Walk Softly and Carry a Big Instrument
Ah, the life of the double bassist — not only do you have to lug around the largest of the stringed instruments, but your playing is constantly being upstaged by those scintillating violins and mellow cellos. But two Shepherd School of Music bassists don’t have to go around begging for either respect or an audience. They earned both this past summer at the 2009 International Society of Bassists Double Bass Competition, the field’s most prestigious competition.
Shawn Conley ’05 earned first place in the jazz division and senior Kevin Brown placed first in the orchestra division. Both studied under Paul Ellison, the Lynette S. Autrey Professor of Double Bass and chair of strings.
“This is the most important event of its kind in the bassist world,” Ellison said. “Placing first in this is similar to an athlete winning the Heisman Trophy. These prizes are as important as they get.”
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“This is the most important event of its kind in the bassist world. Placing first in this is similar to an athlete winning the Heisman Trophy. These prizes are as important as they get.”
—Paul Ellison
For Conley, Ellison was the draw to the Shepherd School. As a youth, Conley attended orchestra classes but never had much enthusiasm for playing until he heard the bass. Hooked on the sound, he convinced his parents to buy him a bass, and while still in high school, he won a position with the Honolulu Symphony. He saw Ellison perform during a summer music festival, and when it came time to consider colleges, there wasn’t a question in his mind.
“I wanted to study with Paul,” Conley said. “He might not remember the first time I met him, but I do. He made a lasting impression on me.”
Conley is thankful that the bass led him to Ellison and Rice. “I came to learn from Paul, but I also found all these other great people and a great environment,” he said. “Rice is a competitive place, sure, but in the Shepherd School, especially in bass, it’s not about competition; it’s about learning from one another.”
Conley took traits from his Shepherd School colleagues with him as he mounted the stage for the International Society of Bassists competition. Though the stylings of jazz are different from those of the classical music he was accustomed to, Conley won the prestigious Scott LaFaro Prize and earned a coveted expenses-paid concert appearance to open the society’s 2011 biennial convention.
“ I came to learn from Paul, but I also found all these other great people and a great environment. Rice is a competitive place, sure, but in the Shepherd School, especially in bass, it’s not about competition; it’s about learning from one another.”
—Shawn Conley
During the summer, Conley worked as a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, which Brown also attended. The two share more than a talent for bass.
“My work at the Shepherd School with Paul has been the basis of what I have been doing for the past two years,” said Brown, who has been playing the bass since he was 3. “It’s what brought me to the level that I’m at.”
After besting a record-breaking field of 50 entries, Brown earned a week’s paid internship with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
“When I took the stage, I just tried to eliminate my ego. I didn’t want to ‘play better’ than the other players; I just wanted to play music,” Brown said. “I had the attitude that whatever happened was going to happen, and I was well enough prepared that even if something went wrong, I could still make a presentable showing.”
Brown said the Shepherd School’s collegiality is one of the best things about his Rice experience.
“Rice is a great place to be a student because there are a lot of resources available,” he said. “The ensemble opportunities are amazing, and so is the faculty.”