What’s it like working with four of the most famous bass teachers all at the same school?

How does eye movement affects learning and performing?

Why is mastering the bow so crucial for a bass player’s development?

We answer these questions and much more on this episode featuring Susan Cahill.

Susan is a Chicago native and a graduate of Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music where she studied with Bruce Bransby and Lawrence Hurst as well as Stuart Sankey and Murray Grodner.

She has been a member of the Colorado Symphony since 1997 and teaches at the University of Denver.

Here’s the flow for the episode:

• Part 1 – Sweet Home Chicago
• Part 2 – working with teaching titans: the approaches of Stuart Sankey, Murray Grodner, Lawrence Hurst, and Bruce Bransby
• Part 3 – best ways to build your chops

Links to check out:

• Susan’s website
• her Colorado Symphony page
• her University of Denver faculty page
• Vaughan Williams Piano Quintet in c – Festival Mozaic
• Sue playing Failing
• Cahill – Blue Light John Novacek / Susan Cahill
• Sue performing Rossini Duetto
• Crumb – Madrigals, Book 1 – Sharon Harms / Cahill / Kinzie
• Green – Body and Soul John Novacek / Susan Cahill

Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by:

The Upton Bass String Instrument Company.  Upton’s Concord model is the first truly authentic New England double bass that they’ve made. Beautiful sloping shoulders (the same upper bouts as their Gary Karr Upton Double Bass), Busetto corners, Prescott ff-holes, flat maple back and sides (many grades available) with deep ribs (lined outside) and a deluxe spruce top combined with a finely detailed scroll, button and hand-cut tuners that pay homage to Prescott while keeping with their own highly-revered and uniquely New England tradition of instrument building.

A440 Violin Shop – An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440’s commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools.

Bass Violin Shop –  Offers the Southeast’s largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome!