Vol. 1, No. 5

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|   Contrabass-L: a list for discussion of contrabass *anything*|
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Vol. 1, No. 5 20 June 1996

Las Vegas Contra-bassoon festival & competition, Dec 26-31, 1996 is looking for some contra-anything instruments that would like to perform either in recital amongst your peers or in public performance slots or both. As well some lecture slots are available. Masterclasses will also exist. Of course if you play any instrument other than the contra- bassoon you need not pay the $150 registration fee, just come (but let me know).

I would like to mail you a brochure if you are interested, please email me your snail mail address for brochure.

Mark Trinko

Las Vegas

Mark's email address is KUUP84A@prodigy.com

From: "Paul S. Johnson" <john0058@gold.tc.umn.edu>

Subject: RE: Contrabass-L

Date: Wed, 19 Jun 1996 21:33:17

X-Tick-Nemesis: The Idea Men


I might as well get on the bandwagon and introduce myself on Contrabass-L as well.

Hi,

This is Paul Johnson, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a guy with a lot of different interests. One of my principal obsessions is contrabass instruments. This has manifested itself mostly through hours of playing the double bass. I have a performance degree and am presently finishing a Master's in Theory and Composition from the University of Minnesota. I studied bass with James Clute of the Minnesota Orchestra and composition with Judith Lang Zaimont among others. Currently, I play with the Mississippi Valley Chamber Orchestra (a GOOD community orchestra), Prairie Heym Klezmorim (klezmer band), and the very occasional bluegrass band, The Grass Stains. I have also played in variety bands and in an original rock band. Currently, I also direct a church choir.

My musical energies are now focused on composition and I'm finishing a song cycle for orchestra and baritone voice as the final project for my degree. The text is from the poems of Stephen Crane. Performance is slated for Feb/97.

I also own and play (or tinker with, in some instances) the following (listed in order of most proficiency to least):

Salient events (high and LOW) in my contrabass life experience:

  1. Buying my first high quality double bass.
  2. My voice lowering at puberty.
  3. The disappointment of learning that I was going to be a baritone and not a bass. (I would sacrifice nearly anything to have a voice like the bass singer for the Fairfield Four; he sings an incredibly ballsy low B).
  4. Feeling almost betrayed upon learning that the contrabassoon could play LOWER than the double bass (even adding the standard low C extension couldn't put me back in the no. 1 spot in the orchestra).
  5. Hearing a bass sax for the first time; I didn't even know they existed until then.
  6. Seeing a picture of a contrabass sax - visually stunning.

I have also invented a musical instrument (not of the contrabass variety, unfortunately) that I'm writing an article about.

As a composer I have written works for solo voice, men's chorus, string quartet, percussion ensemble, and woodwind quintet. At this point in my career most of my performances have been within the University setting, but I'm anxious to change that. I have several possible upcoming projects that I'm looking forward to. Note: no works for contrabass instruments, yet! I'm saving the best for last!

Other things I do:

I am a second generation land surveyor and a card-carrying member of the Minnesota-based Johnson land surveying dynasty (three generations).

Self-trained computer nerd who knows AutoCAD backwards and forwards, programs in AutoLISP, PAL and C, and maintains a network. I've developed numerous drafting utilities and programs for use in the land surveying field and wrote the database program that pushes the paper through our office at dizzying speeds.

Woodworker (furniture, mostly) and basement tinkerer (latest project: fixing up a garage sale concertina).

Husband to a very understanding wife and a father to a son and daughter ages 1 and 4.

The five instruments I most want to add to my instrument collection:

  1. Bass sax
  2. Bass sax
  3. Bass sax
  4. Bass sax
  5. Guitarron

It is my belief that bass sax would make a quintessential klezmer bass instrument.

Boy, people get windy when they talk about themselves!


End Contrabass-L 1.5


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