Contrabass Conversations

We're featuring an interview with Michelle Fiore this week on Contrabass Conversations. Michelle is the proprietor of Classic Contrabass, a shop in Wheeling, Illinois catering exclusively to double bassists. I've known Michelle for many years–she was involved for many years with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Winter Bassfest that I started several years ago. She does great setup and repair work, and she has an excellent selection of double basses for sale as well as quality rental instruments for students.

Michelle had the opportunity to visit the Maggini exhibition in Italy a couple of years ago, an event which featured Dragonetti's Gasparo da Salo bass from 1590 as well as several other Maggini double basses. She wrote an article about this exhibition last year for the International Society of Bassists' Bass World journal, and she discusses in detail some of her observations about these remarkable instruments in this interview. We also chat about instrument setup and how it differs for classical and jazz bassists, sound post adjustments, and many other topics.

John and Jason co-interview Metropolitan Opera Orchestra bassist Dan Krekeler, which was particularly cool since they've both known Dan for many years. Jason played with Dan in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and John went to Indiana University with him as an undergraduate. It's great to see an old friend have such great professional success, and it was a lot of fun to catch up with Dan and hear about his experiences on the road to a major orchestral position.

We're concluding our interview with San Diego Symphony Principal Bass Jeremy Kurtz on this week's episode of Contrabass Conversations, plus featuring excerpts from Jeremy's captivating new solo album Sonatas and Meditations, which can be purchased through the new International Society of Bassists store at www.ISBstore.com.

We're concluding our interview with University of North Texas and Cleveland Institute of Music bass professor Jeff Bradetich on this week's Contrabass Conversations episode. We featured the first part of this interview on episode 101 of the podcast, and we hope you enjoy hearing the thoughts and perspectives from this wonderful and influential performer and pedagogue. Learn more about Jeff and his new foundation at BradetichFoundation.org.

We're chatting with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Assistant Principal Bass Jeremy McCoy on this week's Contrabass Conversations episode. Jeremy attended the Curtis Institute and was a member of the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada prior to his appointment with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Jeremy and I discuss a wide variety of topics, including his early experiences on the instrument, life in the Met, thoughts on teaching, recording a solo album, and much more. We'll conclude this two-part interview in the coming weeks. Enjoy!

link to Jeremy's website

link to Jeremy's Manhattan School of Music page

link to Jeremy's album Dialogues with Double Bass

It is a real pleasure to be able to put out this interview with University of North Texas and Cleveland Institute of Music faculty member Jeff Bradetich. Jeff was a huge influence on my early development, and I continue to use the principles he taught me in my own teaching and performing each and every day.

We get really "inside baseball" on some technical considerations for the bass in this interview, which I'm sure you'll enjoy, and we also feature a track of Jeff performing the Czardas by Vittorio Monti from his excellent album Portraits. We'll conclude this interview in the next few weeks and really get into Jeff's exciting new double bass foundation, which you can learn more about atwww.bradetichfoundation.org. Enjoy!

We've finally reached 100 episodes of Contrabass Conversations! In this special episode, we hear how many of our guests from our first two years of podcasting began playing the bass.

Today, you'll be hearing excerpts from the following guests. Complete episodes featuring all of these guests (and many more!) can be found at the Contrabass Conversations website, along with complete biographies and links to guest websites:

1. Andy Anderson – Lyric Opera of Chicago

2. Phillip Serna – teacher and early music specialist

3. John Grillo – former New World Symphony, co-host of CBC

4. Bjorn Berkhout – composer

5. Kate Nettleman – principal bass of Hong Kong Philharmonic, newest member of Minnesota Orchestra

6. Weldon Anderson – freelance bassist and composer

7. Ira Gold – National Symphony

8. Francois Rabbath – soloist

9. Greg Sarchet – Lyric Opera of Chicago

10. Lawrence Hurst – Indiana University bass professor

11. Eric Hochberg – jazz bassist

12. Michael Hovnanian – Chicago Symphony

13. Rob Kassinger – Chicago Symphony

14. Jeff Turner – Pittsburgh Symphony

15. Ranaan Meyer – Time for Three

16. Guy Tuneh – soloist and chamber musician

17. Peter Tambroni – teacher and author

18. Colin Corner – former member Minnesota Orchestra

19. Brad Opland – Chicago Symphony

20. Scott Rosenthal – Theater/Broadway musician

21. Donovan Stokes – soloist and professor

22. Virginia Dixon – Suzuki bass

23. Peter Seymour – Project bassist, former New World Symphony and Cleveland Orchestra

24. Steve Reinfranck – luthier and teacher

25. Owen Lee – Cincinnati Symphony

26. Lynn Seaton – jazz bassist, UNT jazz bass professor

27. Anthony Stoops – soloist and professor

28. Chris Threlkeld-Weigand – luthier

29. Barrie Kolstein – luthier

30. Dave Anderson – Louisiana Philharmonic, composer

31. Kristin Korb – jazz bassist and vocalist

32. Barry Lieberman – University of Washington, former L.A. Philharmonic

We're featuring an interview with San Diego Symphony Principal Bass Jeremy Kurtz on this week's episode. Jeremy was a student of Hal Robinson at Curtis and Tim Pitts at Rice University, and he also spent two years in the New World Symphony prior to his appointment with the San Diego Symphony. His solo album Sonatas and Meditations, which will be will be available by the time you hear this episode, can be purchased through the new International Society of Bassists store at www.ISBstore.com.

Tracks from Sonatas and Meditations featured:

David Anderson Sonata for Double Bass and Piano Luis Prado Meditation 1

This fascinating bass sonata clocks in at almost 40 minutes (!) and was written by Marshall Fine for double bassist John Chiego.

John Chiego, bass

Deborah Heath, piano

recorded live at the University of Memphis

2/14/98

1. Homage to A.T. (13:06)

2. Scherzo: La Vendetta (5:12)

3. Warrington-Variations (20:55)

About Marshall Fine:

Currently Assistant Principal Violist of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Marshall Fine is a versatile composer/performer who plays both violin and viola with equal facility. His output includes three symphonies, an oratorio, La Dolorosa, a violin concerto, and many sonatas (six for viola, three for violin). He received his DMA in 1990 from the University of Memphis. In addition to his orchestra position, he also arranges for his string quartet, the Bluff City String Quartet, and for other ensembles.

This sonata was written for John Chiego, former principal bass of the Memphis Symphony, who is currently professor of double bass at the University of Memphis.

About John Chiego:

Mr. John Chiego, is Professor of Double Bass and the Associate Director for Curriculum and Instruction in the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis. Mr. Chiego currently serves as the Principal Bass of the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and is the bassist for the Orpheum Theatre Orchestra in Memphis, playing for touring Broadway shows. He was the long time Principal Bass of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and served on the faculties of the Hot Springs Music Festival, Brevard Music Center, the Allegheny Summer Music Festival, the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts. He has also been an Artist-in-Residence at the Bay View Chamber Music Festival. As a recitalist and clinician, Mr. Chiego has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, with featured solo recitals at the Edinburgh International Double Bass Festival and The International Society of Bassists' worldwide convention in Houston, Texas. A champion of modern instruments, Mr. Chiego recorded his first CD, It's a Bass Thing, featuring a double bass built by Thomas Kelischek. Mr. Chiego currently plays instruments made by American bass maker Rumano Solano exclusively. Mr. Chiego has been a member of the editorial board for The American String Teacher magazine, a journal for which he has written articles on double bass pedagogy and technique, and has served as Tennessee Chapter President of the American String Teachers Association. Mr. Chiego is the author of The Musical Experience, a popular textbook for introductory music courses currently being used by colleges and universities across the United States.

This week, we're featuring another all-music episode. I'm pleased to bring you some tracks from The Bass Gang, one of the most virtuosic, astounding, and entertaining bass quarters of all time.

1. Jump (Van Halen) 2. Whiter Shade of… Bach (Procol Harum) 3. Pulp Bass 4. Black Cat White Cat

Be sure to visit them online at thebassgang.org, where you can check out even more tunes from them on their site.