The internet has revolutionised musical life across the globe. Over the past year, it has been even more important and a lifeline for some, when concerts and travel were not a possibility. For all its faults and failings, the internet is a wonderful resource for musicians and a way to easily keep in contact with friends and make new contacts and begin exciting collaborations.
Once I embraced using Facebook, albeit reluctantly initially, I was astounded at how easy it to disseminate information to fellow bassists all over the world and to create links and develop friendships. As a performer, teacher, composer, and publisher, I know the benefit of good communication and reply to every email or letter I receive (other bassists take note) and continue to develop strong links with bassists and composers everywhere. The amazing thing about Facebook is that it is also completely free. Some use it to rant and rave about many issues, but I prefer to use it to create positivity and good things for the double bass.
Although we have yet to meet in person, American bassist Susan Hagen and I have become great friends online. Susan is Principal Bass of the Boston Pops Orchestra and also teaches at Berklee College (Boston), and we have communicated for a long time. She has performed and recorded a wealth of my music, and last year she commissioned me to write a suite of pieces for her progressing young students. The Adventures of George was a lockdown project in 2020 for my 10-year-old student George, writing one new piece each week when I could introduce all aspects of bass playing, including percussion, col legno, Bartók pizzicato, sul ponticello, chords, glissando, and harmonics, alongside arco and pizzicato. Susan enjoyed these pieces and asked me to write something a little more advanced for her students, still in bass clef but employing the positions around the neck of the double bass. George’s Grand Tour was the result and features eight European cities (Prague, Paris, Helsinki, Vienna, Moscow, Venice, Istanbul, Wells) with different musical and technical challenges in each.
Yesterday I was an online masterclass guest at Berklee College (Boston, USA), at the invitation of Susan Hagen, and was delighted to teach bassists from Canada, England, Israel, and in nine US states (Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Utah, & Washington). It was an even greater thrill to hear nine of them play my music, some of the pieces from George’s Grand Tour and Sahara, which was commissioned by my great friend Simón García for Galicia Graves in Spain a few years ago.
Susan and I “met” before the masterclass began and have decided to meet for an online coffee each week as we plan other collaborations for the future. Susan’s students were wonderful, all excellent players and musicians, who were a pleasure to meet and teach. A few days ago, Susan commissioned me to write some pieces for an adult student of hers who injured his hand some years ago but still enjoys playing the double bass. I have completed three to date, mainly using harmonics in bass clef alongside some stopped notes in the first few positions, and plan to write the final two this week.
When we talked yesterday, Susan offered me yet another commission to write a series of pieces for unaccompanied double bass, which feature the neck positions (4th/5th/6th) and move into the low thumb position. As Sarah, my wife, and I were walking the dog today, I started to have some ideas of what to write and am planning a series of short pieces in every major and minor key.
The internet is something that musicians have embraced wholeheartedly. I am so happy to have “met” so many wonderful new friends online, which will then develop into true friendships over the years when we can all work together again. I advise everyone to use the internet well and to enjoy being able to connect to bassists in every corner of the world.
