2009 ISB DOUBLE BASS COMPETITION WINNERS
The International Society of Bassists’ biennial double bass competition was held June 8-9, 2009, at Penn State University School of Music in State College, PA. Diana Gannett, professor of double bass at the University of Michigan, served as chair of this year’s competition. The five divisions were Solo, Jazz and Orchestra, with competitors from age 19 to 30, and two divisions for younger bassists, Age 15 to 18 and Age 14 and Under.
SOLO DIVISION
Anthony Stoops, chair; Thierry Barbé, Dan Styffe, Leon Bosch, Gottfried Engels and Mark Morton, judges
At 19, Nicholas Schwartz is one of the youngest winners of the Gary Karr Prize, given in honor of world renowned soloist and ISB founder Gary Karr.
He also won a special prize for best interpretation of the required piece commissioned for the competition, “The Muse and the Master,” by bassist/composer Tom Knific. Currently a student of Ed Barker at Boston University, Nicholas recently received both the gold medal and the Bach Prize in the Stulberg International String Competition. It was the first time in the history of the competition that a double bassist has received either honor. Nicholas was also a prizewinner in the National Symphony Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra concerto competitions, and has appeared on the NPR/PBS series “From the Top.” On December 2, 2009, he will be featured on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert in Chicago, to be broadcast live on WFMT radio, the largest classical music station in the country. He is currently the youngest member of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Benjamin Zander. He has been a Tanglewood Fellow and has participated in the Pacific and Aspen Music Festivals. He is also a member of The Hay Brigade, an acoustic band that blends musical styles. Nicholas received a $2,500 cash prize, a bow by maker Steven Reiley, and a library of double bass editions from G. Henle Verlag. He will give an expenses-paid recital to open the 2011 ISB convention.
Second prize of $1,000, given by an anonymous donor, was won by William “Nate” Farrington of Dublin, Ohio. Nate was a student of Hal Robinson and Edgar Meyer at The Curtis Institute of Music from 2001-2006 and a past winner of the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Concerto Competition. He also received a library of double bass editions from G. Henle Verlag.
Third prize of $750, given by Diana Gannett, past president of the ISB and professor of double bass at the University of Michigan, was won by Blake Hinson of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Currently in his fourth year at The Curtis Institute, Blake is a student of Hal Robinson and Edgar Meyer, and is a past winner of the double bass division in ASTA’s National Solo Competition. He also received a library of double bass editions from G. Henle Verlag.
JAZZ DIVISION
Robert Hurst and Lynn Seaton, chairs; Wayne Darling, Jeff Campbell, Kristin Korb, Rufus Reid and Jim Ferguson, judges
The Scott LaFaro Prize was won by Shawn Conley. Shawn was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. While still in high school, he won a position with the Honolulu Symphony, as well as both state and southwest divisions of the MTNA Solo String Competition.
He studied at Rice University with Paul Ellison, receiving bachelor and master degrees in performance, and with François Rabbath in Paris on a Wagoner Fellowship, earning performance and teaching diplomas. Shawn was on the faculty of the Hawaii Contrabass Festival in 2006 and 2008, and has attended the Henry Mancini Institute and Domaine Forget Academy. He previously won third prize in the 2007 ISB jazz competition before taking top honors this year. A new resident of Brooklyn, Shawn is making his way in the jazz and classical music scenes in New York. He is currently spending his second summer as a Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. Since 2001, the Scott LaFaro Prize has been given by the family of the late bassist who rose to fame as a member of Bill Evans’ legendary trio. Shawn received $2,500 and an amplifier from Acoustic Image, the official amplifier of the 2009 ISB convention. He will make an expenses-paid concert appearance to open the 2011 ISB convention.
Second prize of $1,000, given by Thomastik-Infeld and dedicated to the memory of its founder Peter Infeld, was won by Joe Sanders. Joe studied with Christian McBride at the Dave Brubeck Institute, and was accepted for a two-year program at the Thelonious Monk Institute. He is a working jazz bassist in New York City.
Third prize of $750, also given by Thomastik-Infeld and dedicated to the memory of longtime ISB patron Peter Infeld, was won by Michael Janisch, a graduate of the Berklee College of Music currently living and playing jazz in England. He has toured in over 30 countries on five continents.
Honorable mentions were given to Greg Chudzik of Brooklyn, NY and Erik Prevert of New York, NY.
ORCHESTRA DIVISION
Jeremy Kurtz, Chair; Hal Robinson, Max Dimoff, Leigh Mesh, Jeff Turner and Tobias Gloeckler, judges
First prize, underwritten in part by Philadelphia Orchestra principal bass Hal Robinson, was won by Kevin Brown of Northfield, Minnesota. He topped a record-breaking field of fifty entries, with competitors performing behind a screen and known to judges only by an assigned number.
Kevin started playing bass at age 3 under the instruction of Suzuki teacher Kristi Knecht. He studied with Nancy Bjork throughout middle school and high school, and began his collegiate career at the University of Minnesota with Peter Lloyd. After two years, he transferred to Rice University, where he currently studies with Paul Ellison. He has spent his summers at Domaine Forget Music Academy and the National Orchestral Institute. Kevin was also a participant in the New York String Orchestra Seminar in 2007 and 2008. This summer he is attending Tanglewood Music Center before returning to Rice in the fall. As first prize winner of the orchestra division, Kevin will receive a week’s paid internship with The Philadelphia Orchestra. He also received a bow from Carbow of Marseille, France.
Second prize of $1, 000, given by Orin O’Brien of the New York Philharmonic, was won by Rex Surany of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rex is a student at The Curtis Institute of Music where he studies with Hal Robinson and Edgar Meyer. He is a member of the Symphony in C of Haddonfield, New Jersey.
Third prize of $750 was won by Christopher Hamlen of Barto, Pennsylvania. Christopher is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory, where he studied with Robert Kesselman and John Hood and received the Richard Franko Goldman Prize. He was a finalist in auditions for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Grand Rapids Symphony.
AGE 15-18 DIVISION
Barry Green, chair; Nancy Bjork, Caroline Emery, Andrew Kohn, David Murray and Donovan Stokes, judges
First prize, given by ISB member Peter Gallanis in memory of his teacher Merlin Escott, was won by Nina DeCesare of Ellicott City, Maryland. Nina began her bass lessons with George Vance, and currently studies with Ira Gold.
She previously won the ISB’s 14 and Under competition in 2005, and was a semi-finalist in the 2007 ISB competition in the age 15-18 division. She has served as principal bass with the Maryland Youth Symphony since 2006, and was a member of the 2008 World Youth Symphony Orchestra and principal of the 2005 Intermediate Symphony at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. She plans to major in double bass performance in college. Nina received a $1,000 cash prize, a bow from Carbow of Marseille, France, and an endorsement contract from D’Addario & Company.
Second prize of $500 was won by Nate West of Columbus, Ohio. He took second prize in the same division in 2007. Nate was one of 20 students nationwide named as a 2009 Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and will perform at the Kennedy Center. He was a state semi-finalist in the ASTA National Solo Competition, and first prize winner in the Ohio Orchestra and String Teachers Association Solo Competition.
Third prize of $250, given by Buell Neidlinger and Margaret Storer, was won by Zachery Camhi of Indianapolis, Indiana. Zachery is a student of Gregory Dugan and a member of the Indianapolis Young Chamber Players. He won third prize in the New World Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition in 2008, and first prize in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Side-by-Side Concerto Competition.
Honorable mentions were given to Ho Jung Jung of Anyang-si, South Korea and Samuel Suggs of Eggertsville, NY.
AGE 14 AND UNDER
Paul Sharpe, chair; Steve Reeves, Inez Wyrick, Sandor Ostlund, John Kennedy and Jessica Gilliam-Valls, judges
First prize, given by ISB board of directors member and treasurer Marcel Villaflor, was won by Xavier Foley of Marietta, Georgia. He is a student of Douglas Sommer.
Xavier is a new member of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, and is part of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Talent Development Program. He was previously principal bass with the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra from 2006 to 2008. Xavier earned an honorable mention in the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition in 2009 playing the Koussevitzky Concerto. Also a gifted pianist, he received an honorable mention in the Georgia Music Educators Association piano competition at the University of Georgia. Xavier attended the Sewanee Summer Music Festival in 2007 and 2008. He received a $500 cash prize, a bass bag from the Mooradian Cover Company, and a music library from Breitkopf & Härtel.
Second prize of $250, given by ISB board of directors member and secretary David Murray, was won by Jung Su Lee of Seoul, South Korea. Jung Su Lee has performed with the MOSTRY Philharmonic Orchestra and as part of the Koreana Chmaber Music Society Camp, and has won prizes in competitions hosted by the Music Association of Korea and the Korea Kontrabass Association.
Third prize of $100, given by John Schimek, professor of double bass at Oklahoma City University in honor of Penny Schimek, was won by John Mietus of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He is a student of Henry Peyrebrune. John won the 2006 International Music Festival Concerto Competition, and has performed with the Western Reserve Suzuki School Orchestra, the Baldwin Wallace College Summer String Orchestra and the Akron Youth Philharmonic.
Honorable mentions were given to Liu Chang of Chang Sha, China, Zac Hardin and nine-year old William McGregor of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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The International Society of Bassists was founded by the world-renowned virtuoso Gary Karr in 1967. With some 3,000 members in over 40 countries, the ISB is dedicated to inspiring public interest, raising performance standards, and providing an organization for those who teach, study, play, repair, build, research and enjoy the double bass. The ISB is a forum for communication among bassists throughout the world and across a wide variety of musical styles. Members receive the triannual journal, Bass World, and a monthly e-newsletter. Every two years the ISB holds an international convention, double bass competition and makers' competition at a host university, as well as a biennial composition contest in alternating years. For information about the ISB and its activities, visit www.ISBworldoffice.com.
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