School of Music

Originally from Brazil, Dr. Renata Soares Cáceres has worked, performed, and studied in the US since 2013. Having started as an electric bassist at the age of 11, Renata is familiar with many different settings of music ensembles, in both classical and popular styles. She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, where she studied double bass with the renowned virtuoso double bassist Marcos Machado and jazz with Larry Panella; an Artist Diploma Certificate from Texas Christian University, with Yuan Xiong Lu; and a DMA degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she studied with Michael Cameron. With extensive experience in teaching double bass for all ages in the American school system, Renata has developed a passion for teaching. She has worked at the El Sistema USA program B Sharp Youth Music, in Fort Worth, TX, and at the Illinois String Academy at UIUC, in Illinois. She is regularly involved with festivals in the United States, like ISYM, International Society of Bassists’ Young Bassists Program, Chicago Bass Festival, and teaches masterclasses in Brazil periodically. She has participated as a clinician at the American String Teachers Association (2021, 2022), the Illinois Music Educators Conference (2021, 2022), the International Society of Bassists’ Convention (2021), the Chicago Bass Festival (2022), and the Paul Rolland Pedagogy Workshop (2022), among others. Besides being the Adjunct Instructor of Double Bass at Illinois Wesleyan University, Renata has a private studio in the Urbana-Champaign area.