Contrabass Conversations

This week on Contrabass Conversations we bring you an interview with string teacher and double bassist Peter Tambroni. Peter has written a book titled An Introduction to Double Bass Playing , and he has many valuable ideas regarding double bass pedagogy. Arizona bassist Robert Matheson is also featured on this episode. Enjoy! About Peter Peter began playing the double bass at the age of 16 (after...

This week we are wrapping up our interview with double bass virtuoso François Rabbath. You can hear the previous sections of this interview on episode 16 and episode 22 of the podcast. We will also be featuring in interesting new twist in Contrabass Conversations interviews today—the Lyric Opera's Andy Anderson (a regular collaborator on the podcast) will be discussing one piece in depth and offer...

Guy D. Tuneh dedicates his work to challenging the traditional role of the bass player, and to stretching the limits of bass-playing. Beyond approaching the double bass literature from a new direction, these goals are achieved by performing music which until now was considered impossible to perform on this instrument. For example, he was the first bass player to ever perform an un-transcribed vers...

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features an interview with double bassist Michael Hovnanian. 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 Bass Ensemble , Music of the Baroque , and the Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra . He authors th...

This week's Contrabass Conversations podcast features the first part of our interview with double bassist Ranaan Meyer. John Grillo (a frequent guest and collaborator on the podcast) and I co-interviewed Ranaan, who is the bassist for the band Time for Three and has had a very interesting and multi-faceted career. In addition to hearing a few musical excerpts from Time for Three, this episode feat...

This week's episode features the conclusion of our interview with double bassist Kate Nettleman.  Kate was based here in the Chicago area at the time of this recording, but she moved on to become Principal Bass of the Hong Kong Philharmonic and then to a section position in the Minnesota Orchestra. About Kate Kathryn Nettleman - as a young student of Neil Courtney, Assistant Principal Bass with th...

It is my pleasure to bring you this great interview with Pittsburgh Symphony principal bassist Jeff Turner for this week's episode of Contrabass Conversations. Jeff has excellent advice for musicians, and he reflects on his early years on the instrument in this very engaging interview. You will also be hearing a double bass feature from the Lascivious Biddies on this episode. Enjoy! About Jeff Jef...

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features an interview with and music from Chicago Symphony bassist Rob Kassinger. Rob's musical interests span many genres and include both the electric bass and the double bass. You will learn about Rob's early years on the bass and how working in jazz and rock settings led to an interest in orchestral double bass playing in this fascinating interview....

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features an interview with double bassist Michael Hovnanian. 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 Bass Ensemble , Music of the Baroque , and the Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra . He authors th...

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 former faculty member, associate dean, and chair of the string department at University of Michigan School of Music. He was honored with the Alumni Award from the University of Michigan School of Music in 1998. Professor Hurst is form...

Born in Aleppo, Syria into a musical family of six boys and three girls, François discovered the double bass at the age of thirteen when one of his brothers brought an instrument home and allowed him to experiment with it. When the family moved to Beirut, Lebanon he found an old copy of Edouard Nanny's Contrabass Method in a tailor shop and with some difficulty, since he read neither music nor Fre...

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...

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 former faculty member, associate dean, and chair of the string department at University of Michigan School of Music. He was honored with the Alumni Award from the University of Michigan School of Music in 1998. Professor Hurst is form...

Program Order: Bottesini Romanza Dramatica Op. 20 (Elegie No. 2) Bach Suite No. 3 in C Major (performed in original key) Sofia Gubaidulina Pantomime Eccles Sonata             Andante             Allegro             Adagio             Presto

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...

Ira Gold made his Carnegie Hall solo debut in 2011, performing the Vanhal Bass Concerto with the Catholic University of America Symphony Orchestra. Prior to joining the National Symphony in 2005, Mr. Gold performed with several American orchestras, as section bass with the Minnesota Orchestra and as guest principal bassist with the San Francisco Symphony and Detroit Symphony. He has attended festi...

Here is a full-length recital showcase featuring a performance from double bassist Phillip Serna.  Visit Phillip online at www.phillipwserna.com Northwestern University School of Music Presents a Doctoral Recital Phillip Woodrow Serna, double bass In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Music in Double Bass Performance Double Bass Student of Michael Hovnanian Viola da G...

Andrew Anderson performs in nearly 150 concerts every year and teaches over a dozen students of all levels each week. Andrew Anderson is a member of the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra and the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra, the Chicago Philharmonic, and performs regularly with Music of the Baroque.  He has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, Columbus Sym...

Born in Aleppo, Syria into a musical family of six boys and three girls, François discovered the double bass at the age of thirteen when one of his brothers brought an instrument home and allowed him to experiment with it. When the family moved to Beirut, Lebanon he found an old copy of Edouard Nanny's Contrabass Method in a tailor shop and with some difficulty, since he read neither music nor Fre...

Ira Gold made his Carnegie Hall solo debut in 2011, performing the Vanhal Bass Concerto with the Catholic University of America Symphony Orchestra. Prior to joining the National Symphony in 2005, Mr. Gold performed with several American orchestras, as section bass with the Minnesota Orchestra and as guest principal bassist with the San Francisco Symphony and Detroit Symphony. He has attended festi...

John started playing Double Bass at the age of 11. He attended The Julliard School during high school and was a scholarship student at Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana where he studied with Lawrence Hurst. After graduating from IU, he attended the Manhattan School of Music completing his Masters Degree with Timothy Cobb. Mr. Grillo performed at The Tanglewood Music Center...

This episode features the first part of an interview that Jason recently did with double bassist Weldon Anderson.  Weldon has worked in many styles of music, from traditional classical bass playing to very experimental forms of music.  The first part of this interview discusses Weldon's early years on the instrument and how he became involved Pittsburgh's Squonk Opera. Weldon Anderson was a member...

This week's episode features double bassist Kate Nettleman.  Kate was based here in the Chicago area at the time of this recording, but she moved on to become Principal Bass of the Hong Kong Philharmonic and then to a section position in the Minnesota Orchestra. About Kate Kathryn Nettleman - as a young student of Neil Courtney, Assistant Principal Bass with the Philadelphia Orchestra, she perform...

This week's episode features a series of tracks from double bassist Andrew Anderson.  Andy was our guest on episodes 4 and 7.  Andy used a different set-up for each set of tracks, and he describes the strings and other differentiating factors between each track. This is a very interesting episode, and I hope you enjoy it! Track sequence: Koussevitzky Concerto mvt 1 Koussevitzky Concerto mvt 2 Fail...

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. To find out more about Bjorn's activities, visit http://bjornb.com/ . To order Bjorn's...