Nina DeCesare | View Class on YouTube | About Class
Max Dimoff | View Class on YouTube | About Class
Jeff Mangone | View Presentation on YouTube | About Presentation
Lauren Pierce | View Performance on YouTube | About Performance
Scott Pingel | View Class on YouTube | About Class
PSO Bass Section with Jeff Turner | View Performance on YouTube | About Performance
About the 2021 Symposium
The 2021 symposium was streamed live on May 2 and featured classes with Scott Pingel, Principal Bass of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra; Max Dimoff, Principal Bass of the Cleveland Orchestra; Nina DeCesare, the newest member of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Bass Section. Lauren Pierce, a YouTube sensation and educator, was the featured recitalist. Jason Heath of Contrabass Conversations conducted interviews with presenters and sponsors throughout the day. Jeff Mangone, Principal Bass of the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, presented. Jeffrey Turner, Double Bass Professor, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Double Bass section, and Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass faculty, Micah Howard and Peter Guild, performed in recital.
Sponsors included Bob’s House of Basses, Shank’s Strings, Upton Bass, discoverdoublebass.com, Ottava Imports, Cincinnati Bass Cellar, Heartland Double Bass, and Nick Lloyd Basses.
Nina DeCesare Class
Ms. DeCesare critiqued the following students of the Carnegie Mellon Double Bass Studio:
Mitchel Borkowski, Master of Music: Exposition of the 1st Movement of Koussevitsky’s Double Bass Concerto; Brahms’ 2nd Symphony, Movement 1, Letter E; Mozart’s 39th Symphony, Movement 1, Exposition; Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben #9
Mark Stroud, Advanced Music Studies: Bourrees from Bach’s 3rd Cello Suite; Mozart’s 39th Symphony, Movement 1, Exposition; Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Movement 3; Strauss’ Don Juan, Letter F
Daniel Murray, Master of Music: Exposition of the 1st Movement of Koussevitsky’s Double Bass Concerto; Brahms’ 1st Symphony, Movement 1, Letter E; Verdi’s Otello Solo
This class was sponsored by Shank’s Strings.
Max Dimoff Class
Mr. Dimoff critiqued the following students of the Carnegie Mellon Double Bass Studio:
Nathan Graham, Master of Music: Prelude from Bach’s 5th Cello Suite
Blake Giesting, Master of Music: Exposition of the 1st Movement of Bottesini’s Double Bass Concerto; Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Movement 4, Recitatives; Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben #9; Brahms’ 1st Symphony, Movement 1, Letter E
Andrew Brunson, Advanced Music Studies: Bourrees from Bach’s 3rd Cello Suite; Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Movement 3; Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben, #9
This class was sponsored by Ottava Imports.
Jeff Mangone Presentation
Welcome To My Tool Shed!
Hopefully this will be the first and last virtual Pittsburgh Double Bass Symposium! When Micah graciously and generously asked me once again to present something of my choice, I immediately thought about something that I have always wanted to do but could only realistically be done from home, aka My Tool Shed! I will happily be able to show, describe, and discuss the vast array of bass instruments acquired and used over my 52 years as a prolific freelance bassist. The participants will have virtual access to classical basses-both 4 stringers w/C extensions, my 4/4 size 5 stringer, my jazz bass which has been played by me and by many of the world’s greatest jazz bassists when performing in Pittsburgh, 2 electric uprights, and 4, 5, and 6 string bass guitars both fretted and fretless, and even my tuba. The presentation is interactive so the viewers can contact me with questions via text at 412-512-8077. This is not meant to be a “gearfest” but rather an explanation of the techniques and significance of these instruments in a successful career of high end freelancing. Please join me and enjoy something that I think will be both fun and educational!
This presentation was sponsored by the Cincinnati Bass Cellar.
Lauren Pierce Performance
Lindsay Serdar, Piano
Cello Concerto no. 2 in E minor, Op. 30 by Victor Herbert
Czardas by Vittorio Monti, arranged for double bass and piano by Lauren Pierce
Méditation (from Thaïs) by Jules Massenet
Andante from Sonata for Solo Violin no. 2 in A minor, BWV 1003 by J.S. Bach
This performance was sponsored by Nick Lloyd Basses.
Scott Pingel Class
Mr. Pingel critiqued the following students of the Carnegie Mellon Double Bass Studio:
Hiroki Yuasa, Advanced Music Studies: Gigue from Bach’s 5th Cello Suite; Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Movement 3; Brahms’ 2nd Symphony, Movement 4, 8 before Letter L, Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben, #9
Levee Stadel, Master of Music: Gigue from Bach’s 2nd Cello Suite; Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Movement 4, Letter K; Mendelssohn’s 4th Symphony, Movement 1, Exposition; Ginastera Solo
Patrick Spallinger, Advanced Music Studies: Bourrees from Bach’s 3rd Cello Suite; Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Movement 2, fugue; Mendelssohn’s 4th Symphony, Movement 1, Exposition; Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben, #40
This class was sponsored by Discover Double Bass.
PSO Bass Section with Jeff Turner Performance
Suite No. 3 for Violoncello in G Major by J.S. Bach, performed by Micah Howard
“Prayer” for bass solo and violin accompaniment by Ernest Bloch, arranged by Peter Guild, performed by Peter Guild and Kristina Yoder
“Meditation from Thais” for violin solo and bass accompaniment by Jules Massenet, arranged by Peter Guild, performed by Peter Guild and Kristina Yoder
Select Movements of Sonate op. 108 by Mieczysław Weinberg, performed by Brandon McLean
Romance, Op. 23 by Amy Beach, performed by Aaron White and Rodrigo Ojeda
“Lament” for Double Bass and Piano by Ellen Taaffee Zwillich, performed by Jeffrey Turner and Rodrigo Ojeda
-The following performances were prerecorded –
Canzon Prima and Terza à 2 Bassi by Girolamo Frescobaldi, performed by John Moore, Tracy Mortimore, and Scott Pauley
Fantasia No. 2 for 4 Viols by William Byrd, performed by John Moore
“Ao Mar” by Vince Mendoza, arranged by Flavio Chamis, performed by Jeffrey Grubbs, Tania Grubbs, and James Johnson III
This performance was sponsored by Shank’s Strings.
Pittsburgh Double Bass Symposium 