Submit your audition or position news to the ISB office at:
info@isbworldoffice.com
Job Opportunities and Audition Announcements
Recent Appointments
Congratulations to the following individuals!
San Francisco Symphony orchestra principal Scott Pingel has joined associate principal Stephen Tramontozzi on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Jeremy Baguyos is new assistant professor of music at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, teaching double bass at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and courses in music technology.
Timothy Cobb has joined the faculty of the Conservatory of Music at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. He is principal bass of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and has served as double bass department chair at Juilliard. Tim has also served on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music and Conservatory of Music at Purchase College. For more information go to www.lynn.edu.
Deborah Dunham joined the faculty of Sam Houston State University's School of Music in Huntsville, Texas in the Fall of 2006 to build a new and innovative double bass program for students majoring in performance and/or music education and to coach chamber music. Contact her at ddunham@shsu.edu and also see www.shsu.edu/music/ for more information.
Yann Dubost, winner of the solo division in the 2005 ISB Double Bass Competition, is the new principal bass of the London Symphony Orchestra. Hear Yann in recital on Monday night, June 4, 2007, 8 PM, at the 2007 ISB Convention at Oklahoma City University.
Gottfried Engels has been appointed to a new, one-year position as bass professor at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf, Germany, beginning this October. Congratulations, Gottfried!
Western Michigan University master's candidate David Story has received a one-year appointment at the University Of Wisconsin, Steven's Point. He will commute to Kalamazoo for his remaining lessons and recital to complete his master's degree. Guitarist Matt Warnock, whom many of you will remember as Tom Knific's 2005 convention assistant, just won the guitar position at Western Illinois University. He will simultaneously pursue his doctorate at the University of Illinois.
Jeffry Eckels has accepted a teaching position at the Universidad de San Fransisco in Cumbaya, Ecuador, just outside of Quito. He'll be running the bass studio and will be chair of the ear training department. The school has a sister relationship with Berklee College of Music, of which Jeffry is an alum. Next summer the university will host the Jamie Abersold Jazz Camp, South America. He and his wife, Melissa, are expecting their second child, who is due in November and will be born in Ecuador.
The University of Idaho has named ISB past president John Clayton as artistic director of its Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival. A 40-year tradition at the University of Idaho, the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival attracts thousands of college, high school, junior high and elementary school students from all over the U.S. and Canada to the university’s Moscow campus to meet some of the world’s greatest jazz performers. Students present both vocal and instrumental adjudicated performances, and attend concerts and workshops given by the jazz artists. Says the six-time Grammy-nominated bassist, composer, arranger and conductor, "Having been a fan of Lionel Hampton’s and participated in his festival, I have grown to understand the impact that it has on the lives of young artists and jazz supporters. It is an honor for me to be in this position." For more information go to www.johnclaytonjazz.com, and to www.jazz.uidaho.edu.
Jessica Gilliam-Valls has joined the faculty of Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas. She is teaching private bass, chamber music and string techniques and working to expand the university’s budding strings program. Email her at vallsduo@hotmail.com.
Jeffrey Weisner has been appointed to the faculty of the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, MD, joining current double bass faculty John Hood and Paul Johnson. He is a member of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, and an alumnus of Peabody himself, where he studied with Hal Robinson. He also has a degree from Boston University, where his teachers included Lawrence Wolfe and Ed Barker.
Rob Kassinger, at the invitation of Maestro Charles Dutoit, will be serving as double bass professor at the Canton International Summer Music Academy in Canton, China. Rob will be coaching bass sectionals, chamber music and giving private lessons to students from China, India, Vietnam and other South Asian countries. The Academy takes place July 9-28. Rob is a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and is double bass professor at DePaul University.
ISB member Regan Brough has won the bass chair with the U.S. Army Blues Jazz Ensemble in Washington DC. He was one of seven finalists. He'll have basic training for 2 months and should be in DC by November. Part of the final decision was based on Regan's writing and arranging skills. Regan took second prize in the jazz division of the 2005 ISB Double Bass Competition. Congratulations, Regan!
Jeff Bradetich will join Max Dimoff on the faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Music as visiting professor of double bass for the 2006-2007 school year. Jeff will continue his regular duties on the faculty of the University of North Texas College of Music in Denton.
Past ISB solo competition winner Anthony Stoops (www.anthonystoops.com) has been appointed to the faculty of the University of Oklahoma School of Music as artist/teacher of double bass. Anthony comes to Oklahoma from Bowling Green State University, where he has served as visiting assistant professor of bass for the last three years. He begins his duties at the University of Oklahoma in August, 2006.
Ali Yazdanfar has joined Curtis Burris, his fellow member inthe National Symphony Orchestra, on the faculty of the University of Maryland this year.
Bassist/composer Peter Askim has completed requirements for a doctorate in composition from the University of Texas at Austin, with plans to complete his dissertation and degree this year. Meanwhile he has taken a new job as resident conductor and composer-in-residence at the Idyllwild Arts Academy, east of Los Angeles, CA. He will also be teaching music history, chamber music and other topics, as well as composing a new work for the Idyllwild orchestra. Contact Peter at peter@peteraskim.com.
Nick Scales has joined the faculty as bass instructor at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, TX. Send congratulations to Nick at nlscales_1@hotmail.com.
The University of Michigan Department of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation is pleased to announce the addition of bassist Robert Hurst to its faculty. Bob has performed and recorded with many of the most visible artists in jazz today, including Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Charles Lloyd, Diana Krall, Herbie Hancock, Dave Brubeck, Freddie Hubbard, B.B. King, Barry Harris, Tommy Flannagan, Geri Allen and Pharoah Sanders. He has led his own groups, and appeared on Grammy-awarded and nominated recordings. Bob will teach private jazz bass students and coach ensembles. For more information contact Ed Sarath, chair, Department of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation, sarahara@umich.edu, 734-995-0239.
Job Opportunities and Audition Announcements
Job opening for bass instructor at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito,
Ecuador. Very supportive environment, great colleagues and opportunity for
growth. The position is a one-year, (two-semester) contract with option to
re-new for a second year if both parties mutually agree. Teachers can
usually save a substantial amount of their salary, as housing is included as
well as local health insurance (in many cases better than the States), and
round-trip airfare. The teaching load is mainly private students and a few
ensembles. Although musicianship, performing skills and experience are
important, the emphasis will be on teaching. Knowledge of Spanish a plus!
Contact Jay Byron, jayb@usfq.edu.ec.
The United States Military Academy Band's Jazz Knights, West Point, New York, is anticipating a vacancy for double bass/electric bass. Once the vacancy is officially announced at www.usma.edu/band, applicants will send a resume, recent full-length photograph and THREE copies of a high-quality recording (specifics TBA), preferably in CD format and no more than six months old. Contact Staff Seargeant Scott Arcangel or Staff Sergeant Robert Jones with questions, 845/938-5359.
Musical America has launched an Online Career Center to post and find performing arts positions. Go to: www.musicalamerica.com.
For more audition announcements, please visit:
www.musicalchairs.info
www.myauditions.com/vacancy/
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Katrina Relief
Outreach for Musicians in Need after Hurricane Katrina
LPO Bass Section Relief: As you know, this country has suffered a natural catastrophe of unbelievable proportions. The bassists of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in New Orleans have, in one day, lost their jobs for the foreseeable future, as well as suffered severe property losses. The ISB is inviting its members, and especially all members of ICSOM orchestra bass sections, to help our colleagues in need. The International Society of Bassists is a 501(C)(3) organization, and the full amount of your gift is deductible for federal income tax purposes as allowed by law. Send your donations by October 31st for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Disaster Fund, payable to the ISB (check or money order) or by credit card (MC, Visa, AmEx), to ISB, 13140 Coit Rd., Suite 320, LB 120, Dallas, TX 75240. Questions? Email info@ISBworldoffice.com.
The Nashville Symphony and New York Philharmonic are among the many orchestra holding benefit concerts for and playing side-by-side with musicians from the Louisiana Philharmonic. And as far away as the Czech Republic, the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra is playing a concert for New Orleans. Principal bass and ISB member Miloslav Jelinek reports that the conductor for the concert "...is young man from New Orleans. He is living in Brno because he fell in love with the music of Janacek music."
David Gage String Instruments in New York City has offered to do damage appraisals for Katrina basses at no charge to assist people in making insurance claims. If they need to send their basses for damage appraisal or repair, the shop can make trunks available for shipping. For information email davidgage@davidgage.com.
The Louisiana Philharmonic is the only musician-owned and operated professional orchestra in the country. Drew McManus has established a dedicated LPO relief page where those from the LPO who are looking for work and those throughout the country who might have work (or shelter) to offer can cross paths. Go to http://www.artsjournal.com/adaptistration/archives/
2005/09/louisiana_phil.html.
The Katrina Bassses Project is bassists helping bassists who lost their instruments during Hurricane Katrina. Go to http://katrinabasses.org to make a donation. Qualfied applicants are eligible to receive a Samuel Shen SB80 bass, set up and with a bag, bow, adjustable bridge, pickup and Helicore or Spirocore strings. Basses will be sold to the fund at an extreme discount, and Samuel Shen's distributor CSC Products will donate labor. Upton Bass is providing Revolution solo pickups. Thanks to Samuel Shen, CSC Products and Upton Bass. Thanks also to Nick Lloyd of Nick Lloyd Basses for his work on this project. Samuel Shen and CSC Products will match the first four basses paid for by donations.
100% of donations made at the Preservation Hall website will go to help New Orleans jazz musicians in need: www.preservationhall.com/2.0/apparel.php.
Houston, Texas, area musicians are reaching out to give employment and relocation aid to hurricane victims at www.noahleans.com.
Air America Radio's Public Voicemail is a way for disconnected people to communicate in the wake of Katrina. Here's how it works: Call the toll-free number 1-866-217-6255, enter your everyday phone number, and then record a message. Other people who know your everyday phone number (even if it doesn't work anymore) can call Public Voicemail, enter the phone number they associate with you, and hear your message. You can also search for messages left by people whose phone numbers you know. Air America Radio will leave Public Voicemail in service for as long as this crisis continues. You can call it whenever you are trying to locate someone, or if you are trying to be found.
The New Orleans Musicians Clinic (NOMC) is a hands-on organization that has the names and addresses of many great musicians because they have them all coming to their free health clinic for years. Now they are the ones who are tracking down the local musicians and finding them shelter. They can be contacted at musiciank@swlahec.com, or contact Kathy Richard directly at at 337/89-0001. Send donations payable to NOMC Emergency Fund, SW LA Area Health Education Center Foundation, Inc., 103 Independence Blvd., Lafayette, LA 70506, fax: 337-989-1401, email finance@swlahec.com, website www.swlahec.com. The New Orleans Musicians Clinic is determined to keep Louisiana Music alive! They want to relocate New Orleans musicians into the Lafayette/Acadiana community where they can remain a life force. Most of them have lost everything.
The Jazz Foundation of America is addressing the long-term needs of New Orleans jazz and blues artists who have lost everything by raising funds and distributing money for them to get a new apartment or room for rent, and replacing the thing that matters most and the only way they can ever work again - their instruments. To those who lost their instruments, like drummers and bassists who could not carry their heavy equipment, they will be making an effort to work with manufacturers and music stores to replace those instruments for as many as they possibly can. New Orleans was only "New Orleans" because of the musicians. Send donations to Jazz Foundation of America, 322 West 48th Street 6th fl, New York, NY 10036, call 212-245-3999 Ext. 21, email Joyce@jazzfoundation.org. To make an online credit card donation or pledge, go to www.jazzfoundation.org/index2.html and click the bottom right corner of the page where it says "instant pledge"
Oklahoma City University, site of the 2007 ISB convention, is offering free tuition for the fall semester (and possibly more) for university students displaced by the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Alums have volunteered their homes to help pay for student housing, and students are organizing clothing drives for affected students. For information call 800-633-7242 and ask the operator to contact someone from OCU admissions. The ISB is proud to be associated with such a generous and big-hearted institution as Oklahoma City University.
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