Jason Heath’s Double Bass Blog

You are browsing the archives of opera.

For the past month, I have been hosing and producing a podcast for Midwest Young Artists, a Chicagoland organization encompassing orchestral, jazz, choral, and chamber offerings. To me, this podcast (which can be found at WMYA.FM is a fantastic idea, and I’m thrilled to be a part of the process. In addition to handling [...]

I’m feeling the urge to get a theremin after seeing this video. I remember how fascinated my cats were by Lyric Opera bassist Andy Anderson’s lion’s head scroll. Just imagine how insane they’d get upon encountering this fascinating instrument!

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We’re continuing our chat (check out part on on episode 73) 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 [...]

As a blogger, podcaster, and all-around new media guy, I have found that most people assume that I am on a Mac.  I frequently have people ask me if I’ve installed Leopard yet, how to perform a specific task in iMovie, or tips on assembling podcasts in GarageBand.  This is a pretty reasonable assumption–a [...]

My fellow podcasting cohort John Grillo recently put out a post on his blog  ClassicalMusicNews.tv about the Princeton Symphony’s season finale.  He also gives a little background on the orchestra and describes the current music director search the orchestra is currently undergoing.
Check out John’s new post here.
Wrapping up our Jack Budrow interview
This weekend on Contrabass [...]

Hydraulic stages are both a blessing and a curse!  I’ve played on them in a  variety of venues, and while they’re usually a blessing for stage and pit logistics in multi-use halls, they can yield some amusing (and potentially disastrous) unintended results.
Up, down, up, down…
I have played performances with a variety of groups in Milwaukee’s [...]

Classicalmusicnews.tv blogger and Contrabass Conversations co-host John Grillo  just launched an interesting new series over on his blog that profiles the inner workings of the symphony orchestra.  John has played in symphony orchestras across the globe for his entire professional career, including performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra and New Jersey Symphony, as well as being [...]

 Check out the gig commuting cost calculator by Drew McManus here and determine if you should really be taking that gig.

A recent feature in the Chicago Tribune (Sunday, April 13, 2008 by Jim Mateja) about the actual operating costs per mile for a variety of different vehicles caught my eye–not surprising considering how much [...]

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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 [...]