George Vance is a professional bassist with more than thirty years experience as an instructor, performer and writer, specializing in teaching the double bass to young children. George launched his teaching career working with Annette Costanzi to develop a bass methodology suitable for employing the philosophy of Shinichi Suzuki to teach the bass to children as young as five years old. His works, Progressive Repertoire for the Double Bass (3 volumes) and Vade Mecum for the Double Bass, are published by Carl Fischer Music. He has also caused instrument makers to produce basses and bows in proper sizes for children.

George is the director of Summer Bass Workshop, an annual five-day event featuring leading artist-teachers. He is on the faculty of the University of Maryland and has lectured and given clinics at workshops in Ireland, England, Finland, Sweden, Canada, Australia and throughout the United States. A student of Anthony Bianco and a graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University, he has also studied with Shinichi Suzuki and François Rabbath. He holds the teaching certificate of the Institut International François Rabbath.

He was awarded the American String Teachers Association “Citation for Outstanding Leadership and Merit” in 1990. In 1995 the International Society of Bassists presented him with a “Special Recognition” award for his work with young bassists.

George has served on the board of directors of the International Society of Bassists and was editor of the column "Child's Play" and a frequent contributor to that organization’s magazine.

Apart from the double bass he is also a choir director and the author of works of liturgical music for the Orthodox Church.