double bass podcast
Earlier this summer, I read an article from Matthew Waters that caught my attention. Titled The Orchestral Dream is Dead, it outlined Matt’s experiences going through school at UCLA and trying to develop a career in Los Angeles.
I posted this article on Facebook, and it got a lot of thoughtful comments from orchestral musicians, students, and others. I thought that it would be great to chat with Matt for the podcast and dig into these topics.
Dennis Whittaker has had a fascinating journey through the music world.
After his studies in music education at Baylor University and a masters degree with Jeff Bradetich at Northwestern University, Dennis found himself teaching middle and high school orchestra in Texas.
We dig into the events surrounding this transition and much more!
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 of Bassists Convention, I had the chance to meet Rebecca Lawrence. Rebecca is entering her senior year at the University of Southern California and is studying with David Allen Moore.
A few weeks after the convention, I had the chance to sit down and chat with her about her experiences as a bass student, where she sees herself going professionally, challenges and setbacks, and much more.
For more on the state of women in the orchestra world, be sure to check out Nina DeCesare‘s great post titled “That thing is bigger than you!”; Why We Need More Female Bassists in Professional Orchestras.
We also featured Nina on the podcast earlier in 2017.
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, Louis started to ask “what if?”
John Davis is a great example of how musicians in smaller markets can create a vibrant career. John runs his own business, providing string instrument rentals and repairs. He also restrings tennis rackets!
Additionally, John serves as principal bass of the Salina Symphony. He teaches at Kansas Wesleyan University and maintains a private studio as well.
John’s background in radio, television, and film along with his background in business give him a valuable perspective on how to make a career as a musician regardless of where you live. This episode is filled with great advice!