Joseph La Marca

Bass

Bmus (Messiah University)
Double Bass Teaching Fellow (University of North Texas)

Freelance musician based in Denton
Private bass instructor at Denton school District

Joseph La Marca is a performer and educator pursuing a Master’s degree in Double Bass Performance at the University of North Texas, where he serves as a Double Bass Teaching Fellow. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Messiah University.

As a versatile bassist, Joseph performs in classical and jazz genres with groups including the Luca Savarino Jazz Quartet and the Duck Duck Goose trio. He has performed with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Texarkana Symphony, Sherman Symphony, San Angelo Symphony, and regularly with the North Texas Symphony Orchestra and Serenata Strings. He has also opened for artists such as Charles McPherson, Russell Hall, and Etienne Charles. He currently studies with Gudrun Raschen at UNT and previously studied with Lee Philip and Duane B. Botterbusch at Messiah University.

On saxophone, Joseph performed with the La Marca Saxophone Quartet at the 2024 Navy Band Saxophone Symposium, in addition to appearances with multiple Messiah University ensembles. He studied with Dr. Todd Goranson.

Joseph teaches bass and saxophone in private, small ensemble, and large group settings, working with students of all ages and skill levels. He has served on faculty for the International Performing Arts Summit (2023–2024), working with students from a range of musical backgrounds in intensive performance and educational settings. He has also taught saxophone lessons at Danville Area High School since 2020. Joseph emphasizes technical skill, musical expression, and collaborative growth in his teaching.