Celebrating 200 Years of Bottesini! 

Welcome to Getting Together with Gary! On the first Saturday of each month, ISB founder Gary Karr hosts an online salon, inviting captivating guests to share stories, ideas and points of view about the musical life. On Saturday, December 4, Gary will be getting together with...

Chris West, author of the terrific new biography The Paganini of the Double Bass: Bottesini in Britain, and noted Bottesini scholar and enthusiast Tom Martin! Because next month, we'll be celebrating Bottesini's 200th birthday! 

You're invited to an hour or more of new insights into the life of the the great composer and virtuoso, fun facts, storytelling and shared experiences. All who register for by 12 PM US Central time on Thursday, December 2 will have a chance to win a copy of The Paganini of the Double Bass and CDs of the music of Bottesini as performed by Tom Martin. 

ABOUT OUR GUESTS: Versatile author and bassist Chris West is a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral musician, session player and educator. His book Reaching the Heights – A Guide To Thumb Position on the Double Bass has been described as ‘an important contribution to the double bass technique repertoire.’ For over thirty years, Chris has appeared regularly as guest principal with many major UK orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Academy of St.Martin-in-the-fields and Britten Sinfonia. He can be heard on iconic soundtracks such as Downton Abbey, and Harry Potter films. His chamber music recordings have appeared on the RCA/BMG, Hyperion, Naxos and Somm labels.

Tom Martin has long been a household name in the world of the double bass. He has served as principal bass with numerous orchestras around the world, including the London Symphony, and is equally well known as an educator, adjudicator and master luthier. As perhaps the world’s leading champion of Bottesini’s music, Tom has released a landmark series of recordings of his music on the Naxos label, visited archives to research the composer’s manuscripts, edited numerous publications, and lectured and written prolifically about Bottesini's life. Tom’s most remarkable achievement was bringing Bottesini’s neglected Messa Da Requiem for chorus and orchestra back in the spotlight for the first time in a century, conducting several live performances and releasing a critically acclaimed recording.

Mark your calendars, this is a party you don't want to miss! 

Be ready to use the raise-hand feature in Zoom:

• You can virtually raise your hand if you have a question for Gary or his guest(s).
• To raise your hand in Zoom's desktop app, click the "Raise Hand" button in the "Participants" tab.
• In the mobile app, you can raise your hand by tapping the "Raise Hand" option in the "More" tab.
• If you change your mind, you can lower it by clicking "Lower Hand."