15 Sep 07 at National Library Plaza

One of my favourite songs from Phantom of the Opera is "All I ask of you". I have some good memories watching this musical two years ago at Her Majesty's Theatre in London.

Later this afternoon, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., the NUS Symphony Orchestra will be performing selections of tunes from Phantom of the Opera at the National Library Plaza, along Victoria Street (nearest MRT station: Bugis), and it is free. Yours truly will be one of the members of the orchestra who will be playing.

Audience to the performance can expect to be treated to selections of tunes from Phantom of the Opera and King and I. If audience would like music that sounds seductive, I am sure that listening to selected movements from Bizet's Carmen Suite No. 1 and Carmen Suite No. 2 will be a pleasant treat.

My personal favourite is Gounod's Faust where I think the double bass parts are simple yet very effective. Faust is one work where the double bass may be playing seemingly easy parts, but it serves a very important role in providing the rhythmic foundation to the orchestra.

We will be having a technical rehearsal from 1.30 p.m. to 2.15 p.m. later this afternoon. I have not played at the National Library Plaza and I suppose it would be helpful to do a sound check before the 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

Her Majesty's Theatre, in London.

Also see: http://dbassists.blogspot.com/2007/08/fantasie-passione.html

The royal fantasy of The King and I, etc

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.

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
(Nearest MRT station: Bugis)

**
Yes, if you are wondering why d'Bassists haven't been rehearsing for double bass ensemble works, it is because our members are spending time to rehearse for Fantasie Passionée by the NUS Symphony Orchestra.


Also see: http://dbassists.blogspot.com/2007/08/fantasie-passione.html

Emily's in Baltimore

Emily, one of the members of d'Bassists, is now in Baltimore, USA, for the Students' Exchange Programme. She will be there for one semester. Wishing her an enriching and fruitful time there.

In this post, you will find some of the photos that she has posted. For more, please visit her blog: http://www.pinkified.blogspot.com



Photo credit: Emily.

Virtual Master Class Project

I would like to point readers to Jason Heath's Double Bass Blog for a useful resource: Virtual Master Class Project, particularly for double bass players.

This project is the brainchild of Memphis Symphony principal bassist Scott Best. Scott Best and Jason Heath have played together in the IRIS Chamber Orchestra for years.

The Virtual Master Class Project is aimed at helping the participants to get feedback on their playing from professionals all over the world.

Read more about how to take part in the Virtual Master Class Project here.

To listen to the published submissions to the project, please visit VMC tracks.

Making a good sound on the double bass

John Floeter's Bass Studio has an informative and useful post on how one could achieve a good sound on the double bass.

Do take some time to read it: Practice Organization: Making a Good Sound.

Dinner gathering at Kampong Glam

On 20 Aug 2007, a few double bassists, Dinah, Emily and myself, met for dinner at this part of Singapore that is commonly referred to as Kampong Glam. You can check out this site for more information about Kampong Glam: http://www.malayheritage.org.sg/history.html

Emily would be leaving for US for the students' exchange programme and the dinner was a farewell dinner for her. Here's wishing her a Bon Voyage.

Our original plan was to have dinner at Restoran Tepak Sireh. The restaurant is housed in a historical monument called Gedung Kuning ("Yellow House" in Malay) built more than 150 years ago. However, when we were there, we found out that the restaurant was closed.



Gedung Kuning

In the end, we had dinner at Alaturka instead. This place serves Turkish cuisine. Food and the company were good. Now, let the photos do the talking.







From left to right, top to bottom: Turkish coffee (worth trying), Hummus, Lavash (cheap and good), Musakka (mutton, must try), Spangile (chocolate mousse), Karisik kebab, Sultan's Pleasure.

Alaturka
Turkish & Mediterranean Restaurant
16 Bussorah Street Singapore 199437
Tel/Fax: 62940304

Holding the bow

How does one hold a double bass bow?

Michael Hopkin's String Pedagogy Notebook gives an interesting and easy-to-understand guide to holding the bow.

In particular, readers who are interested to learn how to hold the bow of the double bass, may like to visit the following pages from Michael Hopkin's String Pedagogy Notebook:

• Bow Hold
• Bow Hold Precursor Review
• Bow Hold Movie
• Bow Hold for Cello and Bass
• Common Problems for Cello and Bass Bow Hold
• Thumb Problems for Cello and Bass Bow Hold
• Double Bass German Bow Hold
• Conclusion on Bow Hold

It is hoped that you will find the above resources helpful.

***
Another helpful resource to refer to on this topic would be Dr. Mark Morton's Double Bass Technique: Concepts and Ideas.