This interview-only episode of Contrabass Conversations wraps up our
interview with Lyric Opera of Chicago and Northeastern Illinois
University bass instructor Greg Sarchet,
and we were joined by two of his students (Ausberto and Hans) at a
Bulgarian restaurant for this interview. Both Hans and Oz contribute
some questions, which both Greg and I answer. Check out the first part
on CBC 19.
Here is this week's Contrabass Conversations episode! This episode
features an interview with double bassist Greg Sarchet (pictured here
with Flea). Greg is a member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago orchestra
and the double bass instructor at Northeastern Illinois University.
You'll hear Greg playing with the Vienna Waltz Ensemble, and at the end
of the episode we will feature a track from double bassist Catalin
Rotaru. Enjoy!
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Click to listen (right-click to download) or click player below:
Interview with Greg Sarchet
Greg’s bio:
Greg Sarchet considers himself fortunate to have had an array of
musical experiences and training, from studying with his first teacher,
jazz luminary Rufus Reid, to receiving degrees from the Juilliard
School (where he was a student of Michael Morgan), to hundreds of
television/radio commercial recordings. His strong interest in
researching the double bass and ongoing international exchange efforts
were recognized by a 1996 Chicago Artists International Program award
which sent him to the CzechRepublic, Germany, and Austria
for performances, masterclasses, and archival research. These and other
exchange activities have allowed him to build an extensive library of
unpublished, out-of-print, and contemporary double bass works, as well
as a first-hand understanding of Europe's leading teaching methods.
Since 1986, he has been a member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago
Orchestra. Additionally, he frequently serves as Principal Bass with
Chicago Opera Theater and the Chicago Chamber Orchestra. He maintains a
limited private studio for high school and adult pupils.
Briefly, his musical foundation was laid by his first double bass
teachers, Rufus Reid and Todd Coolman. The musical values and
priorities they, among others, instilled in him have led him to a wide
variety of professional opportunities ranging from recordings with the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Mannheim Steamroller, Smashing Pumpkins,
and hundreds of television and radio commercials. Greg Sarchet maintains a great double bass website called Bass Club Chicago.I have been visiting this site for years, and it is full of great information, photos, and more.
Check out the bass family tree from Greg’s site.It is quite interesting!
Greg will be featured on a few tracks in this episode from his recordings with the Vienna Waltz Ensemble.Visit them online at www.viennawaltz.com.
To purchase any of the Vienna Waltz Ensemble’s albums, please visit their product page.
Music from Catalin Rotaru
Catalin’s bio:
Catalin Rotaru, double bass, joined the School of Music at ArizonaStateUniversity,
in 2005. Mr. Rotaru is in demand as a performer and clinician
throughout the world. He is a licentiate of the National University of
Music from Bucharest, Romania, and holds a Master’s degree in music performance from the University of Illinois
at Champaign-Urbana. Previously he was Associate Professor of Double
Bass and Jazz Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point,
taught at MillikinUniversity, and at the University of Illinois. He has performed both solo classical and jazz bass throughout Europe, the United States, South America and Japan.
He served as associate principal bass in the Romanian National Radio
Orchestra, principal bass in the Sibiu Philharmonic Orchestra, Virtuosi
Chamber Orchestra of Bucharest, Danville Symphony Orchestra,
Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, associate principal and principal
bass in Sinfonia Da Camera, and principal bass of the Orchestra
Sinfonica Europea. Mr. Rotaru performs extensively as soloist in
recitals or with symphony orchestras throughout the United States
and abroad and gives numerous clinics and master classes. He received
the second prize at the 1997 International Society of Bassists
Competition and the Jury's Special Award for the best performance of
the required piece at that competition. He was the winner of the KrannertCenter
for the Performing Arts Debut Recital Award in 1997, and received the
Central Illinois Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters
Award in 1996. For the last several years, Professor Rotaru has been a
frequent solo performer at the International Chamber Music Festival of
Pernambuco in Brazil.
Here is this week's Contrabass Conversations episode! This episode
features an interview with double bassist Greg Sarchet (pictured here
with Flea). Greg is a member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago orchestra
and the double bass instructor at Northeastern Illinois University.
You'll hear Greg playing with the Vienna Waltz Ensemble, and at the end
of the episode we will feature a track from double bassist Catalin
Rotaru. Enjoy!
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