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Koussevitzky & Edgar Meyer Highlighted on the Composers Datebook

Yazan: Phillip Serna | 27 February 2011 | No Comments
Categories: bass, podcasting

The February 25th, 2011 edition of the Composers Datebook Radio Program & Podcast entitled “Basics” by Koussevitzky and Meyer highlights the double bass. Music featured includes the classic Gary Karr Recording of Serge Koussevitsky’s 1905 Concerto (Op.3) with Uros Lajovic conducting the Berlin Radio Symphony (Koch-Schwann 11063) & Edgar Meyer’s Quintet recorded with the Emerson String Quartet (DG [...]

Chamber Music and the Bassist, Part I: The Great Chamber Music Search

Yazan: Jeremy Kurtz-Harris | 18 January 2010 | 9 Comments
Categories: bass, chamber music, learning

As a bassist, I have always taken advantage of all opportunities I find to play chamber music. Unfortunately, these opportunities have seemed to be exceedingly rare–at least, compared to those of my upper-string-playing friends and colleagues. The list of pieces I was familiar with during undergrad was short: Schubert “Trout” Quintet, Dvorak Quintet, Prokofiev Quintet, several modern pieces by Jon Deak and David Anderson, and maybe a handful of other pieces I’d heard about. I’ve found more pieces throughout the years, but the list never seemed long enough to fill up a lifetime of music making. Recently, I have become inspired to search more carefully for pieces, and have already turned up much more than I imagined was out there.

Classic Post: Barry Kolstein interview

Yazan: Jason | 23 September 2009 | No Comments
Categories: bass, podcasting

Our interview with Barry Kolstein, owner of the Kolstein Shop on Long Island, NY, is an interesting opportunity to learn about the bass business and how it has changed over the last half-century. Barry’s father Samuel entered the bass business in 1943, and Kolstein’s has been one of the major purveyors of instruments and accessories [...]

Daniel Nix plays Bach Suite No.6

Yazan: Jason | 17 August 2009 | No Comments
Categories: bass, bass videos

Former Contrabass Conversations guest Daniel Nix plays an excerpt from the Prelude to the Bach Cello Suite No. 6 on his James Ham double bass: [From YouTube - Daniel Nix plays Bach Suite No.6]

Posts about learning, practicing, and auditioning

Yazan: Jason | 11 August 2009 | 1 Comment
Categories: advice, auditions, bass, education

Here are a few classic posts about learning an instrument, practicing, getting ready for music school, and other such topics (from 2006-2008): Fifteen Practicing Mistakes that Students Make – These are a handful of common pitfalls that I have seen my students make over the years, and getting going with my bass studio has turned [...]