Jason Heath’s Double Bass Blog

As a guy who’s been freelancing for quite some time now, I’ve got some thoughts on the hidden dangers of getting too enmeshed in the freelance scene while you’re auditoning for jobs. While I’m being a little overly dramatic with the title for this post, there is a real danger to getting spread too [...]

Calgary Philharmonic bassist Matt Heller (a frequent subject of posts here at doublebassblog.org) recently put out an excellent audition preperation breakdown on his blog hellafrisch.blogspot.com. Matt is an excellent bassist and blogger (and a swell guy to boot–we’ve been friends for years) who was featured in the New York Times by columnist Dan Wakin [...]

I’ve got story for you, and I promise it’s true!
When I was getting started as a freelance musician at the tail end of my masters degree, I was quaking in my boots about my future prospects. After all, I was regularly buying CDs at Borders and Barnes and Noble from former Northwestern doctoral music students. [...]

 

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We’re concluding our chat with Michigan State University and Interlochen Arts Academy double bass instructor Jack Budrow this week on Contrabass Conversations. In addition to helping place students in major orchestras across the globe, Jack has had a very distinguished performance career as a former member of the Houston Symphony, Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, and [...]

Anyone who’s spent some time in Chicago on a Wednesday morning knows that this is when the city tests its emergency alert system. These loud sirens can be heard all over downtown Chicago for a few minutes each week, letting folks know that the city is ready for emergency situations.
The Grant Park Symphony [...]

The following is a guest post from Double Bass Blog contributor Phillip W. Serna. Here is audition information for April 2008 posted every month on doublebassblog.org. Check out Phillip’s recitals and interviews on his Contrabass Conversations page, and visit him online at http://www.phillipwserna.com

The Chicago Symphony doesn’t pre-screen audition candidates for their  orchestra, allowing anyone who sends a resume and deposit check to get an audition time.  While this is an extremely egalitarian approach to the audition process (anyone who wants a shot gets a shot at auditioning for the Chicago Symphony), it also makes for some amusing [...]

Many bassists here in the States are busy preparing for the upcoming audition with the Pittsburgh Symphony. If you’re interested in this position, application details and a repertoire list are available at the bottom of this post (click the ‘read the rest of this entry’ link if you don’t see it).
We had the opportunity [...]

Lyric Opera of Chicago bassist Greg Sarchet joins his colleagues Andy Anderson  and Steve Lester as the double bass faculty of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.  Greg is a former Contrabass Conversations guest (you can hear him on episodes 19 and 35) and has contributed many news items, videos, and other [...]

Here is audition information for February 2008 posted every month on doublebassblog.org by Phillip W. Serna
For many more auditions, also visit http://www.afm.org/ for information on the auditions below:
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
DOUBLE BASS - Section Double
Bass (1 Position)
Resume Date - Postmarked no
later than April 1, 2008
Audition Date - June 8-10,
2008
Starting Date - Employment
may begin as soon as [...]