Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles

If you like Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles, see if you like this rendition performed by a double bass orchestra from Athens. I think it is interesting to listen and realise how versatile a double bass can be. Many thanks to Jason Heath for pointing me to this video.

There is a site that provides an interpretation to the lyrics of Eleanor Ridgby by The Beatles for those who are interested to read more: http://entrypoints.com/RockLyrics/EleanorRigby.html

Source of video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKUoF8N1FjU

Does anyone happen to know the name of this double bass orchestra that had played in the video shown above? I hope to give the due credits and acknowledgements to the group for its nice rendition of the work.

Fantasie Passionée

If you are keen to listen to a Symphony Orchestra play music from King and I, Phantom of the Opera and others, then you may be interested to attend the following free performance:

Beyond Campus
Fantasie Passionée
By the NUS Symphony Orchestra
(a member of NUS Centre For the Arts)
15 September 2007 (Saturday), 3pm
National Library Plaza (Ground Floor)
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064
Free Admission



Programme:

1. G. Bizet's Carmen Suite No.1 & Carmen Suite No. 2 (selected movements)
2. C. H. Gounod's Faust (selected movements)
3. Selections from King and I (Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Music by Richard Rodgers, Arranged by Bob Lowden.)
4. Selections from Phantom of the Opera (Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Arranged by Calvin Custer)

The performance is about one hour in duration.

Synopsis:

Join the NUS Symphony Orchestra for a relaxing afternoon of flowing melodies from popular opera and theatre. Enjoy music with themes of passion and fantasy, from the fatally seductive Carmen and the deadly passionate Faust, to the royal fantasy of The King and I and the romantic phantom of the opera house.

Established in 1995, the NUS Symphony Orchestra has grown under the baton of Maestro Lim Soon Lee. The orchestra comprises over 80 students, alumni and guest players all passionate about making music.

In conjunction with Expressions, organised by the National Library Board.
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If you wish to know, a number of the members from d'Bassists will be performing in this performance.



Poster designed by Chua Chong Han.
The photos in this post were taken during NUS Symphony Orchestra's concert held on 16 Mar 2007. Photo credits: Jay.

This post was updated on 6 Sep 2007.

Where to find a double bass practice mute in Singapore?

Double bass with a practice mute placed onto its bridge.
The practice mute dampens the sound of the double bass.

In Singapore, the majority of the people are flat-dwellers who live in fairly close proximity to one another. As such, a practice mute can be a useful accessory for a double bass player in Singapore to have. It can help a double bass player play on his/her instrument with minimal noise-production even during the wee hours of the night. Of course, the neighbours must not have very low tolerance level for the sound of the double bass.

Admittedly, I do not particularly like playing using a practice mute. When a practice mute is placed on the double bass, the instrument would sound muted and fairly nasal when played. Yet, a practice mute can be one of the most neighbour-friendly and useful items to have if one were required to practise on the double bass during the wee hours of the night.

For those who need the information on where to find and purchase a double bass practice mute in Singapore, here is a listing of the shops that sell double bass practice mute:

Synwin Enterprises
845 Geylang Rd, #03-01 Tg Katong Complex, Singapore 400845
Tel: 6743 7865
Fax: 6743 4862
Website: www.synwin.com.sg
Email: reubennsons@synwin.com.sg

Frank Brothers Violins
1 Esplanade Drive, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, #02-08 Esplanade Mall, Singapore 038981
Tel: 6883 2581
Website: www.frankbrosmusic.com

Gramercy Music (S) Pte Ltd
293 Tg Katong Rd, Singapore 437076.
Tel: 6345 3815
Fax: 6440 4513

Please take note that the above-listing may not be comprehensive as it is based solely on my own personal experience. Please do call the shops in advance to check on the availability of the practice mute.

Rehearsals in the past

Many thanks again to the friends and supporters who have attended d'Bassists' performance, Esplanade Presents: At the Concourse: Basso Bravo!

It is time for some nostalgia. So please sit back and enjoy a few of the photos taken from our past rehearsals.

The ensemble: Contrabajos de Baja California

Contrabajos de Baja California. Video source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V08hwHqeTz4
Taken on 13 Jun 2007.


Seven double basses on the stage. Contrabajos de Baja California is a double bass ensemble formed by Andrés Martín (living in Tijuana, Mexico) with his students. Most of Andrés' students are beginners to the double bass.

I am inspired by Andrés' passion for the double bass and his good efforts in forming a double bass ensemble with his students. Recently, I have been corresponding with Andrés via texted messages. I have found the following words from one of his messages worth a read and a thought about:

Andrés: "I believe that a bass ensemble is the best place to learn how to play chamber music (for a bass player) and (it) challenges our technique so keep playing with your ensemble as long as you can."

With players of varying level of playing, most being beginners, I believe that Andrés probably has had a challenging time writing interesting yet effective arrangements for his double bass ensemble. In this post, I shall share the above video of Contrabajos de Baja California having fun playing on the double bass. Please do listen out for how Andrés attempts to arrange for the double bass ensemble.

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Andrés has his own blog which is in Spanish: http://www.andresmartin.blogspot.com

Video recordings of Andrés playing the double bass can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/user/mgandres

He is also a member of a tango quartet, and the quartet's website is: http://www.cuatroparatango.com

Barry Green's Inner Game of Music

Image source: http://www.innergameofmusic.com

Nervousness, self doubt, and fear of failure. How does a person who is learning or playing music overcome these internal obstacles?

In Inner Game of Music authored by double bassist, Barry Green and co-authored by Timothy Gallwey, one can learn how to acknowledge and overcome these internal obstacles in order to bring a new quality to their experience and learning of music.

I have read Inner Game of Music a few years ago and I have found it an insightful and useful read. It has helped me to better deal with thoughts and feelings of self doubt and the fear of failure. Admittedly, I did find the first few chapters of this book quite technical to read. It took me quite a long time before I had managed to read through those first few chapters. However, thereafter, the rest of the chapters became more interesting to read.

Inner Game of Music also covers topics such as how one can learn in the most natural way, and to experience the joy of music. It also contains chapters on ensemble playing, and tips for music teachers.

One of the sections that I have found useful is the topic on Permission to fail leads to success. It speaks about how giving ourselves the permission to fail could help us to overcome the ill concerns that we might otherwise feel about performing a piece of music. In turn, we are left free to accomplish the task at hand. To find out more, you may wish to read this book.

Please do check out this site for more information: http://www.innergameofmusic.com

Listen to Contrabass Conversations

Where in this world can a double bass enthuasiast listen to interviews with fellow double bassists like François Rabbath, Ira Gold and many more simply by sitting in front of one's computer?

There is such a place, online at http://contrabassconversations.com.

Contrabass Conversations is a project by double bassist, Jason Heath. It is a weekly 20-30 minute podcast devoted to all aspects of the double bass. Episodes will be released every Monday. In this project, Jason will do interviews with double bassists from all walks of life.

Some of these interviews offer insightful tips to double bass playing and practising, and are worth your time listening to. Even a short five-minutes listening to just one of those tips could have a significant impact in enhancing one's playing of the double bass.

For your convenience, you can listen to Contrabass Conversations right from d'Bassists official webhome. Please click accordingly on the Podcast icon on the left side-bar of this blog, and presto, you can listen to your selected track.