Jason Heath’s Double Bass Blog

You are browsing the archives of university.

I did a master class at Northeastern Illinois University today for Greg Sarchet. Greg is the bass teacher at NEIU. I heard some really excellent playing today. NEIU has a really outstanding hall (pictured here). This is the hall that I will be using for my June recital on the [...]

Here are some double bass homepages that I find interesting:
Dave HollandGary KarrScott LaFaro Tribute SitePatrick Neher - this is his faculty page from the University of Arizona, but I think that the layout and information presented is really excellent. I wish more university pages looked like this.Joel QuarringtonGreg Sarchet

Elgin Symphony OrchestraStephen Squires, conductorCarrie Koffman, saxophonemusic of John Williams
Fri 4/21, 8 PMPrairie Center for the Arts201 Schaumburg Ct.Schaumburg, ILSat 4/22, 8 PM, and Sun 4/23, 3:30 PMHemmens Theater150 DexterElgin, IL(847)888-4000

Saint Paul Chamber OrchestraRoberto Abbado conducts an all-Mozart programSun 4/23 - 3 PMMandel Hall - University of Chicago1131 E. 57th(773)702-8068

Chicago Symphony OrchestraSymphony Center, 220 S. [...]

I will be playing a recital in June on Gary Karr’s former bass, commonly refered to as the “1611 Amati” bass. Gary Karr donated this instrument to the International Society of Bassists last year. This bass was previously owned by Serge Koussevitzky. The recital will be at Northeastern Illinois University at 7:30 [...]

Chicago Symphony OrchestraCharles Dutoit, conductor Orchestra Hall, Symphony Center220 S. MichiganWed 3/22, 6:30 PM, Thu 3/23, 8 PM, Fri 3/24, 1:30 PM, and Sat 3/25, 8 PMMusic of Rossini, Haydn, Prokofiev312-294-3000
Encore Chamber Orchestraperforms at Roosevelt UniversityGanz Hall -430 South Michigan Avenue7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 25, 2006.
Program Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart- [...]

A really cool resource out there for all string educators is the String Pedagogy Notebook, put together by Michael Hopkins of the University of Vermont. Basically, it is everything a music educator needs to know about string instrument technique, with great articles and video examples. The double bass videos are very useful even [...]

A festival students may wish to check out for the summer is the American School of Double Bass, run by Mark Morton. Dr. Morton is principal bass of the Columbus Symphony (Ohio), and he started this workshop/retreat/school a few years ago. I haven’t had any students attend these activities in the past, [...]

Scott Bakshis of the Chicago Youth Symphony recently compiled a list of what the requirements for all the top bass schools are. This is a meta list derived from the requirements of Indiana University, Boston University, Rice University, Curtis, Juilliard, Eastman, and many others. If bass students can have this repertoire under their [...]

Here are some interesting performances to check out this weekend:Old St. Patrick’s Siamsa Na NgaelSymphony Center, Fri. 3/17The performance will take place at the Symphony Center and will also feature the Metropolis Symphony Orchestra, Old St. Patrick’s concert choir, and Irish instrumentalists and dancers. General admission tickets range from $25 to $55 and can be [...]

Andrew Anderson is a member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. He is also a member of the double bass faculty at Roosevelt University.
Visit Contrabass Conversations to hear interviews with Andy Anderson about life as a double bassist.
Click the player to listen, and click the title (right-click and [...]