This show covers the latest and greatest in the world of the double bass! Learn more at http://contrabassconversations.com/news.

George Mraz Rally for Recovery

• George Mraz, a world class bassist with decades of exceptional musical work as both a soloist and alongside others such as Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Henderson and many many more ( www.georgemraz.com).
• Surviving pancreatic surgery, George now has five months of recovery ahead.
• With the unexpected complications, bills and very costly medications we are setting a new goal to double the amount of contributors and reach a record 730 donors.
• https://www.gofundme.com/2ndyn24

DePaul University Scholarships for Undergrads

• The DePaul University School of Music is now offering high school juniors an opportunity to audition for conditional acceptance and as much as a 50% scholarship if pursuing a degree as a bass or viola performance major.
• https://music.depaul.edu/admission/auditions/Pages/high-school-junior-auditions.aspx
• http://contrabassconversations.com/robkassinger
• http://contrabassconversations.com/alexhanna

more details from DePaul:

• The opportunity to audition for the DePaul School of Music as a high school junior is only open to those students who wish to major in bass or viola performance.
• Any School of Music admission offer and/or scholarship award is contingent upon being accepted into DePaul University. High school juniors who audition in February of 2017 must then apply to the university through the Common Application in the fall of their senior year. Only after being accepted to DePaul will scholarship offers become valid.
• A high school junior who auditions in February 2017 and is offered a performance scholarship and is then accepted to DePaul University in the fall/winter of 2017, may choose to audition a second time in February 2018 to be considered for an increase in their scholarship award.
• A high school junior who auditions in February 2017 and is not accepted to the School of Music, is welcome to audition again in February of their senior year without any adverse consequence.
• Please email the admissions office with any further questions about this opportunity.

D'Addario Strings

• http://contrabassconversations.com/daddario1
• http://contrabassconversations.com/strings

10th Anniversary for Contrabass Conversations!

• Call 415-952-5643 and leave a message for my anniversary episode!

SoCal Bass Days 2017

• January 3-4
• free and open to the public
• featuring special guests David Murray and Claus Freudenstein
• http://contrabassconversations.com/davidmurray
• http://contrabassconversations.com/clausfreudenstein
• http://bassforward.info/socal-bass-days-2017
• contact Matt Hare for more information: [email protected]
• http://matthare.com

Galicia Graves International Double Bass Festival & Competition

• http://www.galiciagraves.com
• 17, 18 & 19 February 2017
• video from Thierry Barbe
• http://contrabassconversations.com/thierrybarbe
• I will be doing a feature on this event with Gabriele Ragghianti
• two of the faculty members are David Heyes and Michael Klinghoffer, and I've featured both of them on the podcast previously
• http://contrabassconversations.com/davidheyes
• http://contrabassconversations.com/michaelklinghoffer

Finland Awakes!

• March 12, 2017
• FINLAND AWAKES! celebrates the centenary of Finland as an independent country. The concert will feature a wealth of Finnish music by alongside music composed for Teppo-Fest 2016 to celebrate the 75th birthday of the amazing and unique Teppo Hauta-aho.
• The concert is sponsored by Recital Music http://recitalmusic.net
• music composed by David Heyes (who recently dedicated a composition to me!), Bernard Salles, Teppo Hauta-aho, Simon Garcia, and many others
• https://www.facebook.com/events/1045165702279535

Hosting Provided by Bass Capos

• hosting for Contrabass Conversations is provided by Bass Capos, Bass Capos are an excellent choice for any bass player using or looking to implement a double bass extension. Easy to install and adjust, cheaper and more reliable than hand-built latches, also lighter and quicker in operation. Learn more at http://basscapos.com

MIDI Practice File Archive from elbsoundStudio

• dozens of pieces from Bach, Bottesini, Dittersdorf, Eccles, Vanhal, and others
• https://elbsound.studio/double-bass-midi-files.php
• more links like this at http://doublebassblog.org/links

Make a Tax-Deductible Donation to the Bradetich Foundation

• 2017 will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Bradetich Master Classes in June and holding the long awaited 2nd International Double Bass Solo Competition on Sept. 1st-5th.
• By donating to the Bradetich Foundation, you are supporting the double bass, music, arts and education.
• http://bradetichfoundation.org/index.php?page=supportForm&form=intFriends
• http://contrabassconversations.com/jeffbradetich

Help Support Contrabass Conversations!

• http://contrabassconversations.com/support

FEEDBACK

Terrance Fitzgerald, who lives in China and listens to the podcast through the app during practice breaks. He's interested in hearing interviews with Al Laszlo, Hal Robinson, and Tim Pitts, and I am setting up a time with Tim right now. Hal and I have also talked about doing an interview, so expect that soon as well!

Terrance also suggested interviewing people that have won multiple auditions - how did they balance an orchestra job and other responsibilities with audition preparation?

Several people have also written in, including Kim Parillo, so ask about where to get a copy of David Allen Moore's book Fractal Fingerings. This isn't currently formally published, but you can contact David for more information, and be sure to check out my "round 2" with David at http://contrabassconversations.com/davidallenmoore

Marcio Bolzan also wrote in and said that he loves listening to the podcasts and also that he saw my coverage of Alex Ritter's double bass festival, which I covered last week on the Weekly Update.

If you'd like to check that episode, or any of the Weekly Update episodes, you can visit http://contrabassconversations.com/news.

Daniel Kimbro also wrote in. Daniel is active in the neo-folk/newgrass/roots music world and listens to the podcast in the car driving between Knoxville and Nashville for recording sessions, flights, and rehearsals.

Daniel also expressed interest in hearing more coverage in this world. Craig Butterfield, one of my recent guests and the bass professor at the University of South Carolina, is a great example of someone active in this world. http://contrabassconversations.com/craigbutterfield.

This is a great idea, and I'm starting by actually talking with Daniel for the podcast. I love exploring different musical sub genres—I recently interviewed David White, who is active in the theatre scene in New York, and I also spoke with Pablo Aslan about tango bass, and I'd love to dig more into all of these sub genres going forward with the show.

http://contrabassconversations.com/davidwhite http://contrabassconversations.com/pabloaslan

Thanks also to Joe McFadden, Mike Gaisbacher, Lori Kaufman, Stephane Bihan, Kevin Feeney, Ted Botsford and all the other people who wrote in this week, and if you'd like to write in you can send me a message at [email protected].

LAST WEEK'S GUESTS

• http://contrabassconversations.com/benallison
• http://contrabassconversations.com/billmerchant