Throughout this interview, you will hear excerpts from Divertimento and Silent Movie, two of Paul’s most popular compositions.  These excerpts come from Paul’s recently released DVD titled Four Ramsier Favorites and featuring double bassist Jerome Butler on bass.  We also discuss Bass Tunes, Paul’s excellent volume of duets for young bassists and a book that I frequently use with my own students.

Paul Ramsier (piano) and Jordan Butler (bass) performing live from "Four Ramsier Favorites" DVD

Links to some of Paul’s online offerings:

• Paul’s website
• Four Ramsier Favorites DVD
• Bass Tunes
• Compositions for Virtuoso Double Bass CD (site features audio excerpts of these tracks)
• Lemur Music (search for Paul Ramsier – many titles available including music for Divertimento, Silent Movie, Three Lyric Pieces, Eusebius Revisited, Road to Hamelin, and Lullaby for Bass Quartet)

Following the interview, we feature two excerpts from a live performance of Greta’s Dream (right around the 57 minute point in the podcast if you want to jump right to them), and more information about this piece will be provided in the coming months.

Be sure to check out the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Bass Quartet on Facebook–they’ve got a great page!

About Charles:

Charles DeRamus has a career that spans from North America to Scandinavia, where he is currently a member of the Gothenburg Symphony and has worked extensively with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic, Malmo? Symphony Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra. In the United States he has performed, recorded and toured with the Atlanta Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Houston Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Virginia Symphony, and the Colorado Music Festival. His studies include degrees from Indiana University and Rice University, after which he was a member of the New World Symphony and participated in numerous summer festivals including Tanglewood, Schleswig-Holstein, National Repertory Orchestra, Pacific Music Festival, and the National Orchestral Institute.

Equally at home in various musical venues, Charles has performed with the Houston Grand Opera, Atlanta Opera, Ohio Light Opera, NorrlandsOperan, Malmo? Opera, as well as the Dayton Bach Society, the contemporary ensemble “Black Box Band”, Sweden’s acclaimed new music ensemble Gageego, and the Persian/European influenced Rumi Ensemble. Recent solo engagements include a unique performance with the National Orchestra of Sweden for a concert celebrating newly naturalized Swedish citizens, as well as performances of Piazzolla’s Le Grand Tango and Beethoven’s F Major Romance with the Eureka Symphony in the United States.

Charles is a dedicated teacher and currently serves on the faculties of the Sequoia Chamber Music Workshop and the Idyllwild Arts Summer Festival Programs. Previously he has served on the All-State at Interlochen and University of Michigan Summer Arts Institute faculties, as well as given masterclasses in Norway, Sweden, the United States, and at the Royal College of Music and Yehudi Menuhin School in England. As a composer/arranger, in the 2010/11 season Charles will celebrate the premier performances of “Greta’s Dream”, his newly written children’s concert for Double Bass Quartet and narrator. Following in his father and grandfather’s footsteps, Charles is the third generation bassist in his family.

Previous Contrabass Conversations episodes featuring John Grillo include:

• Ed Barker interview
• The State of the Orchestra
• Differences in Opera and Orchestra Playing
• Opera Excerpt Breakdown
• Orchestral Excerpt Breakdown
• Owen Lee interview
• Max Dimoff interview
• Dan Krekeler interview
• Ranaan Meyer interview
• Lawrence Hurst interview
• Jack Budrow interview
• Barrie Kolstein interview
• John Grillo Recital Showcase
• John Grillo interview

Links:

• http://www.myspace.com/gunnelpumpers
• buy CD on CDBaby
• listen to Chicago Bass Ensemble interview

About Frederick Zimmermann:

Frederick Zimmermann was an American double bassist and teacher. He played in the New York Philharmonic from 1930-1966 serving as assistant-principal and principal and taught at the Juilliard School, Mannes College of Music, Columbia University, Manhattan School of Music, and New York University. He is considered by many to be the most influential American double bass teacher of the 20th century.

Click to Listen

Tracks performed:

• Nel cor piu non mi sento
• Final de la Somnanbule

Click to Watch

We’re doing a brief podcast interview today with Barry Green, who we recently featured in an interview/performance episode on Contrabass Conversations. Barry describes the setting for the 2011 convention (which will be awesome!), and some other details that I’m sure will make you excited for this event. Enjoy!

Guy Tuneh 2010 New Year Recording (MP3)

In this interview, we chat about Barry’s early years on the bass, his time as a member of the Cincinnati Symphony as at the bass instructor at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, writing the Inner Game of Music and his subsequent books, the influence of François Rabbath, teaching younger bassists, and his many and varied musical activities in the Bay Area. We also feature Barry performing Cri of Venice by François Rabbath. He is accompanied by pianist Heather MacLaughlin.

Learn more about Barry Green, the Inner Game, and his many activities at thegreenartsnetwork.com.

• Phil Palombi
• Mark Dresser
• Douglas Mapp
• Frank Proto
• Jason Heath (me!)

Enjoy!

This new book is filled with excellent and informative about musical entrepreneurship, product development, branding, marketing, networking, and much more. I hope that you enjoy this interview and check out David’s book, and be sure to also visit his blog, which is a great supplement to the book and quite entertaining.

After the interview, we feature a live recording from the 2007 International Society of Bassists Convention of Jeff performing the Ostinato from Tom Schnauber’s Alba and Ostinato. Enjoy!

• visit PeabodyDoubleBass
• visit Jeff’s Peabody faculty page

Peabody Double Bass Faculty:

Paul Johnson, Jeffrey Weisner (classical). Michael Formanek (jazz). Artist in Residence Hal Robinson.

Follow the Peabody Double Bass Studio on Twitter

About Jeff:

B.M., Boston University School for the Arts; M.M. , Peabody Conservatory. Bass instruction with Lawrence Wolfe, Edwin Barker, and Hal Robinson. Member, National Symphony Orchestra, Washington DC, since 1995. Active chamber musician and solo performer, with recitals and masterclasses at venues including San Francisco Conservatory, the Colburn School for the Performing Arts, and Interlochen Arts Academy.

video of Jeff playing David Anderson 4 pieces

The topic of discussion for today’s brief (15 min) episode focuses on tips for helping students to make quality audition tapes. Alan listens to many audition tapes each year when choosing bassists for the Birch Creek Symphony, and he offers advice to help students make better tapes and get more out of the process. Enjoy!

This week’s episode of Contrabass Conversations features an interview with double bassist David Grossman, a member of the New York Philharmonic bass section and an active jazz bassist. Hosted by John Grillo, this interview covers David’s early musical experiences, his dual interest in jazz and classical music, current projects, his philosophy and approach as a teacher, and a variety of other topics.

About David:

Bassist David J. Grossman began playing with the New York Philharmonic as its youngest member in December 1999 before graduating from The Juilliard School in May 2000. Born and educated in New York City, Mr. Grossman has performed as double bassist and pianist in orchestral, chamber, and jazz venues worldwide. He is a member of the double bass faculties of the Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard School, and regularly gives master classes across the country. (view complete bio)

Tracks featured:

• Thirds The Charm – from The Bass Of Both Worlds Jazz (iTunes link)
• Janacek: Pohadka (Fairy Tale) Mvt. 3 – from The Bass Of Both Worlds Classical (iTunes link)

More information on David’s recordings is available on his website davidjgrossman.com.

Other John Grillo-hosted podcasts:

• Ed Barker interview
• The State of the Orchestra
• Differences in Opera and Orchestra Playing
• Opera Excerpt Breakdown
• Orchestral Excerpt Breakdown
• Owen Lee interview
• Max Dimoff interview
• Dan Krekeler interview
• Ranaan Meyer interview
• Lawrence Hurst interview
• Jack Budrow interview
• Barrie Kolstein interview
• John Grillo Recital Showcase
• John Grillo interview

Artistic director (and former Contrabass Conversations guest) Barry Lieberman describes the documentary as follows:

We have produced a documentary about the Project, created from extensive film footage of our May 2009 concert week. Being able to show how we work, rehearse, and perform to those who have never experienced the Project in person will be a very valuable tool for us. There are many sequences showing our rehearsal process as well as interviews with some of our musicians.

Enjoy the following video, and be sure to visit the website for more extensive information:

Video Download Link (350 MB)