Jason Heath’s Double Bass Blog

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As a performer of an instrument traditionally used in multi-member orchestral  sections, much of my energy and focus in rehearsals and performances is spent achieving unanimity of blend, pitch, timing, and tone with my double bass colleagues.  My goal is to first amalgamate with my section mates, then to weave this cohesive sonic product [...]

The following is a guest post from Double Bass Blog contributor Phillip W. Serna. Check out Phillip’s recitals and interviews on his Contrabass Conversations page, and visit him online at http://www.phillipwserna.com/. Enjoy!
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Our next guest in our early music interview series is Richard Myron. We hope that you will enjoy these interviews and glean [...]

Bassist Jon Stefaniak recently forwarded a link to me featuring this excerpt of a video lesson with Metropolitan Orchestra Principal Bass Tim Cobb.  Tim teaches a bass student (likely a Juilliard student, though this is not specified in the video notes) the primary first movement audition lick from Mozart’s Symphony No. 40.

The entire video [...]

 

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I’m pleased to be able to share this interview with Robert Meyer, one of our most experienced and interesting members of the double bass community. Robert has had a long and illustrious career on the double bass, working for over 50 years in most of the major orchestras in London (including the London [...]

I’m putting the final touches on this week’s Contrabass Conversations interview episode with Robert Meyer.  I’ve been an avid follower of Robert’s blog Musical Reminiscences since he launched it in late 2006, and I was thrilled that he was interested in doing an interview for the podcast!
At age 87, Robert looks back on a [...]

We’ve got a real treat for bassists in the next couple of weeks on the Contrabass Conversations podcast network. We just completed an interview with Louisiana Philharmonic Principal Bass Dave Anderson earlier this week, which was an absolute delight to do! Dave is a superb bassist and composer, and one of the [...]

Folks who haven’t checked out National Symphony Principal Bass Robert Oppelt’s website (robertoppelt.com) should definitely take a look.  This wonderful site is filled with resources for the double bass player, as well as some of Robert’s interviews with bassists, an analysis of German bow grips, tips for bassists, and many other excellent resources for the [...]

Post by Phillip Serna - www.phillipwserna.com
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Thomastik Infeld Gessellschaft announces Bass Encounters 2008 in Vienna Austria:
Please allow us to cordially inform you about an exceptional double bass festival taking place in Vienna, Austria: Bass Encounters 2008!

Great players of all music genres (jazz, classic, contemporary) will meet at the Porgy & Bess jazzclub (Riemergasse 11, A-1010 [...]

Post by Phillip Serna - www.phillipwserna.com
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Many apologies to blog readers in recent delays to get out segments in the Early Bass Series. I have been working on a large project featuring the achievements of Viennese double bassist and pedagogue Alfred Planyavsky.
For information on the Viennese Double Bass Archive, visit James Barkett & Jerry Fuller’s coverage [...]

 

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We’re chatting 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 as [...]