A Jazz Bassist’s Unlikely Journey Into the Future Through the Past

Help Me Study at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague

Hello! My name is Dr. Keenan Zach, DMA. I’m a 37-year-old jazz double bassist from Coram, New York, and I’ve spent the greater part of my life devoted to the pursuit of musical excellence—through performance, listening, learning, and teaching.

For the past 15 years, I’ve worked as a professional jazz artist, collaborating with many respected and well-known musicians. During my doctoral studies, I developed a deep appreciation for classical traditions of the bass. Now, having completed my doctorate, I’m ready to take a significant step in expanding my musical perspective.

I’m excited to share that I’ve been accepted to study Early Music Performance Practice at The Royal Conservatory of The Hague in the Netherlands. It’s an extraordinary honor—and a major challenge. That’s why I’m reaching out to ask for your help in making this journey possible.

Why is early music relevant for today?

It’s a fair question.

I’ve built my life around jazz—improvisation, groove, deep listening, and collaboration. But over the past six years, I’ve developed a growing fascination with the music that came before jazz: the sound worlds of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. This was a time before equal temperament and mass standardization, when music was handmade, deeply rhetorical, and profoundly human.

Early music challenges us to hear differently. It treats sound not only as entertainment, but as language, ritual, and reflection of culture. Its traditions are rich, its expression deeply nuanced, and it has the power to inspire and move people in unique ways. This music has much to teach us—not just about sound, but about who we are, how we think, and how we relate to each other.

What is The Royal Conservatory of The Hague?

The Royal Conservatory of The Hague is one of the most respected institutions in the world for historically informed performance. The faculty includes some of the most influential voices in the field, and the program is known for its intellectual rigor, artistic depth, and commitment to creative exploration.

Studying there means more than learning a style—it means reimagining music from the ground up. From how a single note is tuned to the meaning behind an entire performance, this program will reshape not only my technique but my understanding of what music can be as an art form and as a form of human connection.

The Support I Seek

As a working musician, I’ve been fortunate to support myself through a full-time career in performance. However, this opportunity is a major departure—one that requires a financial commitment I can’t shoulder alone.

Estimated Cost for Year One: $45,000

Through personal savings and generous support from my family, I’ve already secured $20,000. To raise the remaining funds, I am in the process of selling several of my instruments, including:

I’m asking for your help to raise $25,000 to help cover:

Why you might consider supporting this journey

If you choose to support this project, you’re not just helping me attend a school. You’re investing in:

My humanitarian work in Haiti

Beyond the stage and classroom, I’ve had the privilege of working with charitable organizations and institutions to offer humanitarian aid in Haiti. In particular, I’ve supported both children and adults by sharing the transformative experience of music—bringing joy, education, and emotional healing to communities with limited access to the arts.

That work showed me how music can change lives, even in the most difficult of circumstances. I know that the skills and insights I gain from this program in The Hague will further my commitment to using music in the service of others.

Thank You

If you’ve read this far, thank you.

If you’re able to contribute, thank you.

If you can’t contribute, yet you believe in this educational endeavor and are willing to share it with those who might be able to support it: I thank you, heartily.

This educational opportunity means everything to me. I’m committed to walking this path with integrity, gratitude, and full-hearted dedication. If you choose to support me, I promise to carry that support forward into something meaningful—for music, for others, and for the world we all share.

With gratitude,

Keenan Zach

Coram, NY