It was such a pleasure to spend time with composer and Melbourne Symphony bassist Stephen Newton during my trip to Australia in 2019. Stephen is an outstanding performer, and he has a compelling voice as a composer. A native of Sydney, Stephen joined the Melbourne Symphony in 2006, and he has performed internationally with the… Continue reading 672: Stephen Newton on composition
Category: Podcast
671: Eleonore Oppenheim on creating your own opportunities
I first learned about Eleonore Oppenheim from Contrabass Conversations team member Krista Kopper, and I knew that she’d prove to be an interesting podcast guest. Eleonore describes herself as a “genre surfing musical polyglot,” and she explores the bass and its role as a solo and chamber instrument in a variety of creative ways. Eleonore… Continue reading 671: Eleonore Oppenheim on creating your own opportunities
670: Stuart Riley on global musical adventures
Stuart Riley has led a multifaceted and inspiring musical life as a bassist. Both in the United Kingdom, Stuart moved to Melbourne, Australia in 1999 and worked as a freelancer in all sorts of ensembles. He took a permanent position with Orchestra Victoria in 2017 as Principal Double Bass. Also, Stuart has a wide… Continue reading 670: Stuart Riley on global musical adventures
669: Ben Hanlon on the Melbourne jazz scene
Melbourne bassist Ben Hanlon lives a vibrant musical life as a classical and jazz musician. In addition to his job as a member of the Melbourne Symphony bass section, Ben enjoys a thriving career performing in Melbourne’s many jazz venues. He often works with guitarist James Sherlock and has released an album featuring several of… Continue reading 669: Ben Hanlon on the Melbourne jazz scene
668: Sebastiano Dessanay on cycling across Sardinia
In October 2018, Sebastiano Dessanay embarked on a humongous adventure: cycling between all 377 towns of his native Sardinia in 377 days. This project, which he called 377, involved him putting his bass ukulele on his back, chronicling his travels via photo, text, and music on his blog. We talk about how he worked up… Continue reading 668: Sebastiano Dessanay on cycling across Sardinia