Omar Haffar is a double bassist who joined the North Carolina Symphony during the 2025/26 season. Before joining NCS, he spent a season playing with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra on a one-year contract and performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He received his bachelor’s degree from Baylor University in 2022, where he studied with Sandor Ostlund, and master’s degree from Northwestern University in 2024, where he studied with Andrew Raciti. His other principal teachers include Robin Kesselman, Eric Larson, and Andy Moritz.
Haffar has attended summer festivals including the Domaine Forget Academy and the Aspen Music Festival, where he studied with Christopher Hanulik and Timothy Pitts. Outside of playing the bass, he is deeply interested in music history and enjoys pizza-making.
