A native Calgarian, Patrick Staples began studying the double bass at the age of 12 with Sheila Garrett, former Assistant Principal Bass of the Calgary Philharmonic. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles where he studied with David Moore and Paul Ellison, and a master’s degree from Rice University in Houston where he studied with Timothy Pitts.
A three-time national finalist in the Canadian Music Competition, Staples has been awarded fellowships to attend numerous summer music festivals, including Music Academy of the West, Sarasota, Tanglewood, and Aspen.
Prior to joining the Calgary Philharmonic in 2013, he was a member of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.