaches double bass, composition, music theory, and improvisation at the Manhattan School of Music summer program. He has previously taught music fundamentals at George Mason University and served as a graduate teaching fellow at the New England Conservatory for various courses in the music theory and jazz studies departments. An in-demand clinician, Monson has given master classes at schools across the country, including the University of Texas at San Antonio, the University of Central Arkansas, the University of Virginia, Sewanee: The University of the South, Furman University, and the University of Mary Washington. As a researcher, Monson has presented at national and international conferences for the College Music Society, the Jazz Education Network, and the International Society of Bassists. Upcoming presentations include the 2026 Jazz Education Network Conference in New Orleans, LA, and the 2025 Symposium on Historic American Music at Susquehanna University.
As a performer and composer, current and recent projects include his 2024 album, Option to Extend; his extended composition, Suite for Charlottesville: Regarding the August 2017 "Unite the Right" Rally; performances with Jorge Variego's "Imaginary Folklore" project, a clarinet-bandoneón-double bass trio that celebrates new music, improvisation, and Argentine traditions; and extensive performances as a sideman with Charles Owens, Joshua Espinoza, Veronica Swift, Matt Baker, and others. Upcoming and recent performances include Miller Symphony Hall (Allentown, PA), George Mason University’s Center for the Arts (Fairfax, VA), Keystone Korner (Baltimore, MD), Smalls Jazz Club (NYC), and international artist residencies in Differdange, Luxembourg and Tbilisi, Georgia.
A graduate of the New England Conservatory (DMA), the Manhattan School of Music (MM), and the University of Virginia (BS in Systems Engineering and Music), Monson has been fortunate to study with jazz legends Buster Williams and Dave Holland, as well as classical bassists Don Palma (Orpheus Chamber Orchestra), Orin O'Brien (New York Philharmonic), and David Grossman (New York Philharmonic). Additional mentors include John D’earth, Ken Schaphorst, and Katarina Miljkovic.