376: how strings are made with Lyris Hung

What’s the deal with strings anyway? We all play them, yet we often don’t give much though to them. What, exactly, goes into a string?  What’s inside those metal windings? Our chat today with D’Addario Orchestral Product Manager Lyris Hung answers these questions and much more! Our episode is divided into three parts: Part 1 – the mystery of strings eliminating confusion Part 2 –… Continue reading 376: how strings are made with Lyris Hung

375: Jessica Valls on improvisation, emotion, and finding your voice

Jessica Valls has created a fascinating career as a double bass performer, educator, and free improvisor. She performs regularly with the Austin Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, and the vocal group Conspirare.  She also plays chamber music, jazz gigs, and solo performances. Jessica teaches at Southwestern University, Austin Community College, and Huston-Tillotson University.  She is also the founder and director of the Austin Bass Workshop. Jessica… Continue reading 375: Jessica Valls on improvisation, emotion, and finding your voice

373: Rebecca Lawrence on the state of women in the bass world and life as a music student

What’s it like being a double bass student these days… and what’s it like being a female bass student? These are two topics that should have come up a lot sooner on the podcast. Even though I’ve put out nearly 400 podcast episodes at this point, I’ve only had students on the show once before. During the 2017 International Society… Continue reading 373: Rebecca Lawrence on the state of women in the bass world and life as a music student

372: finding your path with Louis Levitt

Playing outside of Aspen’s Paradise Bakery was both a low-stakes and high-stakes affair for Louis Levitt and his friends. Low-stakes because… well, it was playing outside of a bakery. High-stakes because folks like David Zinman, Gil Shaham, and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg were walking by constantly. Louis was on the orchestral path that so many of us take.  But along the way,… Continue reading 372: finding your path with Louis Levitt