Author: Nicholas Walker

Jason Heath joins ISB Board of Directors as Communications Chair

Posted by | Aug 24, 2017 |

Please join me and the ISB Board of Directors in welcoming Jason Heath to our team. About Jason Heath: An ISB member for over 25 years, Jason previously served on the organization’s Board of Directors from 2007-2012. Jason received his BM and MM in bass performance from Northwestern University and his teaching certificate from DePaul University. Jason is the founder and host of Contrabass Conversations, a podcast that covers the global double bass community. His online work has been featured in publications like International Musician, The New Yorker, The Engaging Brand, and ArtsHacker. He also runs doublebassblog.org and has managed digital projects for Midwest Young Artists, Illinois ASTA, Ars Antigua, and the ISB. As an educator, Jason served on the faculty of DePaul University as an instructor of double bass and music education. He previously served on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He is the Past-President of the Illinois chapter of the American String Teachers Association, and is a past orchestra representative of the Illinois Music Educators Association. He taught high school orchestra and electronic music in several Illinois high schools, and he and his orchestra performed at the 2015 Midwest Clinic. As a performer, Jason has been a member of the Elgin Symphony, Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, and IRIS Orchestra. He performed a recital on the Karr-Kousevitzky bass in 2006 and has been a recitalist and concerto...

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Simon Garcia Commission for Young Bassists Program

Simon Garcia Commission for Young Bassists Program

Posted by | May 24, 2017 | ,

Here’s your link to an article about Simon Garcia’s commission for the 50th anniversary of ISB Convention Young Bassists Program. YB director, Gaelen McCormick, calls the work “wonderful – dreamy, rhythmic, elegant, whimsical.” She says, “It is very loosely based on The Elephant but is a modern sleek retelling. I can’t wait to share it with everyone at our final concert for YB on June 10. I’m hoping to get Simon to skype in for a coaching with the young bassists late in the week once we’ve gotten some notes under our fingers.” Thank you, Simon!...

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Tracy Rowell joins ISB Board of Directors as Education Chair

Tracy Rowell joins ISB Board of Directors as Education Chair

Posted by | May 23, 2017 |

Please join me and the ISB Board of Directors in welcoming Tracy Rowell to our team. About Tracy Rowell: An ISB member for over 30 years, Tracy has been to many conventions, and has worked closely with our Young Bassist program and other educational initiatives over the years. As a performer, Tracy has served as Assistant Principal Bass of National Arts Centre Orchestra, and a freelance bassist in Boston and Cleveland, where she now lives. She has played concertos with orchestras, solo recitals, and worked with Apollo’s Fire, Cleveland’s Baroque Orchestra. As an educator, Tracy brings an almost unparalleled...

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Different Strokes Orchestral Series at Convention

Different Strokes Orchestral Series at Convention

Posted by | May 9, 2017 |

In the 1980s and 90s the great Hal Robinson (Principal Bass of the Philadelphia Orchestra) edited a column in our ISB Bass World Magazines called, Different Strokes. (FYI, ISB Members can re-read pdf files of these inspiring articles online through this link to the George Vance Online Library, or purchase back issues of our journals at the ISB Store.) Hal’s Different Strokes Series was designed to cultivate an open and inclusive environment to celebrate and advance the art of orchestral bass playing. He showcased many approaches from bassists around the world, and created a context for enthusiastic professional exchange of ideas, techniques, approaches to repertoire,...

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Karr, Rabbath, Ellison, Moore to Lead Morning Workouts at Convention

Karr, Rabbath, Ellison, Moore to Lead Morning Workouts at Convention

Posted by | May 1, 2017 |

ISB Group Workout (open to all levels) This year we have added a daily Group Workout event to our convention program, so we are not just talking about daily practice, but also doing it! Schedule Tuesday – Friday 9:00 am – 9:50 am  Hill Center BenLight Gymnasium Tuesday June 6, 9:00 – 9:50 am: Paul Ellison will lead an “All About That Bow” Group Workout Wednesday Morning June 7, 9:00 – 9:50 am: David Allen Moore will lead a “Fractal Fingering” Group Workout Thursday Morning June 8, 9:00 – 9:50 am: Gary Karr will lead “The Karr Kamp Morning Exercises Routine” Group Workout Friday Morning June...

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