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Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

1069: Exploring Music and Innovation with Petru Iuga

In this conversation, Petru Iuga, a renowned Romanian double bassist, discusses his experiences during the pandemic, his contributions to the ToneBase platform, and the development of the ErgoBass, a product designed to enhance bass playing ergonomics.

He reflects on his musical journey, incorporating elements of martial arts into his musical practice, and the impact of physics and mindfulness in bass playing. P

etru also shares insights about his recently released album, which features a mix of familiar and less-known compositions, including works by Weinberg, Hindemith, and Schubert, emphasizing the music’s emotional and artistic depth.

Enjoy, and check out this video covering Petru’s innovative invention ErgoBass!

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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
https://traffic.libsyn.com/contrabassconversations/Petru_Iuga_mixdown.mp3

791: Petru Iuga on teaching and inspiration

Petru Iuga currently holds a professorship at the University of Music and Arts in Mannheim, Germany and Haute École de Musique de Lausanne.  Having received his first training in his native Romania, he was selected by Yehudi Menuhin for the International Menuhin Music Academy in Gstaad (Switzerland).

After further training at the Hochschule der Künste-Bern and the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique in Paris, he became a member of the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris and principal double bass in the Munich Chamber Orchestra. Petru was also guest solo Double-Bass at the London Symphony Orchestra.

We talk about his early years, the joys and discoveries of teaching double bass, the rapid growth of this instrument’s technical capabilities, Petru’s passion for music, the ErgoBass, and much more.

Enjoy, and be sure to check out Petru’s website to learn more about his work!

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

Check out our Online Sheet Music Store with 80+ wide-ranging titles for bassists.

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Check out my Beginner’s Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Dorico – Dorico helps you to write music notation, automatically producing printed results of exceptional quality — and plays it back with breathtaking realism. It is easy enough for anyone to learn, yet has hundreds of advanced notations, features, options and sounds to satisfy even the most demanding professionals.  With its streamlined, natural user interface, students and those with less experience in scoring can compose and arrange straight into Dorico, making learning the language of music notation much faster and more intuitive. Editing and making changes — such as instrument, time signature or key — are straightforward, with the notation instantly and correctly adapting to include them, reinforcing the learning outcome.

Ear Trumpet Labs – They make hand-built mics out of Portland, OR and they have an excellent mic for upright bass called Nadine. The Nadine is a condenser mic with a clear natural sound and incredible feedback rejection. This mic is a completely new design — the head mounts in between the strings above the tailpiece with a rubber grommet, and the body securely straps to the tailpiece with velcro elastic. A 14-inch Mogami cable connects the two parts making it easy to place on any bass. It’s durable and holds up to the demanding needs of the instrument while offering excellent sound quality. Ear Trumpet Labs is offering a free t-shirt just for Contrabass listeners with the purchase of a mic, just visit EarTrumpetLabs.com/contrabass to claim yours and check out the Nadine!

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Contrabass Conversations production team:

  • Jason Heath, host
  • Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing
  • Mitch Moehring, audio engineer
  • Trevor Jones, publication and promotion
  • theme music by Eric Hochberg
https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/contrabassconversations/_791Petru_Iuga_-_4_4_21_9.14_AM.mp3
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