Contrabass Conversations

I had a wonderful time chatting with Detroit Symphony principal bassist Kevin Brown.  Kevin studied with Peter Lloyd, Paul Ellison, and David Allen Moore prior to his appointment with the Detroit Symphony and also won the 2009 International Society of Bassists Orchestral Competition.

We dig deep into a number of topics:

• growing up in Minnesota and starting the bass at age 3
• studying with Peter Lloyd, Paul Ellison, and David Allen Moore
• listening to excerpts like Ein Heldenleben while doing stretches
• living a musical life rather than just being a bass player
• long-term audition preparation
• making breakthroughs by only choosing to meet his own standards
• becoming a musical scholar of sorts during audition preparation
• advice that CSO principal bassist Alex Hanna gave to Kevin as he was getting ready to do a trial for principal bass of the Detroit Symphony
• advice he’d have for his 23-year-old self

We also talk about playing incidental solos and how much it resembles playing an audition for Kevin, and we feature excerpts of Kevin playing Bach as well as an excerpt of the Vanhal Concerto with the Detroit Symphony.

Kevin’s a great person and was a lot of fun to chat with!

Links to check out:

• Kevin’s DSO bio
• Kevin teaching a master class (video)

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