Paul Ellison

KCBASS related info:

Paul Ellison has been helping form the pedagogy of the KCBASS behind the scenes more than any other American bassist. His work with the early stages of helping George Vance with his amazing books, Running the first ISB convention founder Johnny Hamil went to in Houston (97) where he met most of the amazing people connected to the workshop, and to being the first student of Francois Rabbath. His phone conversations with founder Johnny Hamil has always led to making the workshop a better place. He has always lended his help with amazing generosity. Another link to kcbass is how many of our faculty have studied under this master teacher. His list include: Ted Botsford, Shawn Conley, Nina DeCesare, Tracy Rowell, and more. Many of these students and more fill our Symphonies and concert halls around the world. All of them visited the amazing summer bass workshop at Domaine Forget, Canada at some point in their lives. It has been the top summer bass event for most of its long history. His wisdom is large and deep as his understanding of the different schools of music thought and how to bring the world of teaching it has changed more than just the world of bass. All ears should be on the words of this amazing faculty member and all of us should show how thankful we are to this person. We hope this paragraph just lets more people know about these amazing things that Paul does for all of us.

Bio

Performing solo and ensemble concerts as well as giving master classes on the double bass and period instruments on four continents, Paul Ellison is the Lynette S. Autrey Professor of Double Bass and chair of strings at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, Visiting Artist-Faculty University of Southern California and guest tutor at the Yehudi Menuhin School, the Royal College of Music, and Bass Club, England.  Current summer positions include principal bass at the Grand Teton Music Festival, faculty/performer at the Sarasota Music Festival and faculty/performer at Festival Domaine Forget, Quebec. 
 
Former students hold titled positions in major ensembles and institutions of higher learning on five continents.  Previous positions include principal bass of Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Aspen Festival Orchestras (also faculty), professor of double bass and chair of strings at the University of Southern California, and president of the International Society of Bassists.   Ellison was the first to receive both the diploma and teaching certificate from Institut International Rabbath, Paris.  “…The treat of the afternoon turned out to be hearing the double bass as a solo instrument…Paul Ellison…demonstrated virtuosity.  [The] bass shines as [the] music festival gets underway.”

Link to Rice University

A great interview with Paul for you that highlights his pedagogical depth.

Here’s a great moment of him teaching a masterclass.