Former Columbus Symphony principal bass Mark Morton has been appointed assistant professor of double bass at Texas Tech University. Mark is the founder of the American School of Double Bass and the author of several double bass technique and method books.

Mark will be leading the West Texas Bass Clinic, September 20, 2008, in Lubbock, TX. This clinic will focus on preparing area high school double bass students for All-State Orchestra tryouts, as well North Zone Region 16 bass students interested in auditioning for Middle School All-Region.

Students will also get a chance to perform a solo during an evening recital. The clinic is free of charge to attend, and is sponsored by Mark Morton, The American School of Double Bass, Boyce Wyrick, Coronado High School and the Lubbock Independent School District.

If you’re interested in attending e-mail Laura Felton at lfelton@lubbockisd.org.

What happened to the Columbus Symphony?

The Columbus Symphony recently suffered a financial meltdown, resulting in (for all intents and purposes) the dissolution of the orchestra, and it’s great to hear that Mark has moved on to a prestigious new post.

Many classical music bloggers have covered the financial crisis in Columbus quite extensively. Visit www.insidethearts.com for in-depth coverage concerning what happened to this orchestra. Be sure to check out Drew McManus’ blog Adaptistration in particular for more details.

Orchestras tend to be hit hard during economic downturns, a topic that I address in great detail in my book Road Warrior Without an Expense Account. It’s especially unfortunate given how infrequently these bankrupt ensembles come back. Once an orchestra folds, it is rarely replaced by a new orchestra with the same season, caliber, pay, and benefits. The new orchestra is usually part-time (or with a small core of full-time players rather than a complete roster) and pays less, and unemployed musicians must either move on, hopefully to another full-time position (though the audition scene is fierce, with less than 5% of auditioning candidates obtaining positions) or into another profession.