Kebra-Seyoun Charles

Biography

Kebra-Seyoun Charles is a double-bassist originally from Miami, Florida. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Todd Seeber and Lawrence Wolfe. Kebra-Seyoun is currently pursuing his Master of Music degree at the Juilliard School, under the tutelage of Joseph Conyers. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Jerome L. Greene Fellowship.  

Growing up the son of an African drummer and dancer, Kebra-Seyoun was exposed to music at a very early age. Early exposure to jazz, gospel, and traditional African music led him to express interest in other forms of music. He now studies classical music passionately and draws influence and inspiration from ostensibly contrasting genres and musicians. In line with his upbringing, Kebra-Seyoun is able to give prominence to the dance qualities in all forms of music. Exhibiting his versatility, Kebra-Seyoun has had the opportunity to play alongside esteemed improviser and composer Tyshawn Sorey. Kebra-Seyoun also played in the Slugs’ Saloon installation at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, created by famed jazz musician and composer Jason Moran.

Kebra-Seyoun is a two-time winner of the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra’s concerto competition, he is the winner of NAACP’s ACT-SO concerto competition, and he has been featured by Performance Today, Young Arts, and From the Top. In addition to his solo career, Kebra has performed with many different ensembles, including A Far Cry, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, and Cape Cod Symphony. >From 2016-2020, he was the principal of the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra’s double bass section. This included performances in Boston’s Symphony Hall, Harvard’s Sanders Theatre, Vienna’s Mozarteum, Berlin’s Konzerthaus, and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw.  Kebra-Seyoun has twice played as a fellow of the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra.