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Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

1149: Caleb Quillen on auditions, orchestral sound, and leading by example

https://traffic.libsyn.com/contrabassconversations/Caleb_Quillen_2026_mixdown.mp3

Caleb Quillen returns to the podcast to talk about the path that took him from growing up in Sugar Land, Texas, to principal bass of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Along the way, he reflects on formative teachers, including Dennis Whittaker and Paul Ellison, the influence of the Boston bass tradition, and much more.

Check out our text/media version of this conversation and our interview with Caleb from 2016 here, and learn more about Caleb on his Boston Symphony and New England Conservatory pages.

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.

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Gear used to record this podcast

  • Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder
  • Rode Podmic
  • Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera
  • Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens
  • Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens

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