| Lisa Riddering, Editor October, 2009 |
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ON SALE NOW
Order print music, CDs, DVDs and videos, convention t-shirts, posters, back issues of magazines and more at www.ISBstore.com.
The Gary Karr Store at the ISBstore.com at
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Send your news and announcements for the ISB's E-Bass Line newsletter to info@ISBworldoffice.com.
If you couldn't be there in person or couldn't get to all the offerings, you can still purchase and download many of the masterclasses presented at the 2009 ISB convention at Mike's Master Classes.
If you have a favorite memory, photos and/or reports from the recent ISB convention at Penn State University, please email to info@ISBworldoffice.com for possible posting on the ISB website and publication in the post-convention issue of Bass World magazine.
NEWS OF NOTE
Barry Green will perform dance-inspired music from Israel, Italy, Ireland, Romania, Spain, Cuba, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica and more in October assisted by Chun Mei Wilson, piano, Lenny Carlson, guitar, Hal Richards, winds and the Green Man Group. Friday, October 9th, 7:30 PM at the University of California Lafayette, Stanley Music Room, and Friday, October 23rd at 7:30 PM at the University of California Santa Cruz in the Music Center. For more information email barry@innergameofmusic.com.
San Diego State University, in association with the American String Teachers Association, is hosting a one-day conference on October 24th for string teachers and students. It will be an informative day for those who teach strings in a school or privately. Special guest presenter will be Dr. Robert Gillespie, head of string teacher education at Ohio State University and former ASTA president. The event will also include a chamber music concert by SDSU faculty including Rossini duo for bass and cello and the 1st movement of Dvorak's string quintet as well as masterclasses for all string instruments. Jeremy Kurtz, principal bass with the San Diego Symphony, will give the guest artist for the double bass masterclass. To sign up, go to http://sites.google.com/site/stringissimo/register-now-. Cost for the day is $25 for ASTA members, and $10 for students.
On October 12-21, 2009, there will be a new double bass festival in Bogata, Colombia, Encuentro Internacional de Contrabajo, and a National Double Bass Competition hosted by the Filarmonic Orchestra of Bogotá. The festival will be dedicated to special guest artist Gary Karr; also slated to appear are Ivan Sztankov, Bernard Cazauran, Ilko Rusev, Hernando Segura and Jonathan Camps. For information go to www.divulgacion.unal.edu.co/encuentro_contrabajo.html and www.filarmonicabogota.gov.co, or email Moisès Bertran, director of the conservatory at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, at mbertranv@unal.edu.co or mbertran@hotmail.com. David Gage String Instruments will host University of North Texas professor of jazz bass Lynn Seaton on October 14th and legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter on November 4th as part of its 2009-2010 Workshop Series. Both workshops take place at 7:15 PM. Seating is limited and expected to sell out quickly.The workshop will also be webcast and available for sale afterwards from Mike's Master Classes, www.mikesmasterclasses.com. Tickets ($20 general admission/$15 for students and seniors) are available from www.davidgage.com by calling the store at 212-274-1322 or by emailing info@davidgage.com. Tickets are now on sale and are priced at $20, $15 for students and seniors. David Gage String Instruments is located at 36 Walker Street, New York, NY. For more information contact Sam Finlay at 917-842-8375. Francois Rabbath will give a recital on Saturday November, 21st at the Yehudi Menuhin School, Stoke d'Abernon, Cobham, Surrey KT11 3QQ, United Kingdom, accompanied by his son Sylvan and the Menuhin School Orchestra, in Menuhin Hall at 7:30 PM. He will also be working with pupils from the Yehudi Menuhin School on Double Bass Day, November 22nd, from 10 AM to 4 PM. Bass players of all ages and stages are welcome to attend this free day of discussion and practical demonstration. They should bring their basses if they would like to take part in the workshops. For more information email Sarah Collett, sarah@yehudimenuhinschool.co.uk.
Bassist John Feeney and Dragonetti's New Academy will be performing selections from their new CD of never before recorded music of the legendary bassist-composer on November 24th at the Eighth Annual Classical Recording Foundation Awards at Weill Recital Hall in New York, where they will receive a 2009 Classical Recording Foundation Award. To view and hear a performance, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqpGS_HmYtw.
ArsAntiguaPresents.com is a series of monthly, free, audio web cast programs of music from the Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical eras performed on period instruments with commentary by Peter Van De Graaff. The October 2009 program features Jan Josef Brentner's rarely heard concerto for viola d'amore, 2 oboes, bassoon and continuo. Upcoming live performances by Ars Antigua include October 8th at Music Institute of Chicago, October 10th at Hyde Park Union, and Oct 14th at Symphony Center all at 7:30 PM featuring the Virtuoso Oboe with Alex Klein and Baroque Band. www.ArsAntiguaPresents.com
Talk about low notes! The bassists with the Gloucestershire (England) Symphony played 100 feet down in Clearwell Caves on June 9, 2009, temperature a brisk 50 degrees Farenheit! (L to r) Tony Veazey, ISB member Catherine Side, and Pauline Jones.
Ed Barker, principal double bass of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and flutist Doriot Anthony Dwyer, former principal flutist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, will perform "Lumiere Noir" for flute and double bass by Boston composer Hayg Boyadjian on Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:30 PM at the First Parish Church in Lexington Center, MA. It was written for and is dedicated to bassist Bert Turetzky. Admission is by voluntary donation and will be followed by a reception where the audience can meet the musicians.
 Yuan Xiong Lu, professor of double bass at Texas Christian University and host of the 2009 Texas Double Bass Symposium, performed the Dragonetti double bass concerto in June with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Dr. German Gutierrez. He also played Song of the Grassland, dedicating it to his teacher De Ren Zheng, celebrating the 70th anniversary of his musical life. The concert was broadcast on national television. Yuan Xiong Lu is the the first double bass soloist to perform with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra in its 130-year history.
 The first and only biography to date of jazz bassist Scott LaFaro has been published by the University of North Texas Press. Written by his sister, Helene LaFaro Fernandez, Jade Visions tells the story of one of the 20th century's most influential jazz musicians. Best known for his recordings with Bill Evans, he played bass a mere seven years before his life and career were tragically cut short by an automobile accident at age 25. The book combines an intimate look at his family along with insights into LaFaro's music and career by Gene Lees, Don Thompson, Jeff Campbell, Phil Palombi, Barrie Kolstein, Chuck Ralston and many others. Hardback, 352 pages, including never before published photos. $25 plus shipping and handling at http://www.isbstore.com/miscellaneous.html.
 The perfect companion to the Scott LaFaro biography Jade Visions is the newly released CD, Pieces of Jade. Listen to some of LaFaro's earliest recordings with pianist Don Friedman and drummer Pete LaRoca, plus a 1966 interview with Bill Evans, over 20 minutes of an Evans and LaFaro rehearsal, and "Memories for Scotty," a solo piano tribute by Don Friedman. A must-have for fans of jazz and every bassist now available at the ISB Online Store, with a portion of proceeds from sales benefitting the ISB's Scott LaFaro Prize fund. $15 plus shipping and handling at http://www.isbstore.com/miscellaneous.html.
The George Vance Young Bassists Education Fund, established in honor and memory of the late George Vance, and will be dedicated to offering educational opportunities for young bassists. Send donations payable to the International Society of Bassists and addressed to the George Vance Young Bassists Education Fund, International Society of Bassists, 14070 Proton Rd., Suite 100, LB 9, Dallas, Texas 75244. The ISB is a 501(C)(3) organization and all donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
The Holland America Cruise Line has two bass positions open for upright players starting in late October, for a minimum of 3 months. This position is with a ballroom trio playing standards, so knowledge of tunes and ability to read lead sheets is important. Pay for this position is $450 a week, plus food, lodging, travel to and from the ship, and complete healthcare while onboard. Successful applicants must have a valid passport and pass a medical and background check. Contact Ben Dransfield, Musician Recruiter and Manager, Suman Entertainment Group, 12426 West Dixie Highway, Unit A, North Miami, FL 33161, 305/981-3136, fax 305/981-3137, email bdransfield@sumanent.com, or go to www.sumanent.com.
FESTIVALS, COMPETITIONS, AUDITIONS
The 2009 Texas Double Bass Symposium will be held October 24-25, 2009 at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. Special guest artists will be François Rabbath and Nicholas Schwartz, winner of the 2009 ISB solo competition. The faculty, subject to change, includes George Amorim (UT Pan-Am), Jeff Bradetich (UNT), Paul Ellison (Rice), Kip Green (TCU, jazz), Yuan Xiong Lu (TCU), Mark Morton (Texas Tech), David Neubert (UT Austin), Sandor Ostlund (Baylor University), Tim Pitts (Rice and Houston Symphony), John Schimek (University of Oklahoma), Anthony Stoops (Oklahoma University) and Da Xun Zhang (University of Texas Austin). Bing Luo (Shanghai Conservatory) and Tian Rui Zhao (Shenyang Conservatory) will give masterclasses. In addition to lectures, recitals, masterclasses and exhibits, the symposium will feature a student recital, an All-State Workshop for high school students, and an Orchestra Mock Audition with $500 first prize. Advance registration is $30 for participants (due by October 15), $15 for auditors/$20 at the door. Make checks payable to Texas Christian University, Double Bass Symposium. To register or for more information, please contact Charlene Smith, School of Music, Texas Christian University, TCU Box 297500, Fort Worth, TX 76129, (817) 257-7232, fax (817) 257-5818, c.smith3@tcu.edu. Questions? Call Yuan Xiong Lu, (817) 257-4465. www.music.tcu.edu/tdbs.asp For more information about the Alexander & Buono String Competition, with divisions for Elementary School, Middle School, High School, College/Adult and Amateur Adult, go to www.abstrings.com. Application deadline is October 15, 2009. Winners will perform in recital at Carnegie Hall on November 22, 2009.
The Bradetich Foundation announces the inaugural International Double Bass Solo Competition, June 16-20, 2010, hosted by the University of North Texas College of Music in Denton, Texas, USA. The competition is open to anyone under the age of 35 as of the first day of the competition June 16, 2010, and who has not given a formal New York City debut concert. The International Double Bass Solo Competition endeavors to identify emerging international artists and to provide career advancement and leadership opportunities. First place includes a $10,000 cash prize. For competition rules or additional information on the Inaugural International Double Bass Competition, contact Maria Harman, 940-368-5395, mharman@bradetichfoundation.org or go to www.bradetichfoundation.org.
The International Johann Matthias Sperger Society, www.spergergesellschaft.de, announces the 6th International Sperger Competition for Double Bass, to be held September, 2010, in Germany (date and location TBA.) The competition will be limited to 50 participants. Deadline for applications is July 31, 2010. First prize is 5,000 Euros. Details on the program, jury and applications will be posted soon at www.spergerwettbewerb.de. For information contact artistic director Klaus Trumpf, Meistersingerstr.7, D-14471 Potsdam, Germany, tele/fax:+49-(0)331-512556, info@klaus-trumpf-sperger.de. The 2010 Stulberg Competition at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo will take place Saturday, February 27, 2010. Judges will be the members of the Juilliard Quartet. The application deadline is Dec 18, 2009. Top prize is $5,000 plus a performance with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. For information go to www.stulberg.org, call 269/343/2776 or email stulbergcomp@yahoo.com.
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