A native of San Mateo, California, Steven D’Amico celebrated 45 years as Principal Bassist of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. He also serves as Assistant Principal Double Bass in the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, a position he has held since 1980. Mr. D’Amico enjoys playing with various chamber music ensembles throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and is a former member of the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players.

Like many Italian-American boys, Steven began his musical studies by playing the accordion. With the lure of 1960s rock n roll, the accordion, however, was soon cast aside for the electric bass. Advised by his high school music teacher, John Catalano, to choose what he considered a more “legitimate instrument,” Steven opted for the double bass and began classical training with Lynn DeRamus and later continued with his principal teacher, S. Charles Siani. In 1975, Mr. D’Amico graduated from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and was awarded a fellowship at the Tanglewood Music Festival in 1976 and 1977, where he performed as a member of the Tanglewood Fellowship Orchestra.

In addition to performing with the Ballet Orchestra, Mr. D’Amico has had a long history of active involvement and leadership on the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra’s Players’ Committee.

Mr. D’Amico is a 20-year member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He has played on numerous recordings, including the 2016 GRAMMY winner “Ask Your Mama,” and can be heard on multiple soundtracks for video games and films.

Steven is known for showing many members of the Orchestra the joys (and occasional sorrows) of salmon fishing on the Pacific Ocean. Mr. D’Amico is married to former San Francisco Ballet dancer and now Doctor of Pharmacy, Yolonda Jordan D’Amico.