Conservatory Concerto Competition: Lower Strings Final

This annual concerto competition is back again. I do hope that there will be double bassists who will be selected to perform in the Lower Strings Finals. Good luck!

Conservatory Concerto Competition: Lower Strings Final
14 Oct 2013 (Mon)
7.30 p.m
Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music
Conservatory Concert Hall
Free admission

Bass on the Broadband

Image credit: Bass On The Broadband.

Are you aware that there is a radio station devoted to the art of the acoustic and electric bass?

I became aware of the world's first radio station devoted to the art of the acoustic and electric bass through Jeff Bradetich after his double bass masterclass at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Singapore, on 16 Aug 2013.

Here is more about Bass On the Broadband:

It is a 24/7 internet radio devoted to the art of the acoustic and electric bass. A brain-child of Brian Bromberg, Grammy award-winning electric bassist, this internet radio station broadcasts music that showcases the bass and the bass player. It provides an outlet for bassists throughout the world to have their music and playing heard by an audience that appreciates the bass.

For the fans of classical bass, you will be pleased to learn that in Nov 2012, the Bradetich Foundation joined forces with Bass On the Broadband to produce weekly internet radio broadcasts featuring the classical bass. The Bradetich Foundation Classical Bass Showcase that will feature the classical bass in its programming will be aired via Bass On the Broadband on Sundays from 6 a.m. - 9 a.m. Pacific Time (i.e. Sundays 9 p.m. - 12 midnight during daylight saving time/ 10 p.m. - 1 a.m. in Singapore during Standard Time.)

Details of the podcasts and playlists that has been aired on Bass On the Broadband under the weekly feature, The Bradetich Foundation Classical Bass Showcase, is available on http://www.bradetichfoundation.org

Please listen the Bass On the Broadband, and pass the word around.

Jeff Bradetich in Singapore, August 2013

Image source: Music.Virginia.edu

It is with great pleasure that I share this news of Jeff Bradetich giving a double bass recital in Singapore on 17 Aug 2013 at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Conservatory Orchestra Hall. In addition, he will be giving a double bass masterclass on the 16 Aug 2013.

Jeff Bradetich is regarded as one of the leading performers and teachers of the double bass in the US today. New York Times proclaimed him as "the master of his instrument". He has won many major solo competitions and has been featured on radio and television throughout North and South America, and Europe including CBS, CNN, BBC, CBC, NPR.

Thanks to the generosity of Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, admission to both Jeff Bradetich's Masterclass and his double bass recital at the Conservatory Orchestra Hall will be free. Make yourself free please.

Here are the details:

Jeff Bradetich Double Bass Masterclass
16 Aug 2013 (Fri)
3.00 p.m.
Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music,
Conservatory Orchestra Hall (Level 3)
Free admission.

Jeff Bradetich Double Bass Recital
17 Aug 2013 (Sat)
7.30 p.m.
Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music,
Conservatory Orchestra Hall (Level 3)
Free admission.


Sources:
http://music.nus.edu.sg/event_details.html?EventID=1272&Year=YearFilter=2013&TypeFilter=&MonthFilter=8
http://music.nus.edu.sg/event_details.html?EventID=1273&Year=YearFilter=2013&TypeFilter=&MonthFilter=8

An offer to help find a home for 'unwanted' double bass

Photo courtesy of SJ.

Let your unwanted double bass be transformed into a treasure in the eyes of an aspiring double bassist!

A few days ago, STOMPer, SJ, saw music instruments being disposed of outside Victoria School. This was reported in The Straits Times Stomp. The title of the article is "School throws away music instruments - even those that look new".

There are people who would love to adopt a double bass and use it wisely. If you happen to have a double bass in Singapore that you would like to dispose of, these are the possible free local platforms that you can post your intent on and find a new home for your instrument:
Gumtree Singapore (my preferred choice)
Craiglist Singapore

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In addition, here is a humble service provided by d'Bassists that will be available for a trial period of a year, till Jul 2014 three months, till end Oct 2013:

If you prefer to give away your double bass for free, please contact d'Bassists and select "Donate a Double Bass" under "What's Up?" and provide your contact details. We will respond to your offer accordingly and put up a post to notify the list of interested parties who are keen to adopt a double bass. The interested parties shall follow up with you.

For anyone who is keen to adopt a double bass and give it a second life, please also contact d'Bassists and select "Adopt a Double Bass" under "What's Up?". Please indicate your full contact details and your wish to adopt a double bass. We will add your name to a database. When there is a donor, you will be contacted via email.

Double Bass Viennese Tuning

While I was in Vienna for a music festival this July, I became more aware of the use of Viennese Tuning (A1,D,F#,A). This tuning system for the double bass was used during the Classical Period predominantly in the Austro-German lands.

Igor Pecevski's Viennese Tuning resource:
Thanks to Igor Pecevski, there is a good online resource to learn more on Viennese Tuning for the double bass. According to the materials listed under the section "The history of the Viennase tuning", "it is believed that this tuning system originated in the Baroque period at the time when the period bassists have started emulating the Baroque lute and viol tunings."

The Viennese Tuning is ideal for playing works in the key of D major and the closely related tonalities (e.g. B minor, A major and F# minor). However, it can be difficult to play works in other keys (e.g. Eb major) using the Viennese Tuning. Perhaps this was the reason why Viennese Tuning did not achieve universal acceptance eventually?

For more information on Viennese Tuning, please refer to this useful resource by Igor Pecevski: http://viennesetuning.com 

This resource contains introduction on this subject, and it also offers useful introductory materials on the fingering basics of the Viennese Bass Method. The page also offers encouragements for anyone who would have the courage to learn the Viennese tuning. Furthermore, the webpage offers a series of information on teachers and institutions that offer instruction related to Viennese Tuning.

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Rinat Ibragimov's discussion on Viennese Tuning:

For the visual learners, there is a YouTube video of Rinat Ibragimov on Viennese Tuning. In this video, Rinat Ibragimov discussed the practice of Viennese Tuning on the double bass. He has made particular reference to the concertos of Vanhal and Ditters von Dittersdorf. The video can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGd2hgfhUrA

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Julian Li Yongrui will be performing in the Goh Soon Tioe Award 2013 Winner's Recital

Congratulations to Julian Li Yongrui, double bassist, who has been awarded the 2013 Goh Soon Tioe Centenary Award. "This award is an endowed fund administered by the Community Foundation of Singapore, to commemorate the birth centenary of Goh Soon Tioe (1911 - 1982), Singapore's pioneer violinist, pedagogue, impresario and conductor" (source: https://www.facebook.com/GohSoonTioeCentenaryAward).

Julian Li Yongrui will be performing in the Goh Soon Tioe Award 2013 Winner's Recital in August 2013. The details are as follow:

Goh Soon Tioe Award 2013 Winner's Recital
by JULIAN LI YONGRUI, double bass
and SIM YI KAI, piano

31 Aug 2013 (Sat)
8.00 p.m.
Metropolitan YMCA Ballroom
60 Stevens Road
Singapore


Programme:
Sonata in g minor (a minor solo tuning) - Henry Eccles
I - Largo
II - Courante
III - Adagio
IV - Vivace

Variations on theme 'Greensleeves' - Knut Gruettler

Sonata in F major, op. 17 (transcribed for d.bass) - Ludwig van Beethoven
I - Allegro moderato
II - Poco adagio, quasi andante
III - Rondo : Allegro moderato

Concerto no. 1 in f-sharp minor - Giovanni Bottesini
I - Allegro moderato
II - Adantino
III - Allegro con fuoco


A limited number of donation tickets at a minimum of S$25 are available to the general public. Please contact Olivia at <goh.soon.tioe.fund@gmail.com>

Also see the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/146014712264468/

Journey to Vienna

Dear friends,

The NUS Symphony Orchestra, a member of the NUS Centre for the Arts, will be presenting Journey to Vienna.

Journey to Vienna
By NUS Symphony Orchestra
Date: 30 Jun 2013 (Sun)
Time: 8.00 p.m.
Venue: Stephen Riady Centre, Auditorium 2, University Town, NUS.
Tickets at $10 each.
To order the tickets, please approach any member of the NUS Symphony Orchestra or contact nusso.contact@gmail.com

During this concert, audience will preview the NUS Symphony Orchestra's programme that will be performed in the upcoming Summer Cum Laude Internation Youth Music Festival in Vienna this July.

Programme:
1) Beethoven: Symphony No. 1, 4th movement
2) Low Shao Suan, Low Shao Ying: Danses Joyeuses
3) Brahms: Hungarian Dance No.1
4) Strauss: Voices of Spring
5) Dvorak: New World Symphony, 4th movement
6) Liu Tieshan, Mao Yuan: Dance of the Yao

See you there.

For more details, please visit the Facebook event page of Journey to Vienna.

Please find below a map with directions to get to the venue of the concert: