Holly Downes is an Australian bassist, composer and educator who has performed extensively with renowned chamber-folk trio The String Contingent, contemporary group The Griffyn Ensemble and beloved folk songstress Lucy Wise. She is known for showcasing the melodic capabilities of the double bass, which she wields with the deftness of a violinist, and for exploring diverse accompaniment textures and instrumental techniques. More recently Holly has been appointed Co-Artistic Director of the National Folk Festival, joined the five-piece banjo-focused band The Good Behaviours and has been playing with songwriter and national treasure Fred Smith for his Sparrows of Kabul project.
Holly holds a Bachelor of Music from the Australian National University where she studied with renowned bassist Max McBride. Holly was nominated for the Freedman Classical Fellowship in 2014 and has extensive orchestral and chamber music experience. She was a longterm member of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and participated extensively in the Australian Youth Orchestra program, including two European tours. As an educator, Holly seeks to facilitate musical expression in others by creating a nurturing space in which to unpack challenges. Regarding bass technique, her approach is that “the impossible just takes a little longer” and has helped many people work through postural issues that can cause pain or injury. Holly completed her Master of Teaching in 2022 via a selective internship program through the University of Melbourne and currently works as a classroom strings specialist, ensemble director and bass teacher at Wesley College. She also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology, where her research included auditory processing and pitch perception in music. She has taught at many music camps including Alasdair Fraser’s Skye Fiddle Camp in Scotland, the Young Music Society’s Summer Camps and Wild Strings, and at Stringmania each year since its inception in 2016.