The Mind Over Finger Podcast 068 Lauren Pierce: Bassically Fabulous
This week, I’m speaking with fabulous double bass player, Lauren Pierce!
Known for her hugely popular YouTube channel, which features her virtuosic performances and has more than 13 thousand followers and 1.3 million views, Lauren is a highly regarded soloist, musical innovator, and educator.
As you’ll hear in our conversation, Lauren is an amazingly thoughtful musician, who has put a great amount of effort in refining the process of practicing and expanding her skills and artistry.
Among many things, we discuss her highly intentional and effective approach practicing and learning new repertoire, how our habits and our rituals create the life we have, and the importance of having clarity in building a career.
Lauren also talks about
- How her musical path unfolded
- How the repertoire for the double bass is evolving these days
- How her deep love of the instrument, her passion for music, and her profound interest for the process fuel her enthusiasm for practicing
- Her amazing program - The Virtuosity Blueprint
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MORE ABOUT LAUREN PIERCE:
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXd5tle97L70_79yl72c32g
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenPierceBass/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bassicallyfabulous/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bassicallyfab?lang=en
Lauren’s amazing Virtuosity Blueprint program: https://laurenpierce.lpages.co/the-virtuosity-blueprint/
Lauren Pierce is one of those generational instrumentalists with not only the technique necessary to excel on her instrument, but with a flair and presentation that amazes everyone who watches her musically navigate on the double bass. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Lauren began her musical studies at the age of seven on piano and voice. Later, she was introduced to the Double Bass and soon began lessons with the late Douglas Sommer, section bassist for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
She continued her studies at the University of South Carolina under the tutelage of Dr. Craig Butterfield. During her studies at USC, Lauren was given the Presser Scholar Award, named a Magellan Scholar, and in 2010, performed a concerto with the University of South Carolina Symphony as the winner of that years USC Concerto Competition. After graduating from USC, Lauren moved to Denton, Texas to study with Jeffrey Bradetich and work as his Teaching Fellow. As a Teaching Fellow, she was in charge of maintaining a studio of college-aged double bassists and often running master classes for the full double bass studio at UNT. During this period, Lauren competed in the American String Teachers Association Competition and the International Society of Bassists Competition. In 2016, she was named a Pirastro Strings Artist, sponsored by the largest bowed string company in the world, Pirastro Strings.
Her popularity through performance videos on YouTube is unparalleled in the classical music world. Lauren is regarded as a musical innovator through her performing and teaching, and is famous for playing works for instruments other than the double bass with ease and virtuosity.
Lauren has worked in many different genres and artistic mediums. She has worked as a section member for many orchestras, including the South Carolina Philharmonic, the Austin Symphony, the Austin Lyric Opera, and the Laredo Philharmonic. Lauren appeared as a soloist in the 2011 film "Luz," by Los Angeles filmmaker Ellie Ann Fenton. She has recorded as a soloist on multiple albums, including singer-songwriter Collin Hauser's debut album Collin Hauser, Fall River Footman's Mullen Road, and R&B artist Mikaela Kahn's Milk And Honey.
Lauren brings an impressive performance repertoire to the table, exceptional for the double bass, where she takes many a risk playing works designed for more versatile and manageable smaller instruments. Most critics find her flair and presentation almost magical. Her music has been featured many times on sites such as Classic FM, MusicOff, The Entreprenurial Musician Podcast, Discover Double Bass, Jason Heath's Double Bass Blog, Patternroot, and more.
Lauren is a frequent clinician at several workshops, including the Bradetich Summer Bass Camps, the Austin Bass Workshop, and Bassmania at Columbus State University. She resides in Austin, Texas, where she enjoys teaching, performing, and working on her zombie romance novel, The Loving Dead.
Lauren plays on a small Italian instrument, built by an unknown maker, ca. 1850s.
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THANK YOU:
Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show’s musical theme! Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.
Also a HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly!
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