265: Szymon Marciniak on DVDs, travel, and freelance life

Szymon Marciniak double bass

Szymon Marciniak played a killer recital in Prague for BASS2016.

The centerpiece of this recital was Frank Proto‘s compelling new Sonata No. 3.

Frank wrote this piece expressly for Szymon, and it is–to say the least–epic in scope.

Here’s a great photo from that standing-room-only event.  Isn’t that a cool pose?  We talk about that in the interview!

Along with pianist Evan Mitchell, Szymon recorded a CD and DVD called New Music for Double Bass for Liben Music.

This new release includes Proto’s Sonata No. 3 along with the 2009 Sonata by Richard Dubugnon, Lu Shang’s Fantasy Higgs Boson, and  Chiel Meijering’s The Ultimate Workout (Part 1).

We talk about:

  • this feature-packed new release (check it out!)
  • Szymon’s decision to leave his principal bass position with The Hague Philharmonic Orchestra and embark on a freelance career
  • strings, endpins, balance, sound, and much more!

Check out this YouTube video with the complete first movement of the Proto Sonata No. 3.  This will give you a feel for the incredibly musicianship and high production quality on this CD/DVD release:

Links to Check Out:

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By Jason

An active double bass performer and teacher, Jason teaches double bass at DePaul University and served on the Board of Directors of the International Society of Bassists for many years. Jason is the current President of the Illinois chapter of the American String Teachers Association. Jason has been a member of the Elgin Symphony since 2000 and has played with the Midsummer’s Music Festival in Door County for the past decade. He is a past member of the Milwaukee Ballet and IRIS Orchestra, and has performed with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Grant Park Symphony, and numerous other professional ensembles.