Compositions

Orchestral Compositions featuring Double Bass

Ever been flattered to pieces?

I have - thanks to Dr. Jennifer Sacher Wiley and her kind commission to write for her lovely community orchestra, giving my first ever crack at writing for orchestra! 

Next steps include upping the complexity with new versions that get recorded by other orchestras. Got orchestra?

Additional music for double bass and violin, double bass and choir, double bass and marimba, and odd meter lead sheets are available upon request.

Mrs. Wigglebottom

for symphony orchestra, featuring the double bass section and individual bassists playing short composed and/or improvised solos   5'

Laden 

for symphony orchestra, feat. solo improvising double bass   4'

City

for symphony orchestra    3'30"

Four Bach Reflections

for double bass and violin

These four pieces are meant to be played individually or as a collection on their own or in between movements of J.S. Bach's Partita for Solo Violin in B minor. Countless thanks to Jennifer Sacher Wiley for commissioning this music in 2014!

ISB 2019 Conference Presentation

Mrs. Wigglebottom/Laden/City 

-Orchestral pieces composed to spotlight boundary-pushing bassists of all levels in their regional and professional orchestras

1. City – no improvisation required, though available…

1. whole bass section, as notated
2. solo modernist accompanies the orchestra based on notated octave-heavy part

1. 7/4 in safety
2. 7/4 dancing

3. Alternate bass section accompaniment with solo accompaniment - decide who plays when and pencil it in all parts.

2. Laden – one or more improvisers, -bassists and perhaps others

1. week one – rubato exploration of harmony
2. week two – slow two bar loops
3. week three and beyond – faster and longer phrases, one parameter at a time

3. Mrs. Wigglebottom – all bassists develop and display at least one improvisation tool

1. progressive scales

1. 4-notes as usual
2. 4 notes plus high and/or low additives

2. across 4 strings without shifting
3. slapping
4. natural harmonics
5. artificial harmonics
6. open string pedaling
7. barriolage