Dylan Reckner, Section Bass
Before joining the Naples Philharmonic, Dylan Reckner was a freelance musician in New York City and Philadelphia. His freelance career included performing George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue at its original location exactly 100 years after it premiered. He also had the honor of performing the premiere of Philip Glass’ 14th Symphony in New York City with the composer in the audience. Dylan enjoyed performing frequently with Symphony in C, the Brooklyn Orchestra, the Avalanche Ensemble and boogie woogie twice with virtuoso violinist Itzhak Perlman.
At 16, Dylan began studying double bass seriously under the tutelage of Joseph Conyers. After high school, he then went on to study at the Schulich School of Music, McGill University with Ali Yazdanfar. After completing his undergraduate studies at the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings, Mercer University and studying with Jeffrey Turner and Daniel Tosky, Dylan received his master’s degree at the Yale School of Music studying with Donald Palma. During his collegiate years, he was a substitute bassist for the Charleston Symphony, Waterbury Symphony Orchestra and the Avalanche Ensemble.
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The facts:
I was born in Ambler, Pennsylvania, and received my Master of Music at the Yale School of Music in New Haven, Connecticut. I joined the Naples Philharmonic in the summer of 2024.
What are you most excited for as you begin your tenure with Artis—Naples?
I’m thrilled to be able to perform the music I love at a high level with these amazing musicians. I also look forward to post-rehearsal naps on the beach.
What is one fun fact about you?
My father was the manager of the punk rock band The Dead Milkmen. If you know them, feel free to talk to me after the show as I’m also a fan.
What inspired you to become a musician?
I was incredibly lucky to have had Joseph Conyers as a teacher in high school. The joy and passion he brought to teaching classical music had a big influence on me and made me want to pursue music as a career. The continued support of my parents and the many teachers I studied with after high school made my desire to become a musician even stronger. Also, playing music with other people is pretty fun—and never gets old.
What’s challenging about playing your instrument?
There is just no pleasant solution to traveling with a double bass. The size of the instrument also creates a lot of playing challenges, but you get used to it ... Bass is awesome. Everyone should play it!
What are your favorite compositions?
I really love the Brahms Symphonies.
What have you been listening to recently?
Quite a bit of this season’s pieces. Outside of classical music, recently it’s been a strange hodgepodge of Madvillain, Primus, Cannonball Adderley and Laufey.
Are there other musicians in your immediate family?
My mother was a public school choral and general music teacher. She is also a fantastic pianist.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I enjoy playing basketball and meditating, and I recently started learning Spanish.