I wanted to get the word out about a benefit concert taking place in River Forest, Illniois on Sunday, January 8, 2012. The performance features several choral works, including Part 3 of J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, as well as the premiere of my Concerto for Double Bass in D minor. In truth, only the 10-minute second movement (in G major) will be performed, as the rest is still being worked on, but I’m proud of what has been accomplished thus far and intend to finish the other movements in due time.

The concert is a benefit for the cantor position at the Lutheran Seminary of Theology at Chicago. The music director, Dr. Mark Bangert, is a respected Bach scholar and friend that I’ve been making music with for over 25 years. He asked after last year’s concert if I might play a concerto for the 2012 concert, and, given my lack of enthusiasm for any of the “classic” concerti, decided to write one.

The bass I’ll be performing the concerto on is a brand new 2011 Hofner bass. It’s nothing fancy (but very shiny!), as my 1899 5-string Louis Lowendall is simply too big to reach the upper registers with any sort of ease.

Would love to see you there!

Douglas Johnson

Here are the official details:

The annual benefit concert for LSTC by Lutheran professional musicians features Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, pt. 3, the premiere of a Concerto for Contrabass by Douglas Johnson, carol and hymns, and the closing chorus of the rarely performed Christmas Oratorio by Heinrich von Herzogenberg for double chorus, children’s choir, and orchestra. Directed by Mark Bangert, this year’s concert will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, 7300 Division Street, River Forest, Ill. Tickets available December 2011 and at the door. Call 773-256-0712 or email rdeppe at lstc dot edu. Come at 3 p.m. for a pre-concert talk by Carl Grapentine, host of WFMT’s Morning Program.

Adults $18/$20 at door
Seniors and students $8/$10 at door
Children under 12 free
http://www.lstc.edu/events/music/

Bach for the Sem poster (PDF)

Bach for the Sem Event on Facebook

‘City of superlatives’ — A newsreel looks at 1930s Chicago architecture | WBEZ.

Kumas Deliciousness.

Here’s a video showing the program that I’ve been using along with Ableton Live Suite and Max for Live:

7up 2.0 – Introduction on Vimeo on Vimeo

via 7up 2.0 – Introduction on Vimeo.

Master Class Summaries

• Edgar Meyer
• Lawrence Wolfe
• Ed Barker
• Tim Cobb
• Joe Guastafeste