The annual bass conference helps young musicians develop their skills and art by ensuring talented young bassists access to the best teachers. The Richard Davis conference for young bassists is an event for all young bassists age 3-18, any level of experience, from beginner to advanced. It provides an opportunity for youths to engage with some of the best bass teachers and performers and make new new friends from around the country in an educational environment where they can grow and explore new possibilities on the upright string bass and bass guitar. The conference showcases many types of music and encourages young people to explore many different styles of music on the bass.
Every Easter Weekend since 1993 young bassists from around the country and their families convene for the Richard Davis Foundation for Young Bassists annual Conference. Every year, the exact structure of classes and content of classes changes based on the interests, skills, and previous knowledge of the participants; the expertise areas of the clinicians; and other factors like number of total students or space available etc., but the weekend is always generally has the same overall structure. The two day conference can broadly be outlined by a series of events to train young bassists and their families on what it is to be a bass player while networking with experienced professionals.
Activities throughout the two days include:
- Warm ups
- Recitals
- Master Classes (or group lesson/private lesson)
- Q&A sessions with the ‘experts’
- Special topic classes
- Sectionals
- Bass Orchestra Rehearsal
- Bass Orchestra and excerpt
- Small ensemble rehearsal (quartet, trio, quintet etc.)
- Meal time as a group (networking and informal conversation)
- Concerts (Student and Faculty)
