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Double Bass Aspen

B

bassbass

Dec 29, 2006
34
0
London
#1
I was wondering if anyone out there has been to Aspen? I was looking on the site and it looks good..
What is the standard of playing like? Is it difficult to get on? What is the average age players etc?
If anyone knows i would be grateful to find out!
Cheers P
 
#2
I've been to AMFS once two years ago and had a great time. I would have been back last year if it weren't for an injury. It is not very hard to get accepted into the festival without any financial aid. However to recieved a scholarship, which is based on both need and merit you need to be a fairly solid player. The fellowships, which pay for everything including housing, are highly competitive, just as much as T-wood or Pacific.
 
#3
Hi, I've been to aspen... It's great, the only downside is that there are a lot of bassists there and unless you are in the top 5, it's easy to feel lost unless you have a good work ethic. The teachers are are top notch of course. Also the hiking is fantastic heh. I do wish that Paul Ellison was still teaching there.
 
#4
Well, I'd say it's much easier to get accepted if you know of study with one of the teachers. I've gone twice (2004-05), and I'm applying again this year. The level of playing ranges from members of professional orchestras to younger high school-aged students (like me, at the time) who are fairly advanced for their age.

I was the youngest bassist at Aspen the first year I went, and I was 16. The oldest bassists were in their late 20's. I say the majority of bassists are college upperclassmen and graduate students.
 
#9
I am looking at applying to Aspen also. I am trying to figure out my teacher preference for the applictiaon. I do not know any of the bass teachers personally, (I did read all their bios thourgh) and I wanted to know some more information on the teachers as far as their teaching style, technique, personality, ect. So please give me some advice. Here are the teachers:

Bass
Bruce Bransby
Christopher Hanulik (Half session I only)
Albert Laszlo
Eugene Levinson (Half session II only)
Edgar Meyer (Limited length of residence, Does not teach privately)

Lets keep all comments positive.

Thanks for the help!
 
#10
jdapodaca said:
Paul,

Have you applied for a fellowship? Or just sent the CDs? If you've just sent the CDs, are they real strict about the 15 minute thing for the pieces? What sorts of pieces/exerpts have you played in the past?
Click to expand...
In the past I did not apply for a fellowship, although this year I am. I can't speak for the people listening to the CD's, but you shouldn't go over 15 minutes. If it's under 8, you might need more. Don't worry about it too much.

I've used the Dragonetti concerto, the Vanhal concerto, and the Eccles sonata for solos. For excerpts, I've used Beethoven 5 scherzo and trio, Mozart 40 1st mvmt, Prokofiev Lt. Kije solo, and the Mahler 1 solo. I'll most likely just be using the fellowship audition requirements for the CD this year.
 
#11
I know Mr. Laszlo and Mr. Levinson both quite well. Mr. Levinson is my full time studio teacher and I've also had the occasional lesson with Mr. Laszlo.

Mr. Levinson has a reputation for being a screaming, demeaning type but this is really not true, especially for people who are not full time students of his. Every great teacher is passionate about what they do and can somtimes get a little heated. In my opinion his left hand fingering system is second to none, if you're comfortable using the third finger. If you choose to study with him he will spend a lot of time explaining his philosophy on bass to you. A lot of people in his studio at Juilliard where recruited in Aspen.

I don't have as much experience with Mr. Laszlo but he's all about the right hand. He talks a lot about the physics of sound production and how to maxamize your sound. I once worked with him for fifteen minutes on just the first note of brahms 1, letter E.

I've never me Hanulik, but I've been told that he focuses mostly on the musical aspects of playing and not so much on technique.
 
#12
I'm not a student of Levinson's, but I've played for him a number of time in masterclasses at Juilliard, and I concur with with Justin said about him. He's really a very compassionate person and a great teacher.

I'm also not a student of Laszlo's, but I've played for him several times, too. He's very nice and does work a lot on the right hand, general posture, movement, etc. I'd definitely say that the kids I know who are studying with him enjoy and are benefitting from his teaching a lot.

As for Hanulik, I've met him only once (when I visited UCLA). I didn't play for him, but he seemed like a really nice guy if that's worth anything. He studied with solid people, too.

I've only heard about Bransby - I had a lesson with Rob Kassinger about a month ago, and he studied with Bransby at Aspen when he was doing a fellowship there (he had classical & jazz fellowships concurrently!). He told me that he thinks Bransby is great.
 
#13
I have been at Aspen the past 10 years. I would concur that most of what has been said is fairly accurate so far.

The fellowships are VERY competive. I have recieved only 2 fellowships, and auditioned 5 times! If you get even a full scholarship you should consider yourself lucky.

It should be noted that Aspen is primarily an Orchestral Training camp (they have 5 orchestras) So if you play in the 2 top orchestras you could be sitting in a Section led by those highly regarded teachers. However, a fellowship is almost always required for that.

Also chamber music is available but not really focused on at all.

Maybe I'll see you this summer,

Louis
 

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