Libsyn Directory

1145: Bowen Ha on his audition process

Release Date: 05/14/2026

1161: Daniel Chiva Sanz on Intonation, Audition Prep, and Daily Mozart

Contrabass Conversations

returns to the podcast to discuss his latest project, , a new technique book that applies concepts from his books to the second movements and minuets of Mozart symphonies. Daniel shares how his work as a performer, teacher, and creator has led him toward a brass-inspired approach to sound, pitch center, and hand-shape precision, and he reflects on how fundamental technique has shaped his audition preparation, orchestral playing, and overall confidence on the bass. We dig into why Mozart’s slower movements make such effective daily studies, how Daniel uses color-coded markings to focus on...

1160: What Bottesini Really Wrote - Mark Morton’s Urtext Editions

Contrabass Conversations

joins Jason to discuss his decades-long project of Giovanni Bottesini’s music. Drawing on 3,656 photographs of manuscripts from the Biblioteca Palatina in Parma, Mark has completed editions of 11 works so far, with the goal of eventually covering all 84 of Bottesini’s compositions. He explains how he compares multiple surviving versions, preserves the composer’s choices, and avoids imposing editorial preferences—including in familiar pieces such as . The conversation explores the advantages of writing the bass part in the sounding octave, or suono reale, as well as Bottesini’s...

1159: Cole Davis and Jason Heath teach each other bass lessons!

Contrabass Conversations

is a bassist, composer, educator, and the creator behind , where he brings a playful, practical approach to jazz bass education. In this episode, Cole and Jason Heath trade lessons across the classical/jazz divide, building on their previous and digging into Cole’s ideas around walking lines, open strings, and groove. Jason then turns the tables with a bow lesson for Cole, covering fresh rosin, French bow hold, using the whole bow, vibrato as its own hand position, “uni-finger” concepts, and finding a thicker arco sound through bow weight, contact point, gravity, and relaxation. Enjoy,...

1158: Neal Miner on Juzeks, Golden Spirals, and the Art of Playing Bass Melodies

Contrabass Conversations

New York City jazz bassist joins the podcast to talk about his new , an 11-song collection designed for students and professionals to use in ensemble settings. Neal shares how longtime collaborator Chris Byars encouraged the project, how the book grew into play-alongs and a , and how his work as a bassist, teacher, composer, and documentary filmmaker all connect through a patient “chip away” creative process. We dig into Neal’s love of bass melodies, contrafacts, gut strings, his longtime Juzek bass, Golden Spiral strings, DPA mic setup, recording acoustic bass, and the...

1157: Kathryn Schulmeister on Imagining Hands

Contrabass Conversations

joins the podcast to talk about , her debut solo album on . A bassist, improviser, composer, and , Kathryn brings together contemporary music, storytelling, extended technique, and deeply personal experience in a project shaped by her time at UC San Diego, her work with Mark Dresser, and the narrative world of Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ Women Who Run With the Wolves. We dig into the album’s connection to The Handless Maiden, the thread-and-tabletop bass techniques behind “Underground Forest,” the prepared-bass sounds of “Harrowing,” the role of injury and recovery in “Silver...

1156: SoJung Kim’s journey from Korea to the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra

Contrabass Conversations

joins the podcast to share her journey from discovering the double bass in Korea to joining the . A graduate student at the studying with Peter Lloyd, SoJung has performed with the One Korea Youth Orchestra and Orchestra Ensemble Seoul, spent summers at the and , and first came to the instrument after hearing the deep resonance of a bass ensemble at her cousin’s concert. We talk about SoJung’s move from solo repertoire into the world of orchestral excerpts, the wake-up call of studying alongside highly prepared Colburn colleagues, and the practice routines that helped her prepare for a...

1155: Orion Miller on preparation, structure, and trusting the process

Contrabass Conversations

joins the podcast to talk about his path from growing up in New York City to joining the bass section. Orion studied at the with Tim Pitts and spent formative summers at places like , , and . We dig into Orion’s audition journey, including getting cut from the San Francisco Symphony preliminaries, rethinking how he prepared, and eventually winning the job after a trial week. Orion shares the practice system that changed everything for him, from 25% tempo work and Galamian-style rhythms to mock auditions, detailed listening, score study, and learning to trust the process. We also talk...

1154: Dominik Wagner on teaching, competitions, and finding your sound

Contrabass Conversations

returns to the podcast for a wide-ranging conversation recorded during his visit to San Francisco for the 2026 . A prizewinner for many major solo competitions, Dominik has built an extraordinary career as a soloist, chamber musician, recording artist, and pedagogue, with albums including Giovanni Bottesini - Revolution of Bass, Chapters - A Double Bass Story, and Double Bass Rhapsody. He currently teaches at the , and his work continues to expand what is possible on the double bass. We dig into Dominik’s daily “musical hygiene,” his thoughts on posture, motion, sound, vibrato, setup,...

1153: Remembering Don Prell

Contrabass Conversations

Don Prell passed away in 2026 at age 97. Born in 1929, Don went on the road with the Frank Ortega Band, played with people like Buddy Rich and Chet Baker, and was in the original Bud Shank Quartet. He played for the San Francisco Symphony for 30 years and, after retirement, formed his own group called the Sea Bop Ensemble, which played at various San Francisco spots, including the legendary . Thank you to our sponsor! – CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class...

1152: Noa Eve on Late Bloomer, Edgar tuning, and finding your own musical lane

Contrabass Conversations

(NoaBass) joins the podcast to celebrate the long-awaited release of ,* a debut album that blends virtuosic arco playing with the rhythmic grit of bluegrass, old-time, and acoustic music-making. We talk about the “10 years in the making” arc from Jason first hearing Noa play in the Bay Area to recording the album over three intense days in Portland, plus what it takes to bring a bass-forward project to life with a full band. Along the way, Noa shares how touring and real-world gig reps shaped their groove, arranging instincts, and confidence, plus why Edgar tuning and a lighter, more...

More Episodes

Bowen Ha joined the San Francisco Symphony at the start of the 2024–25 season after training at Juilliard with Timothy Cobb and Harold Robinson, and appearing as a substitute with major orchestras.

Born in Shanghai, Bowen’s path ran from piano to cello and finally to bass, through Interlochen, the Shanghai Conservatory’s affiliated program, and Juilliard.

We dig into the nuts-and-bolts of what changed between Bowen’s early pro auditions and his San Francisco win: obsessing over details and doing daily metronome work.

Enjoy, and connect with Bowen on Instagram and YouTube!

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