Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

1155: Orion Miller on preparation, structure, and trusting the process

?Orion Miller? joins the podcast to talk about his path from growing up in New York City to joining the ?San Francisco Symphony? bass section. Orion studied at the ?Shepherd School of Music at Rice University? with Tim Pitts and spent formative summers at places like ?Tanglewood?, ?Music Academy of the West?, and ?Aspen Music Festival?.

We dig into Orion’s audition journey, including getting cut from the San Francisco Symphony preliminaries, rethinking how he prepared, and eventually winning the job after a trial week.

Orion shares the practice system that changed everything for him, from 25% tempo work and Galamian-style rhythms to mock auditions, detailed listening, score study, and learning to trust the process. We also talk about focus, phone distraction, sustainable preparation, life in the SFS bass section, and his advice to young bassists.

Listen, watch, and read this conversation in ?full audio and HD video on Double Bass HQ?.

1145: Bowen Ha on his audition process

Bowen Ha joined the San Francisco Symphony at the start of the 2024–25 season after training at Juilliard with Timothy Cobb and Harold Robinson, and appearing as a substitute with major orchestras.

Born in Shanghai, Bowen’s path ran from piano to cello and finally to bass, through Interlochen, the Shanghai Conservatory’s affiliated program, and Juilliard.

We dig into the nuts-and-bolts of what changed between Bowen’s early pro auditions and his San Francisco win: obsessing over details and doing daily metronome work.

Enjoy, and connect with Bowen on Instagram and YouTube!

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Theme music by Eric Hochberg

1117: Darren Sacks on teaching double bass

In this episode, we chat with Darren Sacks, a double bass audition coach, UMass Boston Associate Lecturer, and Greater Boston freelance bassist, to discuss winning strategies for double bass auditions.

Darren shares insights from his 9 years of coaching experience, during which he’s helped students gain acceptance into major youth orchestras like the Boston Youth Symphony (BYSO) and NEC Prep, summer festivals including Interlochen and BUTI Tanglewood, and undergraduate programs such as Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music.

Enjoy, and you can connect with Darren on his website.

Connect with DBHQ

Gear used to record this podcast

When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Upton Bass – From Grammy Award winners and Philharmonic players like 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.

1115: Tim Rinehart on audition breakthroughs

Tim Rinehart is the Principal Double Bassist of the Oregon Symphony. A graduate of Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, Tim studied with Paul Ellison while also earning a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. He is the winner of the 2025 International Society of Bassists Orchestral Division Competition and has performed with numerous prestigious orchestras including the Boston Symphony, London Symphony, and Houston Symphony.

Tim shares his journey through multiple auditions in a single season, revealing the breakthrough preparation strategies that led to winning his current. He discusses mental performance techniques, systematic practice methods, committee expectations, his education with Paul Ellison at Rice University, and his new role with the Oregon Symphony.

Connect with Tim:

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Gear used to record this podcast:

When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Upton Bass – From Grammy Award winners and Philharmonic players like 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.

Theme music by Eric Hochberg

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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Thank you to our sponsors!

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.