Contrabass Conversations double bass life

This interview-only Contrabass Conversations episode features the conclusion of our interview with Indiana University double bass professor Lawrence Hurst, whom we interviewed on episodes 20 and 23 of the podcast.

This week, we bring listeners a very entertaining and interesting interview with Justin Locke, author of Real Men Don't Rehearse, a book filled with wonderful anecdotes about his life in the music business.  Justin was a freelance double bassist in the Boston area for nearly two decades, working regularly during that time with the Boston Pops and other area ensembles.

This week's Contrabass Conversations Episode features the second part of our interview with double bassist Donovan Stokes.  We last spoke with Donovan on episode 40 of the show, discussing his early years on the instrument, his experiences attending various universities, and his former and current double basses.

This week's Contrabass Conversations Episode features the second part of our interview with double bassist Brad Opland.  Last time we heard from Brad (on episode 37), we talked about his experiences in the Minnesota Orchestra and Chicago Symphony, plus some of the most memorable highlights from Brad's performing career.

This week's Contrabass Conversations Episode features the second part of our interview with double bassist, music educator, and author Peter Tambroni.  Last time we heard from Peter (on episode 32), we talked about his early years on the bass, classroom and school orchestra teaching techniques, studying bass during  his bachelors and masters degrees, teaching approaches, performance experiences, and much more.

This week's podcast concludes our interview with National Symphony Orchestra bassist Ira Gold. We began this interview on episode 15 of the podcast and continued it on episode 18, as well as featuring Ira performing the Vanhal Concerto with orchestra.

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features the conclusion of our chat with Minnesota Orchestra bassist Colin Corner.  Colin joined the orchestra in 2006 after being a member of the Vancouver Symphony and Louisiana Philharmonic.  In this episode we discuss the process of taking an audition for an ensemble like the Minnesota Orchestra--the various rounds, screen (or lack thereof), and repertoire. 

This week's Contrabass Conversations Episode features the second part of our interview with Chicago Symphony bassist Rob Kassinger. Last time we heard from Rob (on episode 25), we talked about his early years on the bass, growing up in Colorado, playing jazz and electric bass, studying the instrument, and studying with Homer Mensch in New York City.

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features the conclusion of our interview with double bassist Michael Hovnanian. Click here to listen to Michael's previous episodes (CBC 24 and 29).  Michael has been a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1989, and he serves as the president of Discordia Music (double bass music publisher).

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode concludes our chat with Time for Three bassist Ranaan Meyer. CBC guest and co-host John Grillo joins us in this interview, and the three of us had a very engaging conversation.

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features an in-depth analysis of the double bass orchestral excerpts most commonly requested at auditions.  Double bassist (and regular Contrabass Conversations guest and ho-host) John Grillo discusses each of these excerpts--stylistic considerations, differences in articulation and bow strokes, and suggestions for effectively learning them--and then performs them.

An active composer, Dr. Donovan Stokes is a specialist in the use of amplified and electronically manipulated double bass and has received recent commissions from the Young Bassist’s Division of the International Society of Bassists, Musical Arts Society of Chicago and the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra.

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features an interview with Chicago-based double bassist and electric bassist Scott Rosenthal. Scott is one of the major players for the Chicago theater scene, having performed in a huge number of productions such as The Producers, Ragtime, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, and Showboat. We also feature Italian bassist Stefano Sciascia performing Adagio Melanconico e Appassionato by Bottesini.

A mainstay of the Chicago music scene for more than thirty years, Eric Hochberg has lent his bass work, both upright and electric, and an occasional trumpet, keyboard and vocal lick to a variety of projects across the realms of jazz, folk, rock and blues.

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features an interview with Chicago Symphony bassist Brad Opland. In addition to the interview, you'll get a chance to hear Brad perform on the double bass in his own arrangement of Ibert's Quatre Causons (four songs) de Don Quichotte for bassoon and bass and hear Brad perform on the electric bass in his south side Chicago church.