Podcast appearances and mentions of richard stoltzman

Canciones brasileñas (o inspiradas por Brasil) con el clarinetista Richard Stoltzman ('Chorado'), el cantante y pianista Freddy Cole ('Sem você', 'Rio de Janeiro blue'), los italianos de 'Quinteto X ('Esquema da bossa', 'Freio aerodinâmico', 'C´è piu samba'), las cantantes Barbra Streisand ('The island') y Queen Latifah ('Quiet nights of quiet stars'), la pianista Liz Story ('How insensitive'), las cuerdas del Quatuor Ébène con Stacey Kent y Marcos Valle ('Águas de março', 'So nice'), el guitarrista George Benson ('Dinorah Dinorah') y la cantante Maria Muldaur (Love dance'). Escuchar audio

'João Gilberto eterno' es un disco homenaje al padre de la bossa nova, editado en Japón en 2021, por el 90 aniversario del nacimiento del genio de Juazeiro. Con Daniel Jobim & Dora Morelenbaum ('Garota de Ipanema'), Mônica Salmaso & Guinga ('Chega de saudade'), Mario & Antonia Adnet ('Izaura'), Moreno Veloso ('Bim bom'), Jean Charnaux ('Um abraço no Bonfá'), Mario, Maúcha, Chico & Muiza Adnet ('Hó-bá-lá-lá', 'Pra que discutir com madame'), João Donato & Antonia Adnet ('Minha saudade'), Rosa Passos ('Doralice'), Goro Ito & String Quartet ('João Marcelo'), Leila Pinheiro ('Você e eu'), Febian Reza Pane ('Valsa. Bebel como são lindos os yoguis'), Joyce ('Estate'), Mika & Richard Stoltzman ('All of me') y Lisa Ono ('Valsa da despedida'). Escuchar audio

Sonata #3 for Oboe and Piano (2021)                                            Bill Douglas (1944-)Cantando Pastorale Chick: Hommage to Chick Corea Bill Douglas is a Canadian-born bassoonist, pianist and composer who  lives in Boulder, Colorado. He has toured and recorded with the clarinetist Richard Stoltzman since they met in college (Yale, class of 1969). Douglas has written that “(his) basic philosophy of music is that it can be helpful to the world. It can evoke such positive emotions as compassion, tenderness, strength, nobility, upliftedness, and joy.”Bill Douglas provided a performance note: “Do not swing any of this music. Always sing expressively with long, expansive phrasing. Feel free to change slurs, particularly awkward downward ones, in order to make passages easier.” Thanks, Bill. That helped. This recording is  unedited,  including two squeaks from the oboe and Viva's satisfied chuckle at the end.Scores and recordings of Bill Douglas' work, including a wonderful CD of vocal rhythm exercises, are available at https://billdouglas.cc. His extensive output of compositions  which feature  oboe, English horn or bassoon is published by TrevcoMusic.com.photo by Fran Hodes, 2023

Synopsis The German composer Johannes Brahms would probably have nodded in approval if he could have heard Orson Welles intone “We will sell no wine before its time” in those old TV ads for Paul Masson. Brahms was a notorious perfectionist, an obsessive polisher, and a cautious taste-tester of any of his own musical fermentations. So, if one notes that Brahms appeared at the piano on today's date in 1895, accompanying clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld at a high-profile Viennese performance of his Clarinet Sonata No. 1, one can safely assume there had been a number of trial performances beforehand. In the summer of 1894, during his annual holiday in the Austrian countryside, Brahms composed this sonata. The very first performances of the new Clarinet Sonata followed in the fall of 1894 for the Duke of Meiningen and his sister, with an additional test run in Frankfurt for Clara Schumann. After Clara gave the new work a thumbs up, Brahms apparently felt it was fit for public consumption: first on January 7, 1895 for members of Vienna's Tonkünstler Society, and four days later for an even more “toney” audience attending the Rosé String Quartet Quartet's chamber music series. After all, as Brahms and Mühlfeld might have put it: “We play NO sonata before its time!” Music Played in Today's Program Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897) Clarinet Sonata No. 1 Richard Stoltzman, clarinet; Richarde Goode, piano RCA 60036

Dos horas de Músicas Posibles para iniciar un 2023 con algunos de nuestros temas favoritos en este Especial. Begin sweet world  Bill Douglas y Richard Stoltzman Open sky And I Love Her  Brad Mehldau Trio Blues and Ballads Stolen Moments  Oliver Nelson The Blues And The Abstract Truth It's Only Christmas Once A Year+ What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?  Norah Jones I Dream Of Christmas My Favorite Things  Mak Murphy Rah! My Favorite Things  José James, Marcus Strickland Merry Christmas from José James Love your Grace Vega Trails Tremors in the Static Lullaby  Makaya McCraven In These Times Daughters and Sons  George Winston Remembrance: A Memorial Benefit Todas las noches que fuimos humo  Alejandro Pelayo y Suso Sáiz Sobre la piel Til Waking Light  Gaby Moreno Alegoría Escuchar audio

This week on The Sound Kitchen you'll hear the answer to the question about the Rangelands Initiative Africa. You'll hear about the ePOP competition from RFI's Planète Radio, there's lots of good music, and of course, the new quiz question. Just click on the “Audio” arrow above and enjoy!  Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll hear the winner's names announced and the week's quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you've grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week. Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr  Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all! Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts! In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more. There's Paris Perspective, Africa Calling, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series - an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too. As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our excellent staff of journalists. You never know what we'll surprise you with! To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website and click on the three horizontal bars on the top right, choose “Listen to RFI / Podcasts”, and you've got ‘em ! You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone. To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show.  Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr  If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.  Another idea for your students: My beloved music teacher from St Edward's University in Austin, Texas, Dr Gerald Muller, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that's how I worked on my French, reading books which were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it's a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald's free books, click here.  Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload! And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you haven't yet asked to join the group, and you are a member of an independent, officially recognized RFI English club, go to the Facebook link above, and fill out the questionnaire !!!!! (if you do not answer the questions, I click “decline”). There's a Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link above and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don't like to do! This week's quiz: RFI English journalist Laura Angela Bagnetto was in Côte d'Ivoire in May, at the United Nations' 15th “Conference of the Parties”. The theme for the conference was “Land. Life. Legacy: From scarcity to prosperity”, and is, as the UN wrote, “a call to action to ensure land, the lifeline on this planet, continues to benefit present and future generations.”  ​ In Laura Angela's article, “COP15: Securing land rights is crucial to land restoration in Africa”, she talks about a pan-African pastoralist movement that's being created by the Rangelands Initiative Africa. All examples show, as Laura Angela points out, that when the community is involved – in this case, the pastoralists – they themselves will achieve what is needed. This new grassroots group of pastoralists planned to meet again in late May, to agree on the way forward, and on 21 May, I asked you to tell me where that meeting would take place. The answer is: In Jordan, at the International Land Coalition (ILC) forum. The ILC is a global alliance of civil society and farmers' organizations, NGOs, and United Nations agencies. The winners are: Sharifun Islam Nitu from the RFI Amour Fan Club in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and RFI Listener Club members Father Stephen Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon; Razia Hosen Iti from Netrokona, Bangladesh; Rachid Dahmani from M'sila, Algeria, and Hans Verner Lollike from Hedehusene in Denmark, who included this thoughtful comment with his quiz entry: “God has created enough for everyone's needs, but not enough for everyone's greed!” Congratulations winners! Here's the music you heard on this week's program: “Take the A Train” by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, performed by Duke Ellington and his orchestra; Traditional Fulani music for flutes, performed by Bailo Bah and Sylvain Leroux; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and the Clarinet Concerto by Aaron Copland, performed by Richard Stoltzman with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. Do you have a musical request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr This week's question ... You have to listen to the show to participate. After you've listened to the show, refer to Ollia's article “Gastronomy gong given to Fulani chef supporting women in West Africa” to help you with the answer. You have until 22 August to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 27 August podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. Send your answers to: english.service@rfi.fr or Susan Owensby RFI – The Sound Kitchen 80, rue Camille Desmoulins 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux France or By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country's international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don't forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number. To find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize, click here. To find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or to form your own official RFI Club, click here. 

Delvyn Case III is a composer, conductor, scholar, performer, concert producer, and Professor of Music at Wheaton College of Massachusetts. As a professional musician he works as a composer, conductor, and pianist, equally at home in the worlds of classical and popular music. As a church musician he's worked in virtually every context and every genre. He's conducted major works like Handel’s Messiah, led an 80-voice gospel choir, played organ at Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, and UCC churches, and played keyboard on praise teams at many Evangelical churches. As a composer, he's written a symphony, an oratorio, an opera about anti-Semitism, and chamber and vocal pieces which have been performed by Grammy-winning artists Richard Stoltzman and the Chestnut Brass Company, among many others. Much of my concert music explores themes from the Christian tradition. He's also written pieces for educational outreach concerts, which have been heard by over 10,000 children across the world. But his most popular piece is his holiday overture Rocket Sleigh, which been performed by over 80 orchestras in the US, UK, and Europe. In 2019 Delvyn founded Deus Ex Musica, a unique ecumenical organization that promotes the use of sacred music for learning and spiritual growth. Among their projects is the Deus Ex Musica Podcast in which interview Christian musicians working in various genres about how their faith impacts their work.You can find his blog for Patheos: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/alleluiamusicandthechristianlife/ His website: http://delvyn-case.squarespace.comDeus Ex Musica:https://www.deus-ex-musica.com

Ep. 120: Bob Lord, CEO of PARMA Recordings Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan. In this episode Bob Lord talks about building the PARMA Recordings, job of a CEO, journey as a bassist and his new single. He also discusses the future of his company, memorable collaborations, and much more. Bob Lord is a producer, composer, bassist and CEO of PARMA Recordings, the New Hampshire-based audio production house and parent company of the Navona, Ravello, Big Round, MMC, Capstone, and Ansonica Records label imprints. He was named one of Musical America’s “30 Professionals of the Year: Key Influencers” in 2015. In 2020, PARMA's work was nominated for the 62nd annual GRAMMY Awards in two categories, with entries in classical ("Best Choral Performance" for the Navona Records release THE ARC IN THE SKY by The Crossing) and gospel ("Best Gospel Album" for SOMETHING'S HAPPENING! by CeCe Winans). Formed in 2008 to present contemporary classical, jazz, and experimental music, PARMA features work by artists such as GRAMMY Award winner Richard Stoltzman, Pulitzer Prize winners Yehudi Wyner and Lewis Spratlan, and Emmy Award winner Bruce Babcock among others. PARMA’s music can be heard in products and projects from ABC, CBS, Microsoft, C-SPAN, HBO, Nintendo, Showtime, PBS, and more. With Pete Townshend of The Who Bob co-produced the double album METHOD MUSIC by Lawrence Ball, released in 2012 on Navona Records and hailed by Pitchfork for its “wondrous, rippling, and startlingly tactile music.” In 1996 he co-founded the award-winning recording and touring experimental rock trio Dreadnaught (described by Relix Magazine as “the country's best 'pure' prog-rock combo") and since 2005 has been the Music Director for the New Hampshire Public Radio series Writers on a New England Stage at The Music Hall in Portsmouth NH, where the band has shared the stage with Dan Brown, John Updike, Salman Rushdie, Stephen King, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and many more. In 2004 and 2018 Dreadnaught won "Best Rock Band" at the Spotlight Music Awards in Portsmouth NH. As of this writing Lord more than 600 recording and production credits on his resume, including the 2016 release ABRAZO: THE HAVANA SESSIONS, one of the very first projects recorded and produced by an American music company in Cuba since the loosening of diplomatic relations. With PARMA, Lord regularly produces recording sessions and events in countries across the globe, including the United States, Czech Republic, Croatia, Greece, Russia, Cuba, Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, China, Poland, and more. Lord composed the theme song for NHPR’s morning show “The Exchange” in 2005, and the music is still featured on the program to this day. He is President of the Zagreb Festival Orchestra in Zagreb HR, a member of the Board of Trustees of The Music Hall in Portsmouth NH, and on the Advisory Board of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra, also in Portsmouth NH. For more information about Bob Lord and PARMA RECORDINGS please visit these websites: https://www.boblordmusic.com/news and https://www.parmarecordings.com/ © Let's Talk Off The Podium, 2020

Sonata for Oboe and Piano (2004)                                            Bill Douglas (1944-)Cantabile Tenderly Singing, Playful Bill Douglas is a Canadian-born bassoonist, pianist and composer who now lives in Boulder, Colorado. He toured and recorded for thirty years with the classical clarinetist Richard Stoltzman and with his own jazz ensembles. Among the musicians he says influenced him are J. S. Bach, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Josquin Desprez, William Byrd, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Ali Akbar Khan. He wrote this sonata for the oboist Alan Vogel. He has written that “(his) basic philosophy of music is that it can be helpful to the world. It can evoke such positive emotions as compassion, tenderness, strength, nobility, upliftedness, and joy.”Bill Douglas provided this program note in the score: “The first and third movements follow the standard bebop jazz form: a somewhat complex theme played in unison, followed by an improvisation on the chord progression of the theme and then a return to the theme with variations. In this case, however, the ‘improvisation' sections are completely written out. The third movement was influenced by West African rhythms.” Scores and recordings of Bill Douglas' work, including a wonderful CD of vocal rhythm exercises, are available at https://billdouglas.cc. photo ©Lefteris Padavos 2016

Ep. 113: Richard Stoltzman, “A Classical superstar.” - NY TIMES. Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan. Two-time Grammy Award-winning clarinetist Richard Stoltzman is known as a captivating recitalist, chamber musician, and jazz performer, as well as a prolific recording artist. He gave the first clarinet recitals in the histories of both the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall. In 1986, Stoltzman became the first wind player to be awarded the Avery Fisher Prize. Recently he was awarded the prestigious Sanford Medal by the Yale School of Music and was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has performed or recorded with such jazz and pop greats as the Canadian Brass, Chick Corea, Steve Gadd, Eddie Gomez, Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter, Mel Tormé, and Spyro Gyra founder Jeremy Wall. In this podcast we talk about Stoltzman's passion for mathematics, collaborations, touring, baking and recording. We also talk about his recital in Carnegie Hall (first solo recital by a clarinetist), Benny Goodman and much more! For more information about Richard Stoltzman please visit: http://www.richardstoltzman.com/ © Let's Talk Off The Podium, 2020

Richard Stoltzman is a pioneer in the clarinet community as a soloist and chamber musician in both jazz and classical genres.  In this interview he tells incredible stories about Marlboro, Marcel Moyse, Messiaen, Takemitsu and his incredible experiences with musicians and composers throughout his life.

Sarah Whitney: Thriving Through Injury Today on the show, I'm really happy to bring you violinist Sarah Whitney to cover a VERY important topic: dealing with injuries as a musician! In this episode, Sarah talks to us about how you can not only prevent and treat injury, but also thrive in the aftermath – how to handle recovery, the ways she warms up to prevent injury, and how important the mental aspect of recovery is.  She also talks about how she helps musicians achieve their career goals and why life and career coaching can be a real game changer. And don't forget to share your injury story with us, and let us know what resonated with you in the episode! ALL ABOUT SARAH: Website: https://www.sarahwhitney.com Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/theproductivemusician/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahwhitneyistall/ Sybaryte5: https://www.sybarite5.org/ https://www.facebook.com/SybariteFive/ https://www.instagram.com/sybarite5/ Trifecta String Trio https://www.trifectatrio.com/about https://www.instagram.com/trifectastringtrio/   The violinist Sarah Whitney is celebrated as a performer, teacher, entrepreneur, career coach, and musical maverick. Praised by The Washington Post for her “marvelous violin acrobatics,” Sarah has appeared on stages worldwide as a soloist and collaborative artist throughout North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Comfortable in a wide range of settings and musical styles, she is fiercely dedicated to bringing fresh new ideas to classical music and empowering musicians to find their own voice. Sarah is a founding member of the acclaimed string quintet SYBARITE5, which won the Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition in 2011 and continues to perform extensively around North America. Sarah has also performed with SYBARITE5 at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall, the Library of Congress, the Aspen, Caramoor, Chautauqua, Grand Teton, and Ravinia Festivals, and on the CBS Early Show. Their latest album entitled Outliers reached No. 1 on the Billboard Charts, and they recently premiered Dan Visconti's Beatbox: Concerto for String Quintet & Orchestra with the South Carolina Philharmonic, Midland Symphony Orchestra, and Duluth-Superior Orchestra. Recognized as a pioneer in changing the perception of classical music and committing to building new audiences, in 2015, Sarah founded Beyond the Notes, an innovative concert series dedicated to breaking down the barriers between performers and the audience. The series is rooted in the Boston-area but has expanded in recent years to present performances throughout North America. She is also currently the Music Director for Lincoln Center Stage — an innovative partnership between Lincoln Center and the Holland-American Cruise Lines. This initiative organizes highly-coveted residencies for top young chamber musicians on board cruise ships elevating the performance level to that  heard in leading concert halls. Sarah's writing is featured regularly in for Strings Magazine and 21CM.org. Her widely-read blog The Productive Musician focuses on health and wellness, productivity, and strategies for developing and maintaining an effective mindset. She has served on the New York State Presenters Network Panel in discussions about progressive programming and innovation. Defying categorization and welcoming diverse collaborations, Sarah has collaborated with the Alvin Ailey and Jose Limon dance companies and has been featured on-stage with Adele, Ellie Goulding, the Transiberian Orchestra, Jeff Beck, Anne Murray, Andrew Wyatt, Tommy Lee, and with Father John Misty. Active as a recording artist, Sarah has performed on albums with Darlene Love, Josh Ritter, Stephen Kellogg, Mark Geary and Etienne Charles and can be heard on William Bolcom's Grammy-winning album ‘The Songs of Innocence and Experience'. She has also collaborated with DJ Doug E. Fresh and opened for Jennifer Hudson and Diana Ross. She recently recorded together with the legendary clarinetist Richard Stoltzman. Sarah also performs regularly in the Seeing Double Duo with violinist Julia Salerno, and the Trifecta Trio together with violist Angela Pickett and cellist Laura Metcalf. Sarah is co-founder of the Jingle Punks Hipster Orchestra that has been featured on Mashable, Perez Hilton, Revolt TV, as well as with the rapper NAS in Johannesburg, South Africa. Guiding students with an especially collaborative teaching approach, Sarah works nationally with students of all levels. She has given guest master classes and entrepreneurial workshops at the Curtis Institute, New England Conservatory, DePauw University, University of Oklahoma, University of Arizona, Grinnell College, Ohio University, University of North Florida, the Walnut Hill School, the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, among others, and has been guest artist-in-residence at Eastern Washington University. She has served on faculty at Music in Chappaqua, The Music School of New York City and the Walla Walla Suzuki Institute. She previously served as co-director of the Sato Center Outreach Group at the Sato Center for Suzuki Studies in Cleveland, and received Suzuki teacher training from the renowned pedagogue Kimberly Meier-Sims. Currently based in New York City, Sarah holds degrees from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Additional studies include at the Aspen Music Festival and School, the Music Academy of the West, and the Meadowmount School of Music. Her teachers included Paul Kantor, William Preucil, Kathleen Winkler, Aaron Berofsky, Cyrus Forough, Stephen Shipps and Irina Muresanu. Sarah performs on violin made by J.B. Vuillaume in 1850.   If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review on iTunes!  I truly appreciate your support! Visit www.mindoverfinger.com for information about past and future podcasts, and for more resources on mindful practice. Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe here!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfingertribe/     THANK YOU: Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme!  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Also a HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly!   MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/    

WCRB's Cathy Fuller talks with Richard Stoltzman about his father's definition of success, playing with Woody Herman's Thundering Herd, and how vibrato has been a mixed blessing, and Andrea Avery, the author of *Sonata: A Memoir of Pain and Piano, *talks with WCRB's Chris Voss about the intersection her life as a musician and rheumatoid arthritis.

Richard Stoltzman continues a conversation with WCRB's Cathy Fuller with a look at what's now known as "crossover" recordings, the beginnings of Stoltzman's career, and the importance of jazz to his artistic identity.

Clarinetist Richard Stoltzman talks with WCRB's Cathy Fuller about the 40-CD retrospective box set released by Sony, his beginnings as a musician, and why performing Brahms with the Cleveland Quartet was a life-changing experience. Also, Donald Greig of the Orlando Consort describes the challenges and rewards of performing and recording the complete chansons of Machaut.

Jazz is Frank Proto's native language. Growing up in Brooklyn, Frank spent his days studying with Fred Zimmermann and his nights hanging out at Birdland. I love hearing Frank describe what it was like studying with Fred. In fact, Frank's lesson slot was right after Charles Mingus. Talk about being a part of jazz history! Frank's journey from the jazz clubs of New York City to the Cincinnati Symphony is remarkable...and that's putting it mildly! Here are just a few of his many career highlights: Bassist and composer-in-residence for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Over 20 large-scale works premiered by CSO Countless shorter works and arrangements premiered by CSO Over 400 performances of Carmen Fantasy for Trumpet and Orchestra Over 500 performances of Casey at the Bat Composed music for Dave Brubeck, Eddie Daniels, Duke Ellington, Cleo Laine, Benjamin Luxon, Sherill Milnes, Gerry Mulligan, Roberta Peters, François Rabbath, Ruggerio Ricci, Doc Severinsen, Richard Stoltzman and Lucero Tena I could go on and on. Frank has impacted the world of the double bass immensely. But he has gone way beyond that. Best of all, he hasn't slowed down. In fact, he is continuing to explore new ideas and unexpected collaborations. I can't wait to see what he does next. Links to check out: Frank Proto on Wikipedia Liben Music (Frank’s publishing company) Brandeis Jazz Festival - Fred Zimmermann, Charles Mingus, Gunther Schuller, George Russell Brandeis Jazz Festival (YouTube) All About Rosie (YouTube) Harry Lookofsky: Stringsville ‘Round Midnight - Harry Lakoofsky performance (YouTube) Music featured in this episode (all written by Frank) Sonata No. 2 - with Catalin Rotaru Sonata No. 3 - with Szymon Marciniak Sketches of Gershwin - with Eddie Daniels String Quartet No. 1 Duo for Viola and Double Bass My Name is Citizen Soldier Variations on Dixie Ghost in Machine 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!

Work for string orchestra by Phyllis Chen performed by A Far Cry on April 17, 2014 and works for clarinet and piano by Peter Sculthorpe and Richard Stoltzman performed by Richard Stoltzman, clarinet and David Deveau, piano on January 11, 2015.Chen, Phyllis: Three LullabiesSculthorpe, Peter: Songs of Sea and SkyTraditional: Amazing Grace, arrangement by Richard StoltzmanOn this podcast, we’ll hear three works that we’re grouping under the title Sweetly Sung. All three pieces were written within the past several decades, some based on real, traditional folk songs, others on imagined lullabies.The first of the three pieces is by composer and pianist Phyllis Chen, who is particularly known for her performances on an instrument rarely seen in the classical concert hall: the toy piano. We’ll hear Chen perform with A Far Cry, a set of three Lullabies she wrote for string orchestra and herself, as soloist.Following the lullabies are two pieces featuring clarinetist Richard Stoltzman and pianist David Deveau. First is Songs of Sea and Sky, a 1987 piece of about 15 minutes by Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe. The work builds on a traditional tune from the tiny island nation of Saibai.Last, we’ll hear an arrangement of another traditional tune, this one much more familiar to American listeners: Amazing Grace, arranged by the clarinetist himself, Richard Stoltzman.

Two-time Grammy Award-winning clarinetist Richard Stoltzman is better known as a captivating recitalist. A chamber musician and jazz performer with a large discography, Stolzman gave the first clarinet recitals at both the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall. Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber

Work for voice and piano by Schumann, performed by Mark Padmore, tenor and Jonathan Biss, piano on October 12, 2014 and work for clarinet and piano by Schumann performed by Richard Stoltzman, clarinet and David Deveau, piano on January 11, 2015. Schumann: Liederkreis, Op. 24Schumann: Fantasiestucke, Op. 73Fantasy is a potent thread running through the work of many Romantic composers, but none more so than Schumann. As a musical form, the ‘fantasy’ is the stuff of strong passions and dramatic emotional shifts, as we hear in the closing work on this podcast, Schumann’s Fantastiestuecke, opus 72 for clarinet and piano. The moods shift dramatically, starting with a movement marked “sweet and with feeling,” and concluding with one marked “fast and fiery.” The work ends in a whirlwind, with calls from the composer to play “schneller und schneller”—faster and faster.Before that, we start with a fantasy of a different sort: Schumann’s Liederkreis, opus 24, a set of songs based on poetry by Heine. The poems tell the tale of a love gone wrong. In nine songs, the singer recounts stories of lost love and painful separation. The nine songs that make up this set, like the poems themselves, vary in length, but they share a directness and simplicity. We’ll hear them performed by tenor Mark Padmore and pianist Jonathan Biss.

Work for clarinet and piano by Brahms performed by Richard Stoltzman, clarinet and David Deveau, piano on January 11, 2015. Brahms: Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in F Minor Op. 120 No. 1 In the 1890’s, Brahms declared himself finished as a composer. He was done writing music, he said. But a trip to Meiningen, and a chance to hear the great clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld changed his mind, and he went on to write a number of pieces to showcase the extraordinary talents of this apparently self-taught woodwind player.Brahms heard Mühlfeld on a visit and was impressed, so much so that he wrote several works for clarinet in short order. First came a trio for clarinet, piano, and cello; then, a quintet. A few years later came two sonatas, one of which we’ll hear today: the sonata in F minor, Opus 120, number 1. The first performance of the sonatas featured Brahms himself at the piano, with Mühlfeld on the clarinet.On our podcast, we’ll hear the Mühlfeld part played by the very able clarinetist Richard Stoltzman, with David Deveau standing in for Brahms on piano. The piece lasts almost 40 minutes, and it will make up the entirety of our program.

Your host for this, the Third Season Premiere edition is Lester YoungIt is entitled A Wail That is Heard Upon the ShoreThe ContentFirst Sequence:Henry Mancini - Fallout!Stan Kenton & His Orchestra - The RumbleSkip Martin - Hammer BlowIrving Joseph - Stool PigeonElmer Bernstein - SmearSecond Sequence:Shy Limbs - ReputationDave Justin - You OutsideCardboard Orchestra - Yes, I Heard a Little BirdThe Actress - Great Job With ProspectsTomorrow's Thoughts - Night is Like DayThird Sequence:Annie Ross - Farmer's MarketEddie Jefferson - Body and SoulThana Alexa - Goodbye, Pork Pie HatBob Dorough - Nothing Like YouJon Hendricks & Art Blakey's Jazz Messemgers) - Moanin'Fourth Sequence:Mantovani - Old Folks at HomeJerry Lee Lewis - Old Black JoeThomas Hampson - Sweetly She Sleeps, My Alice FairBilly Vaughn - Massa's in de Cold, Cold GroundMavis Staples - Hard Times, Come Again No MoreSummation:Leonard Bernstein - Prelude, Fugue and Riffs(London Symphony Orchestra; Lawrence Leighton-Smith, cond.; Richard Stoltzman, soloist)

VIDEO: Richard and Mika Stoltzman play in the WQXR Cafe Richard Stoltzman really wants to feel that he's connecting with his audiences – even if it means resorting to nudity. In an interview with Naomi Lewin, the veteran clarinetist at first rebuffed a question about a mid-concert streaking incident from his past. But the interrogation began with a remark he made before his WQXR Café Concert, which featured jazzy duets with his wife, the marimba player Mika Stoltzman. In introducing the concert, Stoltzman recalled a recent school outreach performance, in which he found himself before a room of distracted students, all glued to their iPhones and other electronic devices. "First of all, you don’t perform until you have the attention of the people who you are going to perform for,” Stoltzman explained. "These kids, they came because they were told to. And nobody told them, ‘by the way, take off your earphones and don’t use your cellphones.’” The clarinetist has long been known for getting audiences to pay attention through non-traditional means, particularly through occasional crossover projects with artists like Judy Collins, Wayne Shorter, Mel Tormé, Gary Burton and George Shearing. His latest such effort, which he calls "New Genre," takes place on Thursday at Weill Recital Hall and features a host of jazz artists including Mika Stoltzman, whom he married last year. But there was a moment, in a 1974 concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, that has entered clarinet lore. After some pressing by Lewin, Stoltzman explained why he decided to streak naked across the stage. "It was a very frustrating motivation, having played these great concerts with Felix Galimir,” Stoltzman said, referring to the great Viennese violinist. “We were playing the Adagio from Alban Berg’s Kammerkonzert. We were playing in a very establishment kind of chamber music concert and I know how hard we had worked on the Alban Berg piece.” Stoltzman and his colleagues had barely left the stage before the applause had ended. “I saw Felix backstage and he looked so slumped over. Here I am in my own city. Here we were playing these great composers and the response is so dispiriting – there was no visceral reaction from the audience. Are they alive? What’s going on here?” “So that’s what got me started.” The incident was hardly covered in the local news media, and aside from a 1979 article in People magazine, it has seldom been mentioned since. But to a large extent, it was indicative of Stoltzman’s free-spirited early years, when he was a member of TASHI, classical music's answer to a progressive rock supergroup. Also comprised of violinist Ida Kavafian, pianist Peter Serkin and cellist Fred Sherry, the quartet's members shunned ties and gowns for ponytails and love beads (its name is a Tibetan word meaning "good fortune.") Like a '70s rock band, TASHI had a reunion tour, in 2008, which Stoltzman recalls fondly. “Our first one was in Portland,” he said. “I saw it was packed with all people that looked like me, with gray hair. Some of the guys still had headbands and they had their LPs with them. They wanted us to sign their LPs. “I thought, 'this is unbelievable.' We sat down and they wouldn’t stop clapping. I think they were clapping more for themselves than for us. I think they felt like, ‘we went through a lot. We love music and we wanted to have our own champions and people who carried the torch that we believed in and you guys did it.’" Video: Amy Pearl; Sound: Edward Haber; Text & Production: Brian Wise

Works from the 20th century performed by New York Festival of Song, violinists Corey Cerovsek and Lucy Stoltzman, pianist Jeremy Denk, and clarinetist Richard Stoltzman.Charles Ives: LargoIrving Berlin: "You’d Be Surprised"Leon Kirchner: Sonata Concertante for Violin and PianoThis week’s podcast roams far and wide across the 20th century, featuring a lovely little trio by Charles Ives, a little-known song by Irving Berlin, and an engrossing duo sonata by Leon Kirchner.We begin with the Ives, performed by a wonderful trio of players: clarinetist Richard Stoltzman, violinist Lucy Stoltzman, and pianist Jeremy Denk. A reworking of a piece Ives had composed for violin and piano back in 1901, the trio has a beautiful, languid, evocative atmosphere, with harmonies that were quite modern for 1901.Written some 18 years later, Irving Berlin’s song “You’d Be Surprised” is still rooted squarely in traditional tonality, but with a clever, cheeky lyric that is provocative enough on its own. We’ll hear the song performed by artists from the New York Festival of Song: soprano Anne-Carolyn Bird and pianist Steven Blier, the festival’s artistic director.Finally, we’ll close with a piece from a few decades later: Leon Kirchner’s Sonata Concertante for Violin and Piano, performed by violinist Corey Cerovsek and pianist Jeremy Denk.

Jessica Sibelman is a composer and clarinetist who has performed and has had her works performed throughout the east coast at venues including New York's Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center's Avery Fischer and Alice Tully Halls, CAMI Hall, Symphony Space, Philadelphia's Kimmel Center, and The Boston Symphony Orchestra Cafe. In 2004, Jessica began her clarinet performance training with Andrew Lamy, Miriam Lockhart and David Sapadin. Jessica began her composition studies under Daniel Bar-Hava at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege, where she had her orchestral and chamber works frequently featured in performances. She has had both her orchestral works and chamber music performed by the Kinhaven Music School Symphony in 2003 and 2004. Jessica continued her education at the New England Conservatory of Music with a minor in composition under Malcolm Peyton and studied clarinet with Ricardo Morales, Richard Stoltzman (chamber music), and Craig Nordstrom. In Boston, Jessica has had her music performed at venues including The New England Conservatory of Music’s Jordan Hall and Williams Hall, as well as the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Café. Jessica was accepted into the prestigious New York Youth Symphony’s Making Score, where she studied under Derek Bermel. After the NYYS Making Score Final Concert at CAMI Hall, Jessica was mentioned in The Symphony Magazine (October, 2004) as having given “a star-turn performance” of her Clarinet Quintet. In June, 2009, Jessica made her Debut Concert at The Kaufman Center’s Merkin Concert Hall with her orchestra, The New York Chamber Virtuosi. Jessica has had a reading of her music with the American Composers' Orchestra in May 2008, and has had recent performances of her Octet at Symphony Space in 2008, and a featured performance at Galapagos Art Space in August 2009.

We’re concluding our interview with the multi-talented bassist Dave Anderson on this week’s episode of Contrabass Conversations. In addition to serving as Principal Bass of the Louisiana Philharmonic, Dave is a prolific composer, active teacher, and electric bassist. He serves as Principal Bass of the Britt Festival Orchestra in southern Oregon, and he plays in metropolitan New Orleans and beyond in a variety of bands. We began this interview on episode 75 of the podcast, and we also featured Dave’s music on Eclectic Bass episode 2. Dave’s compositions span the gamut from solo double bass to full symphony orchestra, and his Concerto for Double Bass was commissioned and premiered by Hal Robinson and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He is a former board member of the International Society of Bassists, and his Capriccio No. 2 served as the required solo competition piece at the 1997 ISB convention. Check out Dave online atwww.myspace.com/symphonyboy. Scores to Dave’s compositions have been recently re-released, and you can now purchase copies online. Visit the following link to check out many of these compositions: http://www.reallygoodmusic.com/rgm.jsp?page=composers2&compid=128028 Also, my co-host John Grillo has a recording of the complete Double Bass Duets by Dave with Pittsburgh Symphony bassist Peter Guild. You can check them out here (there are links to each individual duet through the following link): http://contrabassconversations.com/2007/02/12/john-grillo-recital-showcase/ Topics discussed: meeting and taking lessons with Jaco Pastorius Hurricane Katrina New Orleans after the disaster impact of Katrina on the Louisiana Philharmonic reassembling Dave’s music after the hurricane Dave’s compositions and performance activities About Dave: Dave Anderson is a professional double bassist, joined the Louisiana Philharmonic in New Orleans in September of 1996 after winning their Principal Bass audition. Prior to that appointment, he performed and recorded regularly with the Louisville Orchestra and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, among others. Since 1994, he has served as Principal Bassist in the Britt Festival Orchestra in Oregon. He has performed extensively with many diverse ensembles including, the Aspen Festival, Chautauqua (NY) Festival, Colorado Philharmonic (NRO), Colorado Music Festival, the LaSalle Quartet, and as a soloist with Richard Stoltzman, Gene Bertoncini, Nigel Kennedy, Bobby McFerrin, Doc Severinsen and many others. He has served as Bass Instructor for the Music School at Loyola University and also on the Board of Directors of the International Society of Bassists (ISB) as bassist/composer. Mr. Anderson began his pursuits in composition in 1984, recognizing that the solo repertoire for his instrument was limited. The influence of Frank Proto, one of his finest teachers, also led him to turn to involved composition. Since then, his published work has expanded to other solo instruments, as well as for chamber orchestras and small ensembles. He has published bass duets and quartets, including a bass quartet that was performed to acclaim at the Chamber Music Festival at Indiana University in 1993. Anderson won first prize in the 1995 Allen Ostrander International Trombone Composition Competition, sponsored by Ithaca college, for Elegy for Van, a work for solo bass trombone and brass choir, which he composed as a tribute to the late Lewis Van Haney, former trombonist with the New York Philharmonic. Several years ago, Anderson completed a concerto for Bass Trombone, commissioned by his father, Edwin Anderson, former bass trombonist with the Cleveland Orchestra. His Concerto for Double Bass, Strings & Harp, commissioned by Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Bassist Hal Robinson was premiered at the ISB Convention in June of 1997 and performed on the 1997-98 subscription series of the Philadelphia Orchestra season, Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting. His current work includes a second symphony, as well as several commissions. Also a prolific electric bassist, Anderson loves playing with pedal steel guitarist, David Easley. The group known as the Anderson/Easley Project perform original music of many genres including free jazz, funk, bop, minimalist and many wonderfully unique approaches to dynamics and expression. Anderson also plays with Algorhythm Method, and SOFA KING BIG SOUL, bands that fuse many different styles including hard rock, funk, blues, jazz, and New Orleans R & B. Anderson has jammed with The Radiators, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Roy Pope, Darryl Brown, and many other great New Orleans musicians including a killer performance with guitarist Brian Stoltz of the Funky Meters as a main highlight of the French Quarter Festival 2002. In 1984-85, Anderson played for and took lessons with the legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius in New York, who firmly encouraged the idea of being able to cross over between classical and jazz. Here is some of what the Press has said in Anderson’s past: Review of Anderson’s Quintet for Oboe, Clarinet, Violin, Viola & Bass, Louisville Courier Journal music critic Andrew Adler wrote: “Anderson’s new work is splendidly fresh and provocative, ingenious in how it distributes material … the jazzy syncopations and ethnic flavorings reflect a diverse, expertly distilled inspiration. Thoroughly absorbed by yesterday’s performance, the piece offered sustained pleasure.” Reviews of Anderson’s Bass Concerto: Houston Chronicle music critic Charles Ward : “ … thoroughly appealing … his rich scoring of the orchestra and expansive solo melodies came from a composer exuberantly in love with music.” Lesley Valdes, Philadelphia Inquirer: “ … a melodious work, whose moods cohere… the thoughtful, the nostalgic, the provocative. Ideas are fertile and cohesive.” Thomas May, Washington Post: “Anderson shows a gift for fashioning readily accessible music from unusual combinations of timbres.” Featured Music: Blew Cheeze with Dave Anderson and Dave Easley  

We’re featuring the multi-talented bassist Dave Anderson on this week’s episode of Contrabass Conversations. In addition to serving as Principal Bass of the Louisiana Philharmonic, Dave is a prolific composer, active teacher, and electric bassist. He serves as Principal Bass of the Britt Festival Orchestra in southern Oregon, and he plays in metropolitan New Orleans and beyond in a variety of bands. Dave’s compositions span the gamut from solo double bass to full symphony orchestra, and his Concerto for Double Bass was commissioned and premiered by Hal Robinson and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He is a former board member of the International Society of Bassists, and his Capriccio No. 2 served as the required solo competition piece at the 1997 ISB convention. Check out Dave online atwww.myspace.com/symphonyboy. Scores to Dave’s compositions have been recently re-released, and you can now purchase copies online. Visit the following link to check out many of these compositions: http://www.reallygoodmusic.com/rgm.jsp?page=composers2&compid=128028 Also, my co-host John Grillo has a recording of the complete Double Bass Duets by Dave with Pittsburgh Symphony bassist Peter Guild. You can check them out here (there are links to each individual duet through the following link): http://contrabassconversations.com/2007/02/12/john-grillo-recital-showcase/ Topics discussed: Dave’s early years studying with Frank Proto, Barry Green, Stuart Sankey, and Warren Benfield his compositional style and how he got into composing talking about composing with Maxim Shostakovich meeting and taking lessons with Jaco Pastorius About Dave: Dave Anderson is a professional double bassist, joined the Louisiana Philharmonic in New Orleans in September of 1996 after winning their Principal Bass audition. Prior to that appointment, he performed and recorded regularly with the Louisville Orchestra and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, among others. Since 1994, he has served as Principal Bassist in the Britt Festival Orchestra in Oregon. He has performed extensively with many diverse ensembles including, the Aspen Festival, Chautauqua (NY) Festival, Colorado Philharmonic (NRO), Colorado Music Festival, the LaSalle Quartet, and as a soloist with Richard Stoltzman, Gene Bertoncini, Nigel Kennedy, Bobby McFerrin, Doc Severinsen and many others. He has served as Bass Instructor for the Music School at Loyola University and also on the Board of Directors of the International Society of Bassists (ISB) as bassist/composer. Mr. Anderson began his pursuits in composition in 1984, recognizing that the solo repertoire for his instrument was limited. The influence of Frank Proto, one of his finest teachers, also led him to turn to involved composition. Since then, his published work has expanded to other solo instruments, as well as for chamber orchestras and small ensembles. He has published bass duets and quartets, including a bass quartet that was performed to acclaim at the Chamber Music Festival at Indiana University in 1993. Anderson won first prize in the 1995 Allen Ostrander International Trombone Composition Competition, sponsored by Ithaca college, for Elegy for Van, a work for solo bass trombone and brass choir, which he composed as a tribute to the late Lewis Van Haney, former trombonist with the New York Philharmonic. Several years ago, Anderson completed a concerto for Bass Trombone, commissioned by his father, Edwin Anderson, former bass trombonist with the Cleveland Orchestra. His Concerto for Double Bass, Strings & Harp, commissioned by Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Bassist Hal Robinson was premiered at the ISB Convention in June of 1997 and performed on the 1997-98 subscription series of the Philadelphia Orchestra season, Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting. His current work includes a second symphony, as well as several commissions. Also a prolific electric bassist, Anderson loves playing with pedal steel guitarist, David Easley. The group known as the Anderson/Easley Project perform original music of many genres including free jazz, funk, bop, minimalist and many wonderfully unique approaches to dynamics and expression. Anderson also plays with Algorhythm Method, and SOFA KING BIG SOUL, bands that fuse many different styles including hard rock, funk, blues, jazz, and New Orleans R & B. Anderson has jammed with The Radiators, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Roy Pope, Darryl Brown, and many other great New Orleans musicians including a killer performance with guitarist Brian Stoltz of the Funky Meters as a main highlight of the French Quarter Festival 2002. In 1984-85, Anderson played for and took lessons with the legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius in New York, who firmly encouraged the idea of being able to cross over between classical and jazz. Here is some of what the Press has said in Anderson’s past: Review of Anderson’s Quintet for Oboe, Clarinet, Violin, Viola & Bass, Louisville Courier Journal music critic Andrew Adler wrote: “Anderson’s new work is splendidly fresh and provocative, ingenious in how it distributes material … the jazzy syncopations and ethnic flavorings reflect a diverse, expertly distilled inspiration. Thoroughly absorbed by yesterday’s performance, the piece offered sustained pleasure.” Reviews of Anderson’s Bass Concerto: Houston Chronicle music critic Charles Ward : “ … thoroughly appealing … his rich scoring of the orchestra and expansive solo melodies came from a composer exuberantly in love with music.” Lesley Valdes, Philadelphia Inquirer: “ … a melodious work, whose moods cohere… the thoughtful, the nostalgic, the provocative. Ideas are fertile and cohesive.” Thomas May, Washington Post: “Anderson shows a gift for fashioning readily accessible music from unusual combinations of timbres.” Featured Music: “Teen Town” by Jaco Pastorius Surf Ride from Yule Loggs for 4 basses Schweik Fahrt with Hal Robinson and Dave Anderson

We’re continuing our chat with Cincinnati Symphony principal bassist Owen Lee today on Contrabass Conversations. Check out the first segment of this conversation on episode 55 of the program. Owen played for the New World Symphony and the Houston Symphony prior to his appointment with the Cincinnati Symphony, and it was a real pleasure to do this interview along with Contrabass Conversations regular collaborator John Grillo. John, Owen, and I chat about Owen’s experiences recording his solo CD, key selection for the Bach Suites and his use of solo tuning for the recording, his performances of the less popular but extremely engaging Bottesini Concerto No. 1, performing the Tubin Concerto with orchestra, the Harbison Bass Concerto project (which Owen performed with the Cincinnati Symphony), and his practicing habits and exercises. We also feature the first movement from the Cello Suite No. 5 by Johann Sebastian Bach from Owen’s Boston Records CD, plus listener feedback, bass news, and a link of the week. Find Owen Lee on Twitter here. Enjoy!   About Owen: Described as “a true virtuoso” by legendary pianist Gary Graffman and praised by The New York Times for his “deft and virtuosic solo performance” at his New York debut at Alice Tully Hall, double bassist Owen Lee has earned acclaim as a soloist, chamber musician and since 1996, at the age of 26, as Principal Bass of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Lee is heard regularly as a soloist with orchestras including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Paavo Järvi and Jesús López-Cobos, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra under John Harbison, and the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson-Thomas in Miami and on tour to New York’s Lincoln Center. During the 2006-07 season, Mr. Lee and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, along with a consortium of other soloists and orchestras, will present the world premiere of John Harbison’s Concerto for Bass Viol and Orchestra. Mr. Lee’s prizes in competitions include First Prize at the 1995 International Society of Bassists Competition and Fourth Prize at the 1992 Irving M. Klein International String Competition in San Francisco. He has been presented in recitals throughout the United States, and in Geneva. For the Boston Records label, he has recorded the Misek Sonata No. 2 and Bach Unaccompanied Suites No. 3 and No. 5. American Record Guide praised this disc for its “tasteful phrasing, polish and verve” while The Strad wrote “Owen Lee is a fine player with strong musical ideas. A dark and austere sound is produced for Suite No. 5 and the architecture of each suite is carefully considered and shaped. I look forward to his next recording.” Mr. Lee’s extensive international chamber music experience includes three summers as the bassist of the Marlboro Festival. While there, he performed extensively with such artists as Richard Stoltzman, Midori, Nobuko Imai, Bruno Canino, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, and members of the Beaux Arts Trio, Guarneri Quartet and Juilliard Quartet. He also collaborated with composers Gyorgy Kurtag, Leon Kirchner and Richard Danielpour preparing performances of those composers’ works. Mr. Lee has also performed with the Tokyo String Quartet on tour to Mexico, John Browning, Anne-Marie McDermott, Jaime Laredo, Ida Kavafian, Steven Tenenbom, Peter Wiley, Eugenia Zukerman, the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, San Diego’s Mainly Mozart Festival, Ojai California Festival, Chamber Music L.A. Festival, Tanglewood Festival, Texas Music Festival, and on tour throughout China. With the Rossetti String Quartet he performed the world premiere of Melinda Wagner’s Concertino at the 2005 Bravo! Vail Festival. Mr. Lee was born in Berkeley, California in 1969 to Chinese parents. He began playing bass at age 15 after previous study of the piano. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Mr. Lee’s principal teachers were Dennis Trembly, Edwin Barker and Paul Ellison. Prior to his appointment in Cincinnati, Mr. Lee was a member of the Houston Symphony under Christoph Eschenbach. In addition to his position with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Lee serves as Principal Bass of the Shanghai Festival Orchestra. Owen is married to CiCi Lee. He enjoys bicycling, snowboarding, cigars, auto repair and playing drums and writing songs with his rock band Toe (Eric Bates, CSO 2nd Assistant Concertmaster is Toe’s guitarist and lead singer, and Ted Nelson, CSO cellist is Toe’s bassist).  

We’re speaking with Cincinnati Symphony principal bassist Owen Lee today on Contrabass Conversations. Owen played for the New World Symphony and the Houston Symphony prior to his appointment with the Cincinnati Symphony, and it was a real pleasure to do this interview along with Contrabass Conversations regular collaborator John Grillo. Find Owen Lee on Twitter here. Enjoy!  About Owen: Described as “a true virtuoso” by legendary pianist Gary Graffman and praised by The New York Times for his “deft and virtuosic solo performance” at his New York debut at Alice Tully Hall, double bassist Owen Lee has earned acclaim as a soloist, chamber musician and since 1996, at the age of 26, as Principal Bass of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Lee is heard regularly as a soloist with orchestras including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Paavo Järvi and Jesús López-Cobos, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra under John Harbison, and the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson-Thomas in Miami and on tour to New York’s Lincoln Center. During the 2006-07 season, Mr. Lee and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, along with a consortium of other soloists and orchestras, will present the world premiere of John Harbison’s Concerto for Bass Viol and Orchestra. Mr. Lee’s prizes in competitions include First Prize at the 1995 International Society of Bassists Competition and Fourth Prize at the 1992 Irving M. Klein International String Competition in San Francisco. He has been presented in recitals throughout the United States, and in Geneva. For the Boston Records label, he has recorded the Misek Sonata No. 2 and Bach Unaccompanied Suites No. 3 and No. 5. American Record Guide praised this disc for its “tasteful phrasing, polish and verve” while The Strad wrote “Owen Lee is a fine player with strong musical ideas. A dark and austere sound is produced for Suite No. 5 and the architecture of each suite is carefully considered and shaped. I look forward to his next recording.” Mr. Lee’s extensive international chamber music experience includes three summers as the bassist of the Marlboro Festival. While there, he performed extensively with such artists as Richard Stoltzman, Midori, Nobuko Imai, Bruno Canino, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, and members of the Beaux Arts Trio, Guarneri Quartet and Juilliard Quartet. He also collaborated with composers Gyorgy Kurtag, Leon Kirchner and Richard Danielpour preparing performances of those composers’ works. Mr. Lee has also performed with the Tokyo String Quartet on tour to Mexico, John Browning, Anne-Marie McDermott, Jaime Laredo, Ida Kavafian, Steven Tenenbom, Peter Wiley, Eugenia Zukerman, the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, San Diego’s Mainly Mozart Festival, Ojai California Festival, Chamber Music L.A. Festival, Tanglewood Festival, Texas Music Festival, and on tour throughout China. With the Rossetti String Quartet he performed the world premiere of Melinda Wagner’s Concertino at the 2005 Bravo! Vail Festival. Mr. Lee was born in Berkeley, California in 1969 to Chinese parents. He began playing bass at age 15 after previous study of the piano. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Mr. Lee’s principal teachers were Dennis Trembly, Edwin Barker and Paul Ellison. Prior to his appointment in Cincinnati, Mr. Lee was a member of the Houston Symphony under Christoph Eschenbach. In addition to his position with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Lee serves as Principal Bass of the Shanghai Festival Orchestra. Owen is married to CiCi Lee. He enjoys bicycling, snowboarding, cigars, auto repair and playing drums and writing songs with his rock band Toe (Eric Bates, CSO 2nd Assistant Concertmaster is Toe’s guitarist and lead singer, and Ted Nelson, CSO cellist is Toe’s bassist).  

This week’s Contrabass Conversations episode features an interview with and music from Chicago Symphony bassist Rob Kassinger. Rob’s musical interests span many genres and include both the electric bass and the double bass. You will learn about Rob’s early years on the bass and how working in jazz and rock settings led to an interest in orchestral double bass playing in this fascinating interview. This episode also features Rob playing the first movement of the Breval Sonata in a live performance, and it includes a track from NYCO, a rock band that Rob was a member of for several years. You will be hearing People We Knew from their recent album “Two". You can purchase “Two" by following this link. Enjoy! About Rob: Robert Kassinger was appointed to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1993. Prior to Chicago, Rob performed as assistant principal bass with the Colorado Symphony and also played with the New Orleans Symphony. In addition to his busy schedule with the Orchestra, Rob is an active chamber musician. He performs with the Revolution Ensemble, the Orion Ensemble, Fulcrum Point, Ars Viva, Music of the Baroque, the Callisto Ensemble, MusicNOW, and broadcasts on WFMT and WTTW. Most recently he has been a featured guest with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, and has performed Schubert’s Trout Quintet with Daniel Barenboim. In July 2006, Rob served as double bass professor at the Canton International Summer Music Academy, led by Charles Dutoit. Rob grew up in a family of musicians in Boulder, Colorado. He began his bass studies with Frank Carroll at the University of Colorado. In 1985 he moved to New York to study with Homer Mensch at the Manhattan School of Music, where he received his bachelor of music degree. Rob then pursued his master’s degree at the Juilliard School, continuing his studies with Mr. Mensch. He later went on to study with Bruce Bransby at Indiana University. Some of his most influential experiences as a student were his two years as principal bass of the New York String Orchestra Seminar, conducted by Alexander Schneider, and the two summers he spent as a fellowship student at the Aspen Music Festival, studying with Stuart Sankey and Bruce Bransby. In 1989 Rob was the winner of the Aspen Double Bass Competition. Rob’s experience as a jazz performer dates back to his early teens, working in the house rhythm section at the infamous Denver jazz club El Chapultapec, and over the years he has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Kenny Burrell, the Woody Herman band, Conte Candoli, Charlie Rouse, Teddy Edwards, Harold Land, Red Holloway, Charles Brown, Art Lande, Richard Stoltzman, Gary Burton, Alex Acuna, Laurence Hobgood, and Bobby Lewis. In 1998 and 2000, Rob toured India with the Chicago Jazz Express, and he can be heard on their recordings Voyage to India and The Rhythm Section. He also appears on Bobby Lewis’ latest CD, Just Havin’ Some Fun. In addition, Rob is featured on Daniel Barenboim’s Brazilian Rhapsody on the Teldec label, and Kabbalah Blues/Quantum Funk by the Revolution Ensemble. Rob’s latest project has given him a chance to spend more time with the bass guitar. His alternative rock group NYCO has released its debut album Two, available through nycomusic.com and at Itunes.com. Rob is professor of double bass at DePaul University. He is also in demand as a coach and master clinician, serving in this capacity for the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, the Juilliard School, and the Mannes School of Music. In the summers of 1999 through 2002, it was Rob’s honor to teach at the West-Eastern Divan, a ground-breaking workshop that brings young musicians from Israel and various Arab countries together to study orchestral music with Daniel Barenboim, Yo-Yo Ma, and members of the CSO, Berlin Philharmonic, and Staatskapelle Berlin.