Tag Archives: China

2010 Fifth Beijing International Double Bass Music Festival

Supported by the Beijing municipal government, cosponsored by the Double Bass Society under the Chinese Musician Association and China Conservatory of Music, this year’s 2010 Fifth Beijing International Double Bass Music Festival will take place in Beijing starting from Nov. 15 to Nov. 20, 2010. The world famous Bassiona Amorosa ensemble and eight renowned double bass players from Germany, the United States, Russia and other countries will be invited to hold special concerts and have master classes during the festival. Meanwhile, in order to further the cultural exchange between China and the abroad double bass field as well as promote the composition, education, and performance of Chinese musical works for double bass, the first Chinese Double Bass Works Performance Show will also be held during the festival. As an important part of the festival, the Chinese Works Performance Show will officially be held regularly from this year forward.
The Beijing International Double Bass Music Festival organization committee and the arts council shall be responsible for organizing and planning the event while the performance show jury committee will be responsible for judging.
The performance show awards include a Performance Award (comprised of an Excellent Performance Award and Performance Award), the Best Teacher Award (given to the tutors who have guided and encouraged the outstanding performers), and the Best Chinese Double Bass Works Award (categorized according to the different forms of double bass compositions and arrangements). Each year’s performance show trophy will be named after the senior generation bass players and educators who have greatly contributed to the Chinese double bass community.

Venue: China Conservatory of Music
Requirements: Play a piece of Chinese work, any form is accepted (i.e. solo, un-accompaniment, ensemble, etc.). No age restriction.

Website: www.ccmusic.edu.cn

Download Application Form (Word doc.)

My Framus has been stolen

Over the last years, I found parts of my website used on other websites quite often. Complete pages as well as excerpts and pictures have been taken from my site without asking me for permission. In some cases, I’ve been successful in convincing these webmasters better not to steal my content, in other cases, I wasn’t. That’s probably an issue that you have to get used to if you run a popular website; you simply can’t help it.

Today, I found a, well … somehow funny thing. A chinese company offers my 1954 Framus Cutaway double bass, on which I’ve just practised before writing this post, for 600 USD only. Wow, my Framus that cheap?
(My original photo can be found here.)

Chinese Folk Bass

chinese folk bass

In our western countries, most people use to know very little about the Chinese music and instrument making tradition.
At the website of chinese maker Shan Jiang, I’ve found this picture of a Gu Pin Hu, a Chinese folk bass. It was made by his father, Mr.Yun Kai Jiang, who taught violin making in the Conservatory of Music in Shen Yang.
This bass instrument has rather the size of a cello, but a very deep rib depth. It also has a flap on it’s right side – an adjustable soundhole?