Corin Long, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s principal double bassist, has died in a diving accident in Spain. Corin was renowned as an excellent performer and pedagogue, and he will be greatly missed in the double bass and classical music world.

Double bassist Kirsty Matheson, a former student of Corin’s, let me know about this sad news. If any readers know where to send condolences to Corin’s family or know about any funds that have been set up in his name, please either leave a comment for me on this post or e-mail me (jsh177@yahoo.com) and I will be sure to pass that information along.

Here is some biographical information about Corin Long:

Corin Long studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He also gained diplomas from the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music in London. Corin was a member of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and played on their famous recordings of Shostakovich and Prokovief. Whilst in Scotland, Corin became Professor of Double Bass at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and subsequently, Senior Tutor of Double Bass at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He is currently Professor at the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity College of Music in London. He has held Master-classes at the Dartington International Summer School and elsewhere.

After several years as a member of the Philharmonia Orchestra, Corin accepted the position of Principal Double Bass in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He is also a member of the ‘Composers Ensemble’, a group dedicated to commissioning and performing new works by contemporary composers. Corin also plays alongside Peter Weigold as a founder member in their group ‘Notes Inegalès’. Alongside his role in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Corin is a busy chamber musician, playing with groups such as Ensemble Modern, the London Sinfonietta, The Nash Ensemble and the City of London Sinfonia. He has worked with Steven Isserlis, Joshua Bell, Anne Sophie von Otter, The Belcea Quartet, Thomas Adès, Michael Collins, Isabelle Van Keulen, Rivka Golani, Nabucco Imai, The Smith Quartet and many others.

At the Aldeburgh Festival, Corin gave the British Premiere of Gyôrgy Kurtag’s Duet for Double Bass and Soprano with Jane Manning. He has also appeared at the Aldeburgh Festival with the Belcea Quartet, Ian Bostridge and Thomas Adès. Corin has recorded Schubert’s ‘Trout’ Quintet with Thomas Adès and the members of the Belcea Quartet, for EMI Classics. He has also recently recorded Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’ work for solo Double Bass, ‘Lux in Tenebris’. He premiered Rebecca Saunders’ Double Bass duo ‘Blue & Grey’ in Dortmund in 2006 and is due to record the work later this year in Germany.

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Corin also created a series of videos about the construction and playing of the double bass. You can watch these charming and informative videos here.

Bassists–you may wish to contribute to the discussion on Corin by visiting a current TalkBass thread about him. People are sharing their memories of him on this thread.

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