Next Level Bassist Musicality Issue

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Double Bass Section
For classical bass players, there are few pleasures greater than
playing with dedicated and inspiring colleagues. Being able
to surround yourself with great musicians is one of the great
motivations of solitary practice. An amazing bass section can alter the
sound of an entire orchestra. For the first Spotlight column of Next
Level Bassist, we’re very excited to recognize the Pittsburgh Symphony
double bass section as one of the strongest and most impressive in the
United States today. We spoke with the regular and substitute members
of the section to get a 360 degree perspective on sitting in with
one of the best bass sections around.
The PSO section is an impressive array of veteran bass players of many
of the nation’s great orchestras. Coming from legendary orchestras like
the Detroit Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, and San Diego Symphony,
every member of the section plays with both strength and wisdom.
According to Principal Bassist Jeffrey Turner, “it is a daily privilege to
get to work in a section filled with such wonderful bassists, musicians,
and people. Every single member of our section is an asset
to the orchestra.”
One of the rare advantages possessed by the PSO is its relatively fresh
bass player roster. Since his appointment to the orchestra, Mr. Turner
has been present in the hiring of each other member of the bass
section. Imagine being able to craft your own all-star team of players
based on your experience and the incredible support of a great orchestra!
Having a team made up of highly experienced members in the
peak of their careers is the perfect environment to collaborate.
“We all set good examples for each other,” says Turner. “Working in
our section is one of the great joys of my life.” Section member John
Moore likes to think of it as “driving a very smooth and powerful
sports car.”
It’s easy to hear this in the recent Manfred Honeck Mahler series by
the orchestra, where the bass section shines through extremes of dynamics
and color. “We play big and we play together” is the Pittsburgh
Symphony motto, according to regular substitute Brandon McLean.
“Dynamic range in this group is way beyond that of many other ensembles.”
McLean’s first experience as a substitute underscores one of the unique
qualities of the Pittsburgh Symphony itself. Mclean said his feedback
from the section was “to feel free to play out and get into the sound
of the section a bit more. They weren’t interested in someone coming
in and just hiding within the group. That was after a week in which I
was already convinced that I was playing as big and bold as I possibly
could!”
When you listen to a recording of the orchestra, the bass section has a
presence that is only possible through total unanimity. It was surprising
to find, when asked how they adapted to the playing style of the
section, that each player approached the group with a highly individual
voice. According to Jeff Turner, “I don’t like the word ‘blend.’ It
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