Contrabass Conversations

Contrabass Conversations

double bass podcast

260: Break into the Scene with Seth Hanes

Seth Hanes

Seth Hanes is a horn player, digital marketing consultant, and the author of the new book, Break into the Scene: A Musician’s Guide to Making Connections, Creating Opportunities, and Launching a Career, which is available now on Amazon. If you want to check out some free email templates that will help you pick up gigs and some other bonuses, visit breakintothescene.com.

We talk:

  • how to get more gigs
  • working with contractors
  • how to market and self-promote
  • working for free as a tactic

Break into the Scene hit #1 in Amazon’s music business category within days of its launch.  Check it out–it’s a great read and full of actionable advice!

Thanks to our sponsor!

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.

Enter the D’Addario strings giveaway for Contrabass Conversations listeners at contrabassconversations.com/strings!

258: RCM International Double Bass Festival

The first Royal College of Music International Double Bass Festival will be taking place on October 16, 2016.  Gabriele Ragghianti, Dan Styffe, and Alberto Bocini discuss this exciting new event on today’s episode.

This event is free and requires no tickets, so be sure to check it out if you can!

About the 2016 RCM International Double Bass Festival

Free, no tickets required

RCM International Double Bass Festival: Double Bass Masterclass with Dan Styffe

2:00pm | 14 October 2016
Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall

Co-Principal Bassist at The Oslo Philharmonic Dan Styffe shares his experience with talented string players at the Royal College of Music.

RCM International Double Bass Festival

11:00am | 16 October 2016
Royal College of Music

Our double bass festival sees renowned bassists from around the world flock to the Royal College of Music for a unique day of masterclasses, seminars, coaching sessions and performances.

About our Sponsor

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.

Enter the D’Addario strings giveaway for Contrabass Conversations listeners at contrabassconversations.com/strings!

257: Sandor Ostlund on musical influences, practicing, and career possibilities

Sandor Ostlund

Our teachers shape us more than we realize. Having the right teacher is critical for achieving our goals.

Sandor Ostlund has had a staggering set of quality teachers throughout his life journey.

First, he studied with Hans Sturm. Then he worked with Richard Davis. From there, he found his way to Paris to study with François Rabbath. In Paris, he met Paul Ellison, with whom Sandor would study with for his DMA. In fact, Sandor was the first student to every receive his DMA with Paul at Rice University.

Talk about a great set of musical role models!

Sandor has gone on to have a major impact in the world of the double bass. He teaches bass at Baylor University, works as a clinician across the United States, and has released a fantastic solo album of new works for the double bass.

We dig into all kinds of topics:

  • how Sandor continues to find inspiration
  • lessons Sandor learned from Paul, François, Richard, and Hans
  • what to do if you only have an hour to practice
  • finding your path in the music world

…and much more!

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

Links:

Sandor’s website

Leap of Faith (album)

Thanks to our sponsor!

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.

Enter the D’Addario strings giveaway for Contrabass Conversations listeners at contrabassconversations.com/strings!

 

256: Shinji Eshima on pit experiences, David Walter, and composing for the ballet

Shinji Eshima

Most musicians don’t have a day dedicated to them in their hometown.

Shinji Eshima does. In 2011, the city of Berkeley, California named the day December 6th Shinji Eshima Day, in his honor for his contributions to the arts.

Even fewer musicians play an instrument featured in a Degas painting.

But Shinji Eshima does. His Plumerel bass is the very same instrument painted by Degas in L’Orchestre de l’Opera.

Shinji’s impact on the double bass world has been tremendous. He has performed with the San Francisco Ballet and San Francisco Opera Orchestras for decades.

He teaches at San Francisco State University and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. His students have gone on to perform with the San Francisco Symphony, Utah Symphony, London Philharmonia, Montreal Symphony and the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam

But Shinji is also a composer… and what a composer!

In 2011, the San Francisco Ballet commissioned him to write a ballet. RAkU was the result, and it has been performed across the globe by the San Francisco Ballet. RAkU has also joined the repertoire of The Joffrey Ballet. Swimmer, his third ballet for the San Francisco Ballet, premiered in 2015.

We talk about Shinji’s early years on the instrument, studying with David Walter, performing in the pit, getting into composing, and much more!

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

Links to check out

If It’s Tuesday it Must be Up-Bow from Soliloquy album (performed by Patrick Neher)

San Francisco Ballet in RAkU (YouTube)

RAkU: A Conversation with Shinji Eshima (YouTube)

Swimmer – ballet composed by Shinji Eshima (YouTube)

Shinji’s 1843 Plumerl double bass as portrayed by Degas in Orchestra of the Opera

Thanks to our sponsor!

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.

Enter the D’Addario strings giveaway for Contrabass Conversations listeners at contrabassconversations.com/strings!

 

Listener feedback links: