Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

1060: Mastering Auditions Through Technique and Intonation with Daniel Chiva Sanz

In this episode, Daniel Chiva Sanz shares his journey of mastering musical auditions by focusing on technical precision and intonation. Two years ago, after a failed audition at the Seattle Symphony, he realized that his practice method needed restructuring. The result is ‘The School of Patience,’ an exercise series that develops the intonational security required to develop a professional level of playing and win auditions.

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Upton Bass – From Grammy Award winners and Philharmonic players like ME Max Zeugner of the New York Philharmonic, each Upton Bass is crafted with precision in Connecticut, USA, and built to last for generations.  Discover your perfect bass with Upton Bass today!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio is a valued part of an innovative fine arts community in a top research university. Students receive weekly private lessons and solo classes with Micah Howard, and Peter Guild teaches weekly Orchestral Literature and Repertoire. They encourage students to seek lessons and guidance from local bassists. Members of the Symphony, the Opera, and the Ballet provide annual classes and individual attention. Visit Micah’s website to sign up for a free online trial lesson here.

1055: Audition prep with Brendan Fitzgerald

Join Brendan Fitzgerald, Assistant Principal Double Bass for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, as he shares his comprehensive approach to preparing for and succeeding in orchestra auditions. From practicing at half tempo and balancing practice with a full-time job, to managing nerves with beta blockers, Brendan covers all aspects of his preparation process. Learn how to handle the audition day, manage your workload, and ensure your best performance under pressure. Don’t miss his key takeaways for musicians looking to secure a professional orchestra position.

Check out Brendan’s past podcast appearance here as well as his appearance on Ryan Beach’s podcast.

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Upton Bass Rosin, developed by Gary Upton, boasts an excellent feel, response, and tone for double bass bows. Gary believes it’s the best bass rosin available. It’s appreciated by users like Blake Hinson from the New York Philharmonic for its quality and performance.  Learn more about Upton’s rosin, basses, and more at uptonbass.com.

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio is a valued part of an innovative fine arts community in a top research university. Students receive weekly private lessons and solo classes with Micah Howard, and Peter Guild teaches weekly Orchestral Literature and Repertoire. They encourage students to seek lessons and guidance from local bassists. Members of the Symphony, the Opera, and the Ballet provide annual classes and individual attention. Visit Micah’s website to sign up for a free online trial lesson here.

1033: Sam Loeck on his audition path

Sam Loeck was recently appointed Principal Bass of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra. Before this position, he served as Principal Bass of the Calgary Philharmonic. He was also a finalist and trialist for Principal Bass of the London Symphony Orchestra.

We dig into Sam’s path into the double bass world and his auditioning journey, exploring the twists, turns, and lessons learned. Enjoy!

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Dorico – This podcast episode is sponsored by Dorico: the next-generation music notation software from Steinberg, that’s packed with smart, time-saving features to help you spend less time in front of your computer and more time doing what you love: making music.

The latest version of Dorico 5, includes Iconica Sketch, a new orchestral sound library, bringing more expressive playback, and making it easy to produce more life-like performances with a dynamic stereo soundstage. Try Dorico Now For 60 Days For Free: visit dorico.com

1018: Drew Banzhaf on his audition path to the Malmo Symphony

Drew Banzhaf won the audition for Associate Principal Bass Malmö Symphony in 2023. He spent three years as a guest musician of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and has regularly appeared with renowned orchestras such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and Minnesota Orchestra. Drew was also a New World Symphony Fellow for three seasons and is a graduate of Indiana University and Rice University.

We dig into Drew’s background, his decade spent taking 36 professional auditions, lessons learned along the journey, and much more. Enjoy!

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Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio – The School of Music at CMU highly values each and every individual who wants to be a part of an innovative fine arts community immersed in a top research university. 

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.

1012: Phoebe Russell on Smash Your Audition

Phoebe Russell is Principal Bass for the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.  She recently released a course on Discover Double Bass titled Smash Your Audition.  

We released a YouTube video digging into this course, and in this podcast we cover Phoebe’s tips for preparing orchestral excerpts, what it was like to put all of her knowledge into a video course, general life updates, and more.

Check out Phoebe’s 2019 podcast appearance here, and be sure to check out her awesome course here!

Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Connect with us:

Thank you to our sponsors!

Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio – The School of Music at CMU highly values each and every individual who wants to be a part of an innovative fine arts community immersed in a top research university. 

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.