Contrabass Conversations

Double bassist and early music specialist Jerry Fuller turns the tables and interviews Jason Heath in this brief and fun episode.

We're speaking with Cincinnati Symphony principal bassist Owen Lee today on Contrabass Conversations. Owen played for the New World Symphony and the Houston Symphony prior to his appointment with the Cincinnati Symphony, and it was a real pleasure to do this interview along with Contrabass Conversations regular collaborator John Grillo . Find Owen Lee on Twitter here . Enjoy!  About Owen: Describe...

This week we bring you a conversation with Chicagoland double bass luthier, teacher, and performer Steve Reinfranck. Steve runs SMR Double Basses in Evanston, Illinois, writes regularly for Bass World (the publication of the International Society of Bassists), and operates a double bass teaching studio. We also listen to a track from the Redd Holt Unlimited Quartet featuring Steve on bass, plus li...

This week we feature the first half of an interview with double bassist Peter Seymour. Peter has performed for the New World Symphony and spent a season playing with the Cleveland Orchestra, and he is now involved with an exciting new trio called Project. This group is made up of Peter on bass, Eric Stephenson on cello, and Greg Patillo on flute. Learn more about Project at www.whatisproject.org a...

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features an interview with Suzuki Bass School pioneer, pedagogue, and teacher trainer Virginia Dixon.  Virginia shares her years of experience performing and teaching the double bass, highlights unique aspects of the Suzuki bass method, and offers advice for those interested in pursuing a career as a double bass teacher. We also feature music from elect...

This Contrabass Conversations special series is made possible by the Chicago Chamber Musicians and Brad Opland. This episode features music for cello and bass by Haydn and Rossini performed by Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians Brad Opland and Gary Stucka.  They perform the Haydn Divertimento in D Major and the Rossini Duetto on this installment.  This performance was recorded live in 2004. Expl...

This interview-only Contrabass Conversations episode features the conclusion of our interview with Indiana University double bass professor Lawrence Hurst, whom we interviewed on episodes 20 and 23 of the podcast. About Lawrence Hurst Lawrence Hurst is the former principal double bass for the Dallas Symphony. He is a former faculty member of Southern Methodist and Eastern Michigan Universities and...

This week, we bring listeners a very entertaining and interesting interview with Justin Locke , author of Real Men Don't Rehearse , a book filled with wonderful anecdotes about his life in the music business.  Justin was a freelance double bassist in the Boston area for nearly two decades, working regularly during that time with the Boston Pops and other area ensembles.  Learn more about Justin at...

This week's Contrabass Conversations Episode features the second part of our interview with double bassist Donovan Stokes.  We last spoke with Donovan on episode 40 of the show, discussing his early years on the instrument, his experiences attending various universities, and his former and current double basses.  This week, we continue our discussion about instruments and delve into Donovan's comp...

This week's Contrabass Conversations Episode features the second part of our interview with double bassist Brad Opland.  Last time we heard from Brad (on episode 37 ), we talked about his experiences in the Minnesota Orchestra and Chicago Symphony, plus some of the most memorable highlights from Brad's performing career.  This episode we discuss Brad's experiences performing with the Berlin Philha...

This week's Contrabass Conversations Episode features the second part of our interview with double bassist, music educator, and author Peter Tambroni.  Last time we heard from Peter (on episode 32 ), we talked about his early years on the bass, classroom and school orchestra teaching techniques, studying bass during  his bachelors and masters degrees, teaching approaches, performance experiences,...

This week's podcast concludes our interview with National Symphony Orchestra bassist Ira Gold. We began this interview on episode 15 of the podcast and continued it on episode 18 , as well as featuring Ira performing the Vanhal Concerto with orchestra. Ira discusses his double bass set-up and mental toughness aspects of the audition, practicing, and preparation process for the double bass during t...

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features the conclusion of our chat with Minnesota Orchestra bassist Colin Corner.  Colin joined the orchestra in 2006 after being a member of the Vancouver Symphony and Louisiana Philharmonic.  In this episode we discuss the process of taking an audition for an ensemble like the Minnesota Orchestra--the various rounds, screen (or lack thereof), and rep...

This week's Contrabass Conversations Episode features the second part of our interview with Chicago Symphony bassist Rob Kassinger. Last time we heard from Rob (on episode 25 ), we talked about his early years on the bass, growing up in Colorado, playing jazz and electric bass, studying the instrument, and studying with Homer Mensch in New York City. This episode, we talk about Rob's time in the N...

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features the conclusion of our interview with double bassist Michael Hovnanian. Click here to listen to Michael's previous episodes (CBC 24 and 29).  Michael has been a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1989, and he serves as the president of Discordia Music (double bass music publisher). Michael also plays for the Gunnelpumpers , Chicago B...

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode concludes our chat with Time for Three bassist Ranaan Meyer. CBC guest and co-host John Grillo joins us in this interview, and the three of us had a very engaging conversation. You can check out the first part of our interview plus CBC video episodes featuring Ranaan on his Contrabass Conversations page here , and visit Time for Three's website at www.t...

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features an in-depth analysis of the double bass orchestral excerpts most commonly requested at auditions.  Double bassist (and regular Contrabass Conversations guest and ho-host) John Grillo discusses each of these excerpts--stylistic considerations, differences in articulation and bow strokes, and suggestions for effectively learning them--and then pe...

An active composer, Dr. Donovan Stokes is a specialist in the use of amplified and electronically manipulated double bass and has received recent commissions from the Young Bassist's Division of the International Society of Bassists, Musical Arts Society of Chicago and the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra. His recent Titanium Jr. for intermediate level bass and string orchestra was premiered in May of...

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features an interview with Chicago-based double bassist and electric bassist Scott Rosenthal. Scott is one of the major players for the Chicago theater scene, having performed in a huge number of productions such as The Producers, Ragtime, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, and Showboat. We also feature Italian bass...

A mainstay of the Chicago music scene for more than thirty years, Eric Hochberg has lent his bass work, both upright and electric, and an occasional trumpet, keyboard and vocal lick to a variety of projects across the realms of jazz, folk, rock and blues. He has performed and/or recorded with the likes of Terry Callier, Pharoah Sanders, Bobby McFerrin, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Kuhn, Barbra St...

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features an interview with Chicago Symphony bassist Brad Opland. In addition to the interview, you'll get a chance to hear Brad perform on the double bass in his own arrangement of Ibert's Quatre Causons (four songs) de Don Quichotte for bassoon and bass and hear Brad perform on the electric bass in his south side Chicago church. Enjoy! About Brad Born...

This episode of Contrabass Conversations features an interview with composer Bjorn Berkhout.  Bjorn discusses his musical training, his various compositions for bass, and the challenges of writing for the double bass.  Musical selections from his pieces Steamworks and Rise are also played on the show this week.

Greg Sarchet considers himself fortunate to have had an array of musical experiences and training, from studying with his first teacher, jazz luminary Rufus Reid, to receiving degrees from the Juilliard School (where he was a student of Michael Morgan), to hundreds of television/radio commercial recordings. His strong interest in researching the double bass and ongoing international exchange effor...

Colin Corner was appointed Principal Bass of Atlanta Symphony in 2015, after playing in the same position with the Rochester Philharmonic for seven seasons. He previously played with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony and the Louisiana Philharmonic. He received first place in the 2003 ISB Orchestral Competition, which led to a one week internship with the Detroit Symphony, and he rece...

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features the second half of our interview with double bassist Guy Tuneh, conducted over a distance of thousands of miles. It was a real pleasure to get to sit down and chat with Guy--he's a warm, intelligent, and passionate individual, and these traits come through in his speaking just like they do in his bass playing. You can visit him online at www.gu...