Podcast – Page 211

CBC 101: Jeff Bradetich interview

It is a real pleasure to be able to put out this interview with University of North Texas and Cleveland Institute of Music faculty member Jeff Bradetich. Jeff was a huge influence on my early development, and I continue to use the principles he taught me in my own teaching and performing each and every day.

We get really “inside baseball” on some technical considerations for the bass in this interview, which I’m sure you’ll enjoy, and we also feature a track of Jeff performing the Czardas by Vittorio Monti from his excellent album Portraits. We’ll conclude this interview in the next few weeks and really get into Jeff’s exciting new double bass foundation, which you can learn more about at www.bradetichfoundation.org. Enjoy!

100: Origins

We’ve finally reached 100 episodes of Contrabass Conversations! In this special episode, we hear how many of our guests from our first two years of podcasting began playing the bass.

CBC 99: Jeremy Kurtz interview

Jeremy Kurtz double bass.jpg We’re featuring an interview with San Diego Symphony Principal Bass Jeremy Kurtz on this week’s episode. Jeremy was a student of Hal Robinson at Curtis and Tim Pitts at Rice University, and he also spent two years in the New World Symphony prior to his appointment with the San Diego Symphony. His solo album Sonatas and Meditations, which will be will be available by the time you hear this episode, can be purchased through the new International Society of Bassists store at www.ISBstore.com. You can learn more about Jeremy at his website jeremykurtz.com.

Tracks from Sonatas and Meditations featured:

David Anderson Sonata for Double Bass and Piano Luis Prado Meditation 1

About Our Sponsor:

The String Emporium specializes in upright, double basses. They pride themselves on offering only the very best upright basses. Whether you are looking for the finest antique bass, a new carved bass, or even entry level student basses, they have the best basses and the most affordable prices found anywhere. They also sell bass covers, flight cases, bows and bass related accessories. Check them out online at www.stringemporium.com.

CBC 98: Marshall Fine Sonata for Double Bass

This fascinating bass sonata clocks in at almost 40 minutes (!) and was written by Marshall Fine for double bassist John Chiego.

John Chiego, bass

Deborah Heath, piano

recorded live at the University of Memphis

2/14/98

1. Homage to A.T. (13:06)

2. Scherzo: La Vendetta (5:12)

3. Warrington-Variations (20:55)

About Marshall Fine:

Currently Assistant Principal Violist of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Marshall Fine is a versatile composer/performer who plays both violin and viola with equal facility. His output includes three symphonies, an oratorio, La Dolorosa, a violin concerto, and many sonatas (six for viola, three for violin). He received his DMA in 1990 from the University of Memphis. In addition to his orchestra position, he also arranges for his string quartet, the Bluff City String Quartet, and for other ensembles.

This sonata was written for John Chiego, former principal bass of the Memphis Symphony, who is currently professor of double bass at the University of Memphis.

About John Chiego:

Mr. John Chiego, is Professor of Double Bass and the Associate Director for Curriculum and Instruction in the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis. Mr. Chiego currently serves as the Principal Bass of the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and is the bassist for the Orpheum Theatre Orchestra in Memphis, playing for touring Broadway shows. He was the long time Principal Bass of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and served on the faculties of the Hot Springs Music Festival, Brevard Music Center, the Allegheny Summer Music Festival, the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts. He has also been an Artist-in-Residence at the Bay View Chamber Music Festival. As a recitalist and clinician, Mr. Chiego has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, with featured solo recitals at the Edinburgh International Double Bass Festival and The International Society of Bassists’ worldwide convention in Houston, Texas. A champion of modern instruments, Mr. Chiego recorded his first CD, It’s a Bass Thing, featuring a double bass built by Thomas Kelischek. Mr. Chiego currently plays instruments made by American bass maker Rumano Solano exclusively. Mr. Chiego has been a member of the editorial board for The American String Teacher magazine, a journal for which he has written articles on double bass pedagogy and technique, and has served as Tennessee Chapter President of the American String Teachers Association. Mr. Chiego is the author of The Musical Experience, a popular textbook for introductory music courses currently being used by colleges and universities across the United States.

CBC 95: The Bass Gang Rocks!

bass gang.jpg

We hope you enjoyed last week’s episode featuring the music of bassist Matt Weiner and ukulele player Del Rey. I think that this duo rocks, and I hope you enjoyed hearing those tracks from them.

This week, we’re featuring another all-music episode. I’m pleased to bring you some tracks from The Bass Gang, one of the most virtuosic, astounding, and entertaining bass quartets of all time.

Before we get into the music, we’d like to mention our sponsor for this show:

1. Jump (Van Halen)
2. Whiter Shade of… Bach (Procol Harum)
3. Pulp Bass
4. Black Cat White Cat

Be sure to visit them online at thebassgang.org, where you can check out even more tunes from them on their site.

We’ll be recording an interview with San Diego Symphony principal bassist Jeremy Kurtz this week. Jeremy is releasing his first solo album this fall, and we’ll we chatting about this release, life in the San Diego Symphony, and much more, so stay tuned for that in the coming weeks. Enjoy!