The March 2005 featured artist of the month is David Sheets, double bassist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and principal bassist of the Baltimore Chamber orchestra. He is also a former member of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

Hello David,

Question for you. What differences do you see in playing, temperament and overall atmoshpere between the BSO, the SLSO and Rochester?

nice to see myauditions feature some string bass players. i think you were the first. congrats!

David, any comments regarding your old orchestra in St. Louis and the lockout that occurred?

actually early last year, Paul Bresciani, Principal Bass with Buffalo Phil was featured, although I don't remember exactly which month.

Blair-

I guess I would say that all three orchestras are fantastic and underrated. All three have very different styles, largely because of the different halls they play in, and the number of people on stage (RPO has a smaller core orchestra and "B-contract" players to fill out the sections for larger works, whereas SLSO and BSO have more players...and not surprisingly, more money!) There have been players in each of the orchestras who taught me a lot, both by being supportive and by being well... not so supportive.

musician -

When I found out that the St. Louis players were locked out, I was shocked and angry. I knew however, that the musicians would prevail in the end. SLSO is a world-class orchestra by any standard, and full of really good people. What managements need to realize is that players in orchestras like St. Louis have the drive, talent and the intellect it takes to succeed in any number of careers but instead chose to enrich cultural life in our country with their hard work and sacrifice. Employees in any other high-profile professional field who displayed the level of talent, skill, and commitment it takes to play in an orchestra on the level of SLSO would be paid much more. These musicians deserve to be respected and sufficiently compensated. I'm going to be playing in a concert in St. Louis with members of the SLSO and several other orchestras next weekend, and I am really looking forward to it.

Dave, the concert you mention next week in St. Louis, do you have more details on that? is this a collaboration between the BSO and SLSO musicians or something you are doing independently? I didn't see your concert schedule posted on your profile.

Posted on Mon, Mar. 07, 2005
Mac, Here's some info about the concert:

Musicians from 14 orchestras to join symphony in free concert

JIM SALTER

Associated Press

ST. LOUIS - Musicians from 14 other symphony orchestras in the U.S. will join St. Louis Symphony musicians Sunday for a free concert to thank the community for its support during a two-month strike.

The program is planned for 4 p.m. Sunday at the Manchester United Methodist Church in west St. Louis County. It will feature more than 80 musicians who will be directed by Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic.

The concert was originally planned as a benefit to help raise money to support the St. Louis Symphony musicians, who walked off the job Jan. 3 after rejecting a contract offer that called for pay cuts.

But when musicians voted 56-36 March 1 to accept a new contract that provides modest pay increases over the next 3 1/2 years, it was decided to keep the concert but make it free and make it a thank-you to the community, said Carl Moskowitz, a spokesman for the musicians.

"The St. Louis community was there for us during these past eight weeks, and this concert is to show our gratitude and say thank you St. Louis," said Dana Myers, a symphony violinist and a member of the musicians' concert committee.

Zander said the symphony "is here to stay. It is your orchestra and in honor of your support in difficult times, we are giving you an experience of what great music can do for us as individuals and as a community."

The concert will feature Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony, Beethoven's Coriolan Overture and Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet.

Musicians performing in the concert are from symphony orchestras in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, Milwaukee, Nashville, and Philadelphia, along with the New York and Florida philharmonic orchestras.

Dave,

Are there any other players going to the concert n SL this Sunday? I just found out I'll be attending the concert and I'm excited about it, Sunday can't get here soon enough!

Best,
Drew

Drew, SLSO is playing on Thursday and Friday apparently...though I"m not going to get to see it myself since I'm flying out after a morning BSO concert on saturday and heading back to a recording session with my jazz trio on Monday. I'm sure they'll sound great. Here's the program:

Haydn Symphony No. 96, “The Miracle”
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2
Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 4

dave