Wheaton and Winfield Residents Perform at Double Bass Conference

Wheaton North students Ben Alston of Wheaton, Kevin Stoffel and Josh Yung of Winfield, and Franklin Middle School student Cameron Fuller of Wheaton participated in a two-day conference for young bassists in Madison, Wisconsin on March 29 and 30, 2013.

This was the 20th Annual Richard Davis Bass Conference sponsored by the Richard Davis Foundation for Young Bassists, Inc. Richard Davis, professor of Bass at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is an internationally acclaimed performing and recording artist.

Forty young bass students ages 8 - 18, from 8 different states, participated in master classes and clinics, worked in classical and jazz ensembles, learned famous bass lines from symphonic classics, and performed publicly in recitals. The conference ended with a student concert and grand finale featuring the bass orchestra with more than 50 basses playing together! There was a session on parenting young bassists, master classes of clinicians working with university students, and a clinician recital. Everyone took part in a Q&A session with the 11 master bass clinicians who shared their insights as teachers and performers on subjects that included both European classical and jazz worlds of music.

"This conference gives bassists the opportunity to play with peers and master performers, and helps them gain confidence in their ability,” Davis said.

Ben Alston (freshman), Kevin Stoffel (sophomore), Josh Yung (junior) and Cameron Fuller (6th grade) all study locally with Virginia Dixon from the Suzuki School of Elgin and Music Institute of Chicago as well as Wheaton and Elmhurst Colleges. Stoffel has also studied with Megan Zalocar of Winfield and Ken Haebich of Elmhurst College. Alston's parents are Carl and Mindy Alston of Wheaton. Stoffel's parents are Elizabeth and Jeff Stoffel of Winfield, Yung's parents are Janet and Mike Yung of Winfield. Fuller's parents are Julie and Steve Fuller of Wheaton.

Listen to the entire bass orchestra play a portion of Beethoven's Third Symphony at the Richard Davis Bass Conference at http://youtu.be/NNIozMdUtww.

The Richard Davis Foundation for Young Bassists, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to music excellence for young people.