Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

474: Dan Carson on auditioning and taking a leap

Dan Carson is the latest member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s bass section.  I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Dan for over a decade.  He grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and worked with Andy Anderson and a few other teachers (including me!) during high school.

Dan attended Indiana University and won principal bass of the Alabama Symphony during his junior year. After a few years, he decided to return to Indiana University to finish his undergraduate degree.

He opted to not return to the Alabama Symphony and headed to the University of Southern California to study with David Allen Moore.  Five months into his studies at USC, Dan won a position with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

We cover a lot of fascinating ground, including:

  • making progress in school versus out of school
  • his decision to quit the Alabama Symphony to continue his studies
  • what it was like being back in school after several years playing professionally
  • what he learned working with Paul Ellison, Andy Raciti, and David Allen Moore
  • Dan’s audition preparation routine for Lyric
  • getting through moments of discouragement

…and much more!

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Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by:

Upton Bass String Instrument Company

Upton’s Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long “Karr neck” has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.

D’Addario Strings

This episode is brought to you by D’Addario Strings! Check out their Zyex strings, which are synthetic core strings that produce an extremely warm, rich sound. Get the sound and feel of gut strings with more evenness, projection and stability than real gut.

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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

473: Jacqueline Pickett on a well-rounded education

Dr. Jacqueline Pickett has built a remarkable career as a double bass performer, educator, and community activist.  From managing nonprofits to launching programs in the public schools, Jacqueline has been a major force for good in the double bass world. She teaches bass at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia as well as serving as principal bass for the Columbus Symphony.

We dig deep into all sorts of interesting topics, like:

  • why she brought Lauren Pierce in to work with students (it’s a great story and a valuable lesson!)
  • how music and community go hand in hand
  • how her background set her up for success
  • ways in which the arts present valuable employment opportunities for double bass players
  • what a well-rounded education looks like

…and much more!

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by:

Upton Bass String Instrument Company

Upton’s Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long “Karr neck” has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.

D’Addario Strings

This episode is brought to you by D’Addario Strings! Check out their Zyex strings, which are synthetic core strings that produce an extremely warm, rich sound. Get the sound and feel of gut strings with more evenness, projection and stability than real gut.

A440 Violin Shop

An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440‘s commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools.

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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

472: Colin Corner Recital

I had the good pleasure of spending time with Oregon Symphony and Grant Park Symphony principal bassist Colin Corner recently.  We did a deep-dive interview on auditioning, being a principal string player, and much more.

Colin and I also talked about getting some recent playing of his up on the podcast, and he shared this recital from the 2017 Pittsburgh Double Bass Symposium.

You’ll hear the following pieces on this episode:

Enjoy, and a big shout-out to Colin for passing this along!

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by:

Upton Bass String Instrument Company

Upton’s Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long “Karr neck” has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.

D’Addario Strings

This episode is brought to you by D’Addario Strings! Check out their Zyex strings, which are synthetic core strings that produce an extremely warm, rich sound. Get the sound and feel of gut strings with more evenness, projection and stability than real gut.

A440 Violin Shop

An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440‘s commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools.

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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

471: Choosing Strings – What’s Right for You?

Today’s episode is a deep-dive into double bass strings.  We take a look at D’Addario’s Kaplan, Zyex, and Helicore strings and learn more about how these strings play, feel, and sound.

You’ll hear perspectives on strings from the following D’Addario Orchestral Artists:

We’re also joined by D’Addario Orchestral Strings Product Manager Lyris Hung and Orchestral Strings Social Media Specialist Sabrina Brengel.

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by:

D’Addario Strings

This episode is brought to you by D’Addario Strings! Check out their Zyex strings, which are synthetic core strings that produce an extremely warm, rich sound. Get the sound and feel of gut strings with more evenness, projection and stability than real gut.

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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

470: Dan Chmielinski on Jazz at Juilliard

I’ve known Dan Chmielinski for over a decade, and it has been a real pleasure watching his career unfold.  Dan grew up in metro Chicago, and I had the privilege of being his bass teacher through middle and high school.   

Dan started playing bass at age 3 with Virginia Dixon, and he has one of the most natural and fluid approaches to the bass that I’ve ever seen.  After high school, Dan attended Juilliard for for his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, whee he studied with Ron Carter.

Dan has toured the world, performing with artists such as Joey Alexander, Wynton Marsalis, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Jeff “Tain” Watts.  His main project right now is Four by Four.  Here’s a link to their trailer on YouTube.

We dig into all kinds of topics:

  • what the Juilliard jazz studies audition is like (hint: it’s intense!)
  • the Richard Davis Foundation Conference – Dan attended as a student from ages 3-18, and he is now a faculty member
  • teaching for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz for Young People Program
  • the focus required to develop a career as a New York City jazz bassist
  • advice for younger musicians

Be sure to follow Dan on Instagram to keep up to date with his latest activities!

Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle!

Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by:

Upton Bass String Instrument Company

Upton’s Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long “Karr neck” has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.

D’Addario Strings

This episode is brought to you by D’Addario Strings! Check out their Helicore strings, which are are designed, engineered, and crafted at the D’Addario string factory in New York and come in orchestral, hybrid, pizzicato, and solo string sets.

A440 Violin Shop

An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440‘s commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools.

Contrabass Conversations production team:

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