Contrabass Conversations

This episode is a rebroadcast of one of those astoundingly complex projects that I love digging into!  We're featuring questions from double bass student Baylee Brown (still a high school student at the time of this recording and now a student at Boston University), which are answered by 27 noted double bass faculty members.   This idea was suggested by University of Texas at Arlington bass facult...

I recently had the opportunity to attend a mock audition for the San Francisco Academy Orchestra .  This program, led by conductor and bassist Andrei Gorbatenko, offers a one-year artist diploma and features an academy orchestra, weekly lessons, monthly auditions, and more.   In addition to chatting with audition coordinator Joy Fellows about audition techniques, we chat with Andrei Gorbatenko, cu...

We were thrilled to have Dr. Don Greene back as our guest on the podcast.   Don first appeared on the show in 2017 –his first podcast appearance ever!  Don is a performance coach with an amazing track record in music music, sports, and other specialties.   Over 1000 musicians won auditions after working with Don, and he continues to expand into new projects. On today's episode, longtime co-host Jo...

Today, we're featuring San Francisco Symphony bassist Brian Marcus , who has been a member of the orchestra for 38 seasons.   Brian overcame a serious playing injury several years ago through the Feldenkrais Method , and his discovery of this method transformed his approach to bass, music, and other aspects of his life. We dig into the hows and whys of Feldenkrais, how it changed Brian's approach...

Today, we're featuring Ralph Alcala , who has recently moved into building basses full-time.   Ralph is a super-talented luthier.   Check out past podcast guest Aaron Olguin playing Ralph's fourth double bass to hear these beautiful bass cannons that Ralph's building. Ralph has actually been on the podcast before as a part of our Luthier Roundtable at this summer's Oberlin Bass Workshop for the Vi...

Aaron Olguin is truly one of the rising stars in the double bass world.   As the winner of the 2017 I nternational Society of Bassists Solo Competition, Aaron will be playing the opening recital for the 2019 ISB Convention.   He is also the new principal bassist for the Trondheim Symfoniorkester. I had a wonderful time hanging out with Aaron at the 2018 Latin American Bass Festival .   He is a tru...

Today's episode features the following past podcast guests on the topic of recital preparation: Sam Suggs - James Madison University Diego Zecharies - Galicia Symphony Orchestra principal solo bass David Grossman - New York Philharmonic Marek Romanowski - Polish soloist and teacher Jack Unzicker - University of Texas at Arlington   Listen to more "best of" episodes at contrabassconversations.com/h...

Today's episode features the following past podcast guests on life in the bass section and how to play well in it: Susan Wulff - San Diego Symphony Todd Coolman - Indiana University Michael Hovnanian - Chicago Symphony Brent Edmondson - substitute bassist for Philadelphia Orchestra Tom Zera - Utah Symphony   Listen to more "best of" episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights . Listen to Co...

Today's episode features the following past podcast guests on the role of musicality and technique: Mark Dresser - University of San Diego David Murray - Butler University Michael Klinghoffer - Conservatory Orchestra at JAMD Todd Coolman - Indiana University Miles Mosley - jazz artist   Listen to more "best of" episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights . Listen to Contrabass Conversations...

Today's episode features the following past podcast guests on the role of the principal bassist in an orchestra: Alex Hanna - Chicago Symphony Orchestra Ju-Fang Liu - Indianapolis Symphony Chris Hanulik - LA Phil Colin Corner - Oregon Symphony and Grant Park Symphony Orchestra Orin O'Brien - New York Philharmonic   Listen to more "best of" episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights .   Lis...

I had the chance to chat recently with Denis Chang, who has produced a new four-part double bass course featuring Gary Karr !   This course rocks.   I've been using it for my own playing and with my students with great results.   Here are links and details: In The Style Of Gary Karr, Vol.1 Lessons Warm-up Exercise 1 Warm-up Exercise 2 Warm-up Exercise 3 Warm-up Exercise 4 Holding The Bass Purpose...

I also had the opportunity to spend some time with Cleveland Orchestra bassist and Cleveland Institute of Music Strings Chair Scott Dixon during this recent trip.   Scott has been on my "to interview" list for nearly a decade, and we finally made it happen!   We cover what it was like growing up in Idaho, driving to Spokane for lessons, "ah ha" moments, rebuilding his entire way of playing bass wh...

A funny thing happened to me in Cleveland this November during the Violin Society of America Convention.   I had been chatting with bass luthier legend Arnold Schnitzer about the presentation that he was going to be doing on new double bass developments.   Arnold mentioned that he was going to be meeting Bradley Lovelace , who was in Cleveland that week playing Les Miserables. As I was leaving the...

Micah Howard has just released a cool new app called iDouble Bass .  This app is free (!) and has an in-app purchase ($.99) of Micah's excellent scale and technique books.  It's filled with fantastic and clear step-by-step lessons on all aspects of double bass playing like standing, sitting, left hand, right hand, thumb position, and much more!   Check it out on the App Store or at iDoubleBass.com...

Today's episode features the following past podcast guests on the topic of persistence: Karl Fenner - Atlanta Symphony Kristin Korb - jazz artist James Oesi - soloist, chamber musician, and organizer Caleb Quillen - Kansas City Symphony Leon Bosch - soloist, chamber musician, and conductor   Listen to more "best of" episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights .   Listen to Contrabass Conver...

Today's episode features the following past podcast guests on the topic of expat adventures: John Goldsby - WDR Big Band Marc Ramirez - Metropolitana Academy Jennifer Downing Olsson - Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra Charlie DeRamus - Gothenburg Symphony Kristin Zoernig - Philharmonia Baroque   Listen to more "best of" episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights .     Listen to Contrabass C...

Today's episode features the following past podcast guests on the topic of traveling with a bass: Ron Carter - jazz legend Diego Zecharies - Galicia Symphony Orchestra principal solo bass Nick Lloyd - luthier Kevin Smith - Willie Nelson Band Marco Panascia - New York City jazz bassist   Listen to more "best of" episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights .   Listen to Contrabass Conversatio...

Today's episode features the following past podcast guests on the topic of bass humor: Joel Reist - Nashville Symphony principal bass Leigh Mesh - MET Opera Orchestra associate principal bass Lucia Turino - The Devil Makes Three Kevin Smith - Willie Nelson Band Derek Jones -   bassist for Cirque du Soleil's show KÀ   Listen to more "best of" episodes at contrabassconversations.com/highlights .   L...

I had the chance to spend time in person with Yung-Ho Fu during a recent tour to San Francisco with the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan, where he serves as principal bass.  Our mutual friend Cielito de Jesus connected us, and we had a wonderful time talking about his recent edition of the Bach Cello Suites as well as his recording of these wonderful works . Listen to Contrabass Conversations...

Valentina Ciardelli is one of my favorite young double bass artists.   She's on a mission to showcase the double bass in a chamber music setting and elevate its prominence outside of the bass world. She's also a huge fan of Frank Zappa, and she has arranged many of his works for solo double bass.   You can learn more on her YouTube Channel and in this engaging and wide-ranging conversation! Listen...

I had a great time chatting with bassist, composer, and educator Sean Conly during my recent trip to New York City. Sean studied with Rufus Reid and Todd Coolman at William Paterson University and has worked with Freddie Hubbard, Regina Carter, Nicholas Payton, and many other prominent jazz artists. Sean also teaches for The Bass Collective in New York, which emphasizes learning by doing and facul...

I've been hoping to chat with Mike Forfia for the podcast ever since I heard that he won the 2015 International Society of Bassists Jazz Competition and would be one of the headliners for the 2017 Convention.  In addition to being a great jazz bassist, Mike is the Student Success Academic + Career Advisor at The New School in New York City. Mike is a deep thinker and has made several career decisi...

You've almost certainly encountered Michael Thurber 's work in the past.  Michael co-founded the incredibly popular YouTube channel CDZA , producing videos like Story of the Bass .  Michael went on to play bass on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and he is now composing critically acclaimed music for the Royal Shakespeare Company, hosting his Thurber Theater , and writing for an incredibly arra...

When I put out a call for interview requests for my New York City trip, Marco Panascia was one of the most-requested bassists.  In fact, Marco has been requested as a guest many times over the years, and he and I have also talked about doing an interview for the past few years.  Being able to chat in person with Marco was an added benefit! Marco and I cover all kinds of interesting ground, like hi...

We're talking with International Society of Bassists President Nicholas Walker about new directions for the organization.   A lot has been happening behind the scenes at the ISB, and I've been privileged to be on the board and a part of these restructuring.   We dig into this and much more in today's conversation. Below is Nicholas' column for the fall 2018 edition of Bass World.   This will give...