We’re changing up the podcast format for today’s show and featuring a group of present and former members of the Midwest Young Artists program located on the North Shore of Lake Michigan in metro Chicago. As an educator, I find it very interesting to hear the perspective of younger bassists–what they enjoy about performing, if… Continue reading CBC 81: Students Speak Out
Category: Special Features
CBC 63: Chatting About Opera and Orchestra Bass Playing with John Grillo
Contrabass Conversations regular contributor and classicalmusicnews.tv blogger John Grillo and I recorded a follow-up episode to our recent Opera Excerpt Breakdown episode. In this episode we chat a little more generally about opera bass playing and how it differs from orchestral bass playing. John has played for numerous opera companies in the past, including the… Continue reading CBC 63: Chatting About Opera and Orchestra Bass Playing with John Grillo
CBC 62: Opera Excerpt Breakdown with John Grillo
This week’s Contrabass Conversations episode features an in-depth analysis of the double bass opera excerpts most commonly requested at auditions. Double bassist (and regular Contrabass Conversations guest and co-host) John Grillo discusses each of these excerpts–stylistic considerations, differences in articulation and bow strokes, and suggestions for effectively learning them–and then performs them. We believe that… Continue reading CBC 62: Opera Excerpt Breakdown with John Grillo
CBC 56: reflections on one year of podcasting
Jason chats about the state of affairs for Contrabass Conversations after one year of podcasting and offers goals for 2008 in this brief episode.
My Car Caught Fire and Exploded! – Story Time
This is a little tale about a night that went from bad to worse in a hurry on the way home from a gig. Hopefully this kind of thing won’t happen to you!