My German language weblog www.kontrabassblog.de features an interview category called Fragebogen (which means “questionary” in English).
Paul Cannon is the newest member of the Ensemble Modern here at Frankfurt. But because he is from Houston, Texas, I translated the questions for him … so that’s the first article of my new interview category here at DoubleBassGuide.com:
Paul studied with Paul Ellison at Rice University in Houston, Texas, where he received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in performance. In 2010, Cannon was awarded a Wagoner Fellowship in Paris, France, where he studied extensively with famed bass soloist François Rabbath. While there, he received a performance diploma and teaching certificate from the Institut Rabbath before returning to Houston.
Paul has joined Ensemble Modern in the spring of 2014. Previously, he has been a featured artist at the TCU Double Bass Symposium and with the contemporary ensemble Musiqa. He has appeared as a guest with the Houston Symphony, Boston Symphony, Austin Symphony, and the Houston Grand Opera. He has performed at festivals including Aspen, Tanglewood, Sarasota, Spoleto USA, and Domaine Forget. From 2011-2014, he was Director of Education at the Quantum Bass Center and provided numerous outreach services throughout Houston as a 2013 Da Camera Young Artist.
Paul came to my workshop as a customer, but since he has also worked as a luthier in the USA, I always enjoy discussing details and getting insights into the american double bass world …
What CD is in your stereo at the moment?
Well, I just moved here two months ago and still haven’t bought a proper stereo, and all my CD’s are still in boxes. It looks like the last thing I listened to on my computer was “The Tuning CD” — I guess that shows where my priorities have been lately! The last real thing I listened to was Mark Dresser’s “Time Changes”.
Which bassist(s) do you listen to most often?
I’m a big fan of Renaud Garcia-Fons, Mark Dresser, Stefano Scodanibbio, Sebastian Dubé, and Edgar Meyer. They have all pushed bass playing so far, while also making music I really love to hear.
Which bassist was you main influence?
I’ve had so many strong influences personally and professionally. My two main teachers, Paul Ellison and François Rabbath, were definitely my biggest mentors and really shaped me into the kind of player I wanted to be. I also drew an incredible amount of inspiration from my peers at Rice University, and from all the teachers at Domaine Forget.