Experience

Bassist

 

CAREER OBJECTIVE:

To perform and teach a variety of musical styles

 

EXPERIENCE:

As a free-lance professional musician, I have spent more than twenty years playing string bass and electric bass guitar with countless ensembles. Most of my activity has been in and around the Chicago area, but I have performed with groups as far away as New Zealand. I have been a serious private studio teacher for the last fifteen years and have often maintained a studio of 50+ students.

 

TEACHING:

 

New Trier Township High School (1991-present)
385 Winnetka Avenue
Winnetka, Illinois 60093
(847) 784-6699
Contact: Peter Rosheger
  • Faculty instructor in string bass

 

Niles North High School (1991-present)
Lawler Avenue & Old Orchard Road
Skokie, Illinois 60077
(847) 568-3417
Contact: Pam Hendrix
  • Faculty instructor in string bass

 

Glenbrook South High School (1991-present)
4000 West Lake Avenue
Glenview, Illinois 60025
(847) 509-2434
Contact: Carl Meyer
  • Faculty instructor in string bass

 

VanderCook College of Music (2004 - 2006)
3140 S Federal Street
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 225-6288
Contact: Kevin Lepper
  • Faculty instructor in string bass

 

Wheeling High School (1993-2001)
900 South Elmhurst Road
Wheeling, Illinois 60090
(847) 718-7113
Contact: Elizabeth Bennett
  • Faculty instructor in string bass

 

Buffalo Grove High School (1998-2001)
1100 West Dundee Road
Buffalo Grove, Illinois 60089
(847) 718-4160
Contact: Jim Black
  • Faculty instructor in string bass

 

Illinois Summer Youth Music (1994-1999, 2002-2005)
University of Illinois School of Music CEPS
1005 West Nevada Street
Urbana, Illinois 61801-3883
(217) 333-1580
Contact: Jack Ranney
  • Faculty instructor for week-long music camp
  • Coached two orchestras' middle-school-aged bassists
  • Distinguished by serving five consecutive years at camp where usual policy is to rotate instructors annually

 

New Trier eXtension (1991-present)
7 Happ Road
Northfield, Illinois 60093
(847) 446-6600
Contact: Dr. Janet Hattis
  • Conducted series of lecture and demonstration courses, "All About Jazz"
  • Employed extensive use of audio resources, arranged for provocative sessions from guest lecturers, and featured performances by Swingin' Business, obtained sponsorship from area businesses
  • Not just a history class - practical information disseminated to students, e.g. "Where to go to hear live jazz in Chicago", "How to build a good jazz record collection," etc.

 

SPECIAL PROJECTS & HONORS:

 

KMEA (Kentucky Music Educators Association) (February, 2004)
  • Clinician for Kentucky's statewide convention, Held in Louisville
  • Presented clinics geared toward Orchestra Directors entitled "The Bassics" and "Beyond the Bassics"
  • Worked in sectional rehearsals with their young bassists

 

Illinois ASTA (American String Teachers Association) (January, 2004))
  • Outstanding Studio Teacher Award. "In Recognition of Commitment to the Highest Standards for String Education."

 

"Karr Kamp" (July, 2000)
  • One of less than twenty performers selected to attend month-long clinic in Victoria, British Columbia (Canada), led by the World's Greatest classical doublebass soloist, Gary Karr

 

Midwest Band & Orchestra (December,1999)
  • Clinician; lecture/demonstration on Double Bass Maintenance and Repair for the School Orchestra Director Chicago Hilton & Towers (Sponsor: Geneva International)

 

Fulbright Memorial Fund Japan/US Education Commission (November 1998)
Study Tour of Japan Tokyo and Sagae/Yamagata
  • Awarded a three-week visit with other distinguished American teachers to visit Japan, visiting Elementary, Junior High, High School, Technical School, and College classrooms.
  • Worked with Japanese teachers, administrators, PTA members and students, comparing notes on the educational systems of our two nations.

 

International Society of Bassists (June, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005)
Semi- Annual Convention Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana (2001)
  • presented a lecture,"Different Strokes for Different Folks"
  • coordinated Adult Non-Professional Program for record number of Amateur Attendees

Semi-Annual Convention University of Iowa (1999)
contact Madeleine Crouch
(972) 233-9107 x204
  • participated as "YB" (young bassists) faculty staff member

Semi- Annual Convention Rice University, Houston (1997)
  • Lectured on the topic Balancing Lifestyles : Freelance Jazzer and Studio Teacher
  • appeared with leaders in doublebass pedagogy on a two-hour panel Young Bassists Forum
  • Editor of Young Bassist's Page for Bass World, (1998-present) an international professional journal published by this society
  • Featured May, 1996 calendar "pin-up"; award-winning photo (which had wide circulation "on the wire" through AP) roller-blading with double bass
  • Appeared on front cover of Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette July 8th, 1995

 

Gary Karr Helping Kids (December 15th, 1993/Ongoing)
  • Served as "impresario" to translate generous offer by World's Greatest Classical Doublebass Soloist into a beautiful recital attended by 400+, raising over $2500.00 to repair school instruments in the process! The event was a precedent for an ongoing masterclass series which has so far featured Greg Sarchet (Columbia), Michael Cameron (U of I), and Larry Gray (DePaul), Virginia Dixon (Elmhurst College & Wheaton College), Eddie Gomez (Jazz recording artist; Bill Evans, Chick Corea, et al), Yuan Xiong Lu (Bowling Green State University), David Murray (Butler University)
  • Continues to take a very active role in helping school orchestra directors with instrument up-keep and helping students shop for their first instrument; often finding older, neglected basses and supervising their restoration and set-up

 

Arts Unlimited / Jazz Workshop for Kids (1988-1995)
2919 West Giddings
Chicago, Illinois 60625
(773) 588-5616
Contact: Helen Donovan
  • led my own jazz quartet, Swingin' Business, providing educational as well as entertaining shows for children's groups, aged and infirm, handicapped, emotionally disturbed, or economically disadvantaged (program now defunct due to cuts in both public and private sector funding)

 

BUSINESS

SMR Doublebasses is the instrument and accessory dealership, dedicated to the specific needs of the dooublebassist, which has grown to the largest of its kind in the Chicago Area. It is run from my home.

 

EDUCATION

Northern Illinois University (1989-1991)
Master of Music-Performance and Pedagogy/Double Bass
DeKalb, Illinois 60115
Student of Larry Gray

 

Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society

 

Northwestern University (1986-1988)
Bachelor of Arts in Music
Evanston, Illinois 60204

 

DePaul University (1980-1981)
Chicago, Illinois 60614

 

Macalester College (1974-1976)
St. Paul, Minnesota 55105

 

ACTIVITIES

 

Congressional Internship/Campaign Internship (1978)
Congressman Abner J. Mikva
Evanston, Illinois
10th Congressional District

 

FAMILY

I am currently unmarried, but have a son, Edward Stanley, born in 1995, and have adopted a daughter, Julia Carolyn, born in 1999 for whom I continue to play an active and supporting role.

 

INTERESTS

ice hockey and ice skating, reading, bicycling, canoeing, progressive political campaign work, especially at the precinct level, cooking, and playing bridge