Nancy Mizen, a native New Yorker, attended the High School of Music & Art (now La Guardia High School), where at age 14, she chose the double bass as her second instrument (Piano was her first.) “They wanted to stick me with the violin. My violinist grandfather was a concert artist in Hungary, and I didn’t want any odious comparisons. There was a cello-bass class, and I chose the bass. I thought it was different and weird, kind of like me. I also thought it would be an opportunity to meet boys, since more boys played the bass. As it turned out, I stayed in a corner and practiced ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat,’ while the boys jammed.”

At the same time, Nancy acquired the habit of playing in an orchestra, a habit that became an essential and integral part of her life. “Taking part in the creation of a symphonic work, being enveloped in the rich variety of timbres mystically blending into a whole that is ever so much greater than the sum of its parts, is an experience that always takes my breath away. Sharing that musical expression with an audience is exhilarating.”

Throughout the years and the tempests of her life, music and the bass have provided pleasure and solace. She has had three renowned teachers: Julius Levine (New York), H. Stevens Brewster (Virginia, principal of the National Symphony), and currently, Pascale Delache Feldman, an outstanding soloist and teacher. Nancy’s bass, Dorasón, was made by luthier Jordi Ruscada, in Catalunya, Spain, especially for her. It is a pear-shaped model of Italian design. Dorasón means ‘golden sound’, describing the color as well as the cantabile sound of this beautiful instrument.

Nancy joined the NCO in October 2003, and has enjoyed playing with this ever-evolving group of dedicated musicians, ever since. She is committed to illuminating people’s lives with the spark of joy and inspiration that music ignites.