Contrabass Conversations

This is an amazing off-the-cuff performance from Miloslav Gajdos playing and singing (both parts at the same time!) Mozart’s “Per Questa Bella Mano? on the double bass. He was experiencing jet lag and playing on a borrowed bass, but one would never know if from watching this video! The bass in this video was provided by sonksenstrings.com. This trip was coordinated by Lyric Opera of Chicago and Northeastern Illinois bass professor Greg Sarchet in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the first bass recital in Chicago. Check out Greg at Bass Club Chicago, and stay tuned for more great episodes featuring Miloslav Gajdos!

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features the second half of our interview with double bassist Guy Tuneh, conducted over a distance of thousands of miles. It was a real pleasure to get to sit down and chat with Guy--he's a warm, intelligent, and passionate individual, and these traits come through in his speaking just like they do in his bass playing. You can visit him online at www.guytuneh.com. You will also get a chance to hear the great jazz bassist Brian Bromberg perform and hear some bass playing from L.A. bassist Nam Chi Vu. Enjoy!

Guy D. Tuneh dedicates his work to challenging the traditional role of the bass player, and to stretching the limits of bass-playing. Beyond approaching the double bass literature from a new direction, these goals are achieved by performing music which until now was considered impossible to perform on this instrument. For example, he was the first bass player to ever perform an un-transcribed version of the Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations in concert, achieving a higher standard of technical and artistic level. Guy Tuneh set a landmark in double bass performing - to be the first Bass-Solist to ever perform an un-transcribed version of the Elgar cello concerto and Villa Lobos Fantasia for Cello on bass in concert and to be the first Bass-solist to perform first time ever an un-transcribed version of the both Beethoven F and G Violin Romances on double bass in concert, Paganini's Cantabile in D, Capriccio Nr. 9 as an un-transcribed version and an un-transcribed version of Mozarts Rondo C-Major for Violin, Sonata KV 301 for Violin in G and Mahlers Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen for low voice on double bass as well. Guy Tuneh has set a personal goal to combine passion, personality, character, and unique technique, in his approach to music performance. Aiming at winning over wide and diverse audiences, he constantly seeks new challenges. Coming from a deep and intense personal involvement, his performances attempt to deliver strong massages to the audience and result in intense, captivating, and awe-inspiring experiences.

Guy D. Tuneh has been studying in Germany and Switzerland and performing internationally, Mr.Tuneh has been active as a solo performer and chamber musician.

Having begun as a violin student at the age of 6, he was drawn to the tone color of the double bass, joining Michael Klinghoffer's bass studio at the S. Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University. Later, he continued his bass studies under Barbara Sanderling at the Hochschule Für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin, which followed a Solo Artist Diploma at the Music Academy Basel in Switzerland. Additionally, he took master classes with Yoan Goilav, Gary Karr and Miloslav Gajdos.

Guy Tuneh's orchestra performances included engagements as a principl bassist with the Berliner Kammeroper, Mendelssohn Players Berlin, Ensemble "Echo" of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra (Winner of ECHO–Klassik AWARD 2006 & ECHO-Klassik AWARD 2007) under Daniel Barenboim. These performances, which included chamber music collaborations with Mr. Barenboim were recorded for the ORF (National Austrian Public Service) at the Salzburg Festival and at the Lucerne Festival, along with many other performances on German radio and TV. He also performed with Theater Erfurt, Solistes Européens Luxembourg, with the NDR (North German Radio Orchestra - Hannover) and Ensemble Modern.

As an orchestra bassist Mr. Tuneh performed under such distinguished conductors as Kurt Sanderling, Zubin Mehta, Sir Simon Rattle, Nicolas Harnoncourt and Pierre Boulez.

Winner of a Villa Musica Scholarship, Guy Tuneh has performed all over Germany as a Soloist and as a chamber musician to great acclaim, and participated in Solo and chamber music performances recorded by the (Southwest German Radio). These performances included collaborations with members of Ensemble Villa Musica.

Mr. Tuneh participated at festivals such as the "Verbier Festival", "Festival di Musica d'Insieme di Sessa Aurunca", "Fètes musicales en Touraine", "Busan Maru International Music Festival" and the "Internationales Bodenseefestival".

Guy Tuneh's performances as a solo performer and chamber musician included collaborations with Vesselina Kasarova, Natalia Gutman, Rainer Kussmaul, Heinz Holliger, Ensemble-Modern, The Baltic Guitar Quartet, The Berlin Chamber Orchestra, Kammersolisten der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Ensemble Les Dissonances and other distinguished musicians.

Mr. Tuneh maintains an active double bass teaching career, giving master classes world wide.

Learn more at guytuneh.com.

Check out this excellent video from the extraordinary double bassist Ranaan Meyer.  Ranaan is a member of the trio Time for Three, and he was featured on Contrabass Conversations episode 28.  Enjoy!

This week on Contrabass Conversations we bring you an interview with string teacher and double bassist Peter Tambroni. Peter has written a book titled An Introduction to Double Bass Playing, and he has many valuable ideas regarding double bass pedagogy. Arizona bassist Robert Matheson is also featured on this episode. Enjoy! About Peter Peter began playing the double bass at the age of 16 (after playing the clarinet since elementary school) when the director of his high school jazz ensemble asked if anyone would be interested in playing bass. After playing electric bass it was suggested that he learn the string bass and soon after he began orchestral studies. Within a year, he knew he wanted to go into the field of music, and becoming a music teacher was the perfect choice for him. He received his Bachelor's of Music in Music Education from the Crane School of Music in 1996.

After that he taught strings in the public schools for grades 4 - 12 in Northern New York and was adjunct faculty for 'cello and double bass at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. In 2000 he graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign with a Master's in Double Bass Performance, studying with Michael Cameron. He is currently a string teacher in suburban Chicago where he teaches string lessons in grades 3 - 8 and conducts the middle school concert and chamber orchestras. He also leads an Irish ensemble and a bass quartet.

He performs around the greater Chicago area with many orchestra and rock bands around the city. In 2000, he appeared on the Bozo Super Sunday Show to give a presentation and performance on the double bass. In the spring of 2003 he was the guest soloist for District 212 (playing the Vanhal concerto) and in spring of 2004 he performed at Symphony Center's Orchestra Hall with the Polish American Symphony Orchestra of Chicago.

He has attended classes with Michael Hovnanian of the Chicago Symphony, John Chiego, Hal Robinson of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Scott Haigh of the Cleveland Symphony, Stewart Arfman, and Erik Harris. Peter has been published several in American String Teacher as well as websites around the world.

This week we are wrapping up our interview with double bass virtuoso François Rabbath. You can hear the previous sections of this interview on episode 16 and episode 22 of the podcast. We will also be featuring in interesting new twist in Contrabass Conversations interviews today—the Lyric Opera's Andy Anderson (a regular collaborator on the podcast) will be discussing one piece in depth and offering practice advice and tips. This week we will be discussing the first movement of Mozart's Symphony No. 40, which we will be doing after the conclusion of our Rabbath interview. Today we will also be hearing tracks from "At the Uke Shack #1?, featuring Seattle bassist Matt Weiner as well as Del Rey on ukulele. You'll hear "Clockin' the Vic" right after we conclude our conversation with Rabbath as well as a few tunes at the end of the program. Enjoy!

Guy D. Tuneh dedicates his work to challenging the traditional role of the bass player, and to stretching the limits of bass-playing. Beyond approaching the double bass literature from a new direction, these goals are achieved by performing music which until now was considered impossible to perform on this instrument.

For example, he was the first bass player to ever perform an un-transcribed version of the Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations in concert, achieving a higher standard of technical and artistic level. Guy Tuneh set a landmark in double bass performing - to be the first Bass-Solist to ever perform an un-transcribed version of the Elgar cello concerto and Villa Lobos Fantasia for Cello on bass in concert and to be the first Bass-solist to perform first time ever an un-transcribed version of the both Beethoven F and G Violin Romances on double bass in concert, Paganini's Cantabile in D, Capriccio Nr. 9 as an un-transcribed version and an un-transcribed version of Mozarts Rondo C-Major for Violin, Sonata KV 301 for Violin in G and Mahlers Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen for low voice on double bass as well.

Guy Tuneh has set a personal goal to combine passion, personality, character, and unique technique, in his approach to music performance. Aiming at winning over wide and diverse audiences, he constantly seeks new challenges. Coming from a deep and intense personal involvement, his performances attempt to deliver strong massages to the audience and result in intense, captivating, and awe-inspiring experiences.

Guy D. Tuneh has been studying in Germany and Switzerland and performing internationally, Mr.Tuneh has been active as a solo performer and chamber musician.

Having begun as a violin student at the age of 6, he was drawn to the tone color of the double bass, joining Michael Klinghoffer's bass studio at the S. Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University. Later, he continued his bass studies under Barbara Sanderling at the Hochschule Für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin, which followed a Solo Artist Diploma at the Music Academy Basel in Switzerland. Additionally, he took master classes with Yoan Goilav, Gary Karr and Miloslav Gajdos.

Guy Tuneh's orchestra performances included engagements as a principl bassist with the Berliner Kammeroper, Mendelssohn Players Berlin, Ensemble "Echo" of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra (Winner of ECHO–Klassik AWARD 2006 & ECHO-Klassik AWARD 2007) under Daniel Barenboim. These performances, which included chamber music collaborations with Mr. Barenboim were recorded for the ORF (National Austrian Public Service) at the Salzburg Festival and at the Lucerne Festival, along with many other performances on German radio and TV. He also performed with Theater Erfurt, Solistes Européens Luxembourg, with the NDR (North German Radio Orchestra - Hannover) and Ensemble Modern.

As an orchestra bassist Mr. Tuneh performed under such distinguished conductors as Kurt Sanderling, Zubin Mehta, Sir Simon Rattle, Nicolas Harnoncourt and Pierre Boulez.

Winner of a Villa Musica Scholarship, Guy Tuneh has performed all over Germany as a Soloist and as a chamber musician to great acclaim, and participated in Solo and chamber music performances recorded by the (Southwest German Radio). These performances included collaborations with members of Ensemble Villa Musica.

Mr. Tuneh participated at festivals such as the "Verbier Festival", "Festival di Musica d'Insieme di Sessa Aurunca", "Fètes musicales en Touraine", "Busan Maru International Music Festival" and the "Internationales Bodenseefestival".

Guy Tuneh's performances as a solo performer and chamber musician included collaborations with Vesselina Kasarova, Natalia Gutman, Rainer Kussmaul, Heinz Holliger, Ensemble-Modern, The Baltic Guitar Quartet, The Berlin Chamber Orchestra, Kammersolisten der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Ensemble Les Dissonances and other distinguished musicians.

Mr. Tuneh maintains an active double bass teaching career, giving master classes world wide.

Learn more at guytuneh.com.

We hope that you enjoy this special video episode from double bass virtuoso Guy Tuneh!  Check out CBC 30 for a complete interview with Guy, and visit him online at www.guytuneh.com.

This week's Contrabass Conversations episode features an interview with double bassist Michael Hovnanian. 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). Michael also plays for the Gunnelpumpers, Chicago Bass Ensemble, Music of the Baroque, and the Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra. He authors the popular CSO Bass Blog, and he has served on the faculty for Northwestern University and the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Michael was also my bass teacher for my undergraduate and graduate degrees at Northwestern, and it was really great to get a chance to do this interview. You will also get a chance to hear Michael play the Discordia Music edition of the Brahms Sonata in E minor on this episode. It is a great edition of a great piece, and Michael plays it beautifully. Enjoy! About Michael Hovnanian Michael Hovnanian grew up in the Seattle area and started playing the bass in the public schools. His primary teachers were James Harnett and Ronald Simon of the Seattle Symphony. An early interest in solo playing led to performances with the Seattle Symphony, the Northwest Chamber Orchestra and the University of Washington Symphony. Michael attended the University of Washington and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the California Institute of the Arts where he studied with Frederick Tinsley of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In 1986 he joined the Victoria Symphony as Principal Bassist and in 1988 the San Antonio Symphony as a member of the bass section. Since 1989 he has been a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In addition to playing in the CSO Mr. Hovnanian is active performing solo and chamber music in the Chicago area. He has appeared in the Chicago Symphony chamber concerts at Orchestra Hall and the Art Institute, with Chicago Pro Musica, and at the Winter Chamber Music Festival. Currently he is President of Discordia Music, a pulishing company specializing in new and arranged works for Double Bass. He is also a co-founder of the International Bottesini Society, an organization dedicated to promoting the legacy of that composer. Michael's blog: www.csobassblog.blogspot.com

This week's Contrabass Conversations podcast features the first part of our interview with double bassist Ranaan Meyer. John Grillo (a frequent guest and collaborator on the podcast) and I co-interviewed Ranaan, who is the bassist for the band Time for Three and has had a very interesting and multi-faceted career. In addition to hearing a few musical excerpts from Time for Three, this episode features music from German double bassist Guy Tuneh, Pittsburgh-based singer/songwriter Brad Yoder, Los Lonely Boys, and The Latin Soul Syndicate. Enjoy! Ranaan Meyer bio: Ranaan Meyer, double bassist and composer, began his musical studies at the piano at age 4; at age 11, he took up the double bass (once he was big enough to hold it). He attended the Manhattan School of Music and graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2003. Beyond regular appearances with orchestras such as the Minnesota Symphony, Baltimore Symphony and The Philadelphia Orchestra, Mr. Meyer is also increasingly in demand as a composer, creating unique new works for his trio Time for Three as well as for solo bass and other ensembles. Most recently Mr. Meyer completed a commission, "My Zayda? (for Violin, Piano and Double Bass) for the Kingston Chamber Music Festival in Rhode Island. Other recently completed commissions include a solo double bass piece for the Network for New Music, a double bass and harp duet as well as a set of Time for Three pieces for Astral Artistic Services and a Time for Three composition for the City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Symphony, "Of time and three rivers?. All commissions have been expedited through the American Composer's forum. Mr. Meyer, also an accomplished jazz musician, has performed with Jane Monheight, Victor Lewis, Jason Moran, Mark O'Connor, Ari Hoenig, Duane Eubanks, Mickey Roker and many more. Ranaan, at age 19 produced, directed and performed in the very first Washington Township Jazz Festival which was also broadcasted live on Philadelphia's WRTI. Mr. Meyer, an avid teacher, has held adjunct Double Bass Professorships at both Princeton University and the University of Delaware. He has spent several Summers teaching alongside Hal Robinson (Principal Bass of The Philadelphia Orchestra) at the Strings International Music Festival in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He has also taught at the Intermountain Suzuki Camp in Sandy, Utah and Mark O'Connor's String Camp in San Diego, California.

This week's episode features the conclusion of our interview with double bassist Kate Nettleman. Kate was based here in the Chicago area at the time of this recording, but she moved on to become Principal Bass of the Hong Kong Philharmonic and then to a section position in the Minnesota Orchestra.

About Kate

Kathryn Nettleman - as a young student of Neil Courtney, Assistant Principal Bass with the Philadelphia Orchestra, she performed with numerous local ensembles including the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. During this time she twice received the New Jersey Governor's Award in Arts Education. She attended The Juilliard School as a full-scholarship student of Homer Mensch and following graduation spent a year studying with Don Palma at the Yale University School of Music. For several summers she performed in the Aspen Music Festival and the Spoleto (USA) Music Festival.

Ms. Nettleman then spent two seasons in the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, during which time she was involved in a wide variety of solo and chamber music performances, musical outreach projects, and served as co-chair of a concert series. In 2001, she was awarded by her colleagues there the "NWS Musician of the Year Award for Artistic Leadership." The following year she served as a section member in the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, where she was active as a performer in introductory musical programs for elementary and middle school children.

Currently living in Chicago, Ms. Nettleman performs regularly with many local ensembles including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Symphony II, and Grant Park Symphony. She serves as a volunteer friendly visitor to the elderly through Resurrection Health Care Home Health Services. In addition to making music, she enjoys running, gardening, reading, and vegetarian cooking and baking.