Contrabass Conversations

Kaelan Decman joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic as Associate Principal Bass in spring 2022. Prior to his appointment, he was a member of the San Diego

Symphony Orchestra bass section. He is a graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.

We talk about his audition journey and much more in this wide-ranging conversation. Enjoy!

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Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Jonathan Colbert recently joined the faculty of the University of Memphis, bringing a wealth of experience gathered from playing with ensembles like the Atlanta Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and Philadelphia Orchestra. He spent six years serving as co-principal bass of the Royal Danish Orchestra, and he is in high demand as a performer and private teacher.

We talk about his path through the music world, the highlights and challenges of a career as an orchestral player, his approach to building a varied career, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to check out Jonathan's University of Memphis faculty page and also this cool article on his appointment to this position!

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Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Lauren Pierce is a double bassist and educator who has put together a cool guide titled 6 Steps to Learning A New Piece. In this episode, we dive into each of these steps and why it's important in the preparatory process of learning a new piece. We also catch up on a variety of topics in this fun conversation with a longtime friend and colleague.

Pick up a copy of the guide here, and be sure to give Lauren a follow on Instagram and YouTube. You can also check out prior podcasts with Lauren here.

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Sebastiano Dessanay recently released his 377: double CD. This remarkable project, which we discussed in early 2020, featured Sebastiano visiting the 377 municipalities of Sardinia traveling exclusively by bicycle: one a day for 14 months.

We talk how this album evolved out of his epic journey, his book covering the journey, and much more. Enjoy, and be sure to check out Sebastiano and his cool project on his website, bandcamp, YouTube, and Instagram!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Dan McCain is a bassist, composer/arranger, and band leader who has recently released his debut album, Moments in Time. We dig into Dan's background, the Philly jazz scene, the story behind this album, and more.

A big shout-out to Katie Thiroux for connecting us, and be sure to check out Dan's new album on bandcamp or Spotify and also give him a follow on Instagram!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Nataly Linares is a bassist and educator originally from Bogotá, Colombia. Since December 2020, she has been working with young students and teachers through the Festival Internacional de Contrabajo Infantil with teachers from Mexico, Spain, United States and Germany. She also works with the International Society of Bassists helping the Young Bassists Program.

We talk about the inspiration behind this festival and what the 2023 festival will look like in Colombia. Enjoy!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

In this episode, we go behind the scenes of double bass restoration with Zachary Martin and Scott Pingel. Zachary is internationally renowned for his repair, restoration and maintenance services, and Scott had him come to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for a residency covering basic emergency setup and repair.

Enjoy, and be sure to give Zachary a follow on Instagram and check out his website for a video covering the work that he does.

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Allan Jay Santos recently launched his podcast Touching Greatness, and it was a pleasure to be his guest for episode 6! This "turn the tables" episode features Allan interviewing me, and the conversation goes into all kinds of interesting territory.

Enjoy, and if you dig this episode, give Allan's podcast a follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

This solo show explores my decision-making process about what kind of content warrants a podcast versus a video. Enjoy!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsor!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg

Andy Moritz is a double bassist and educator in the Houston area, and he has recently released Scale Skills, groundbreaking new work covering how Andy approaches major scales with his students. This book is available in our sheet music store, and in this episode, we talk about the concept behind the book and what it covers. Enjoy!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Connect with us:

• all things double bass
• double bass merch
• double bass sheet music

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsor!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.

• theme music by Eric Hochberg