I had a wonderful time chatting with Peabody Conservatory double bass faculty member Paul Johnson!
About Paul Johnson:
Paul Johnson earned his Bachelor of Music degree in 1980 from St. Olaf College in Northfield Minnesota before earning his Master of Music degree in 1986 at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University. A “Liberace Foundation Scholar” during his graduate years of study, Mr. Johnson is currently a faculty member and chair of strings at the Peabody Conservatory. Other institutions of attended include the United States Air Force Academy, University of Wisconsin, and the University of Minnesota. Previous positions include faculty appointments at Towson State University, Goucher College, and Baltimore School for the Arts. In 1999, Mr. Johnson was the recipient of The Johns Hopkins Alumni Association Excellence in Teaching Award. He is currently the acting chair of the Peabody Institute String Department.
Mr. Johnson’s playing positions have included principal bassist for the Baltimore Opera Company, Concert Artists of Baltimore, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. His major teachers include Eugene Levinson and Harold Robinson. Mr. Johnson currently plays as a freelance musician the Baltimore, Washington DC, and Philadelphia, as well as being an active clinician and adjudicator on the East Coast.
Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by:
Check out their Zyex strings, which are synthetic core strings that produce an extremely warm, rich sound. Get the sound and feel of gut strings with more evenness, projection and stability than real gut.
For more than four decades, Robertson & Sons has specialized in providing the highest quality stringed instruments and bows to collectors, professional musicians, music educators, and students of all ages. Their modern facility is equipped with three instrument showrooms as well as a beautiful Recital Hall available to our clients to in their search for the perfect instrument and/or bow.
Upton Bass String Instrument Company
Upton’s Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long “Karr neck” has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.
The English Double Bass Book examines the great English double bass makers of the 18th and 19th Century, illustrating in fine detail the incredible work they produced. It also explores the fascinating story of how the double bass came to England, its development guided by the great Venetian virtuoso Domenico Dragonetti, and the rise and fall of the English double bass makers. To pre-order your limited-edition copy, please visit www.theenglishdoublebass.com.
Contrabass Conversations production team:
- Jason Heath, host
- Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
- Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
- Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!
