Savannah native Joseph Conyers brings his double bass and music education advocacy back home
As his fingers clinched the strings of the double bass, Joseph Conyers unleashed a barrage of notes – and when those notes came together – it formed a melody that only Conyers could have put together. It came as no surprise to his fifth-grade music teacher at Savannah Country Day School, who realized his exceptional skillset on the piano would make him a fine double bass player.
From then on, the Savannah native knew he couldn't turn his back on the instrument. After all, it felt natural and he enjoyed the daily rigor and reward of making it come to life. Now, the Savannah native, the principal bass player for the Philadelphia Orchestra, is bringing his love for the double bass back home as he is set to perform March 30 in the Savannah Music Festival.
“It's a really beautiful, soulful instrument with a beautiful sound,” said Conyers. “One of the things I always wanted to do was show that the bass could sing just like any other instrument. I always loved the string family. The bass is not seen like the violin. Everyone knows the violin and the cello but the bass has always been in the background. I always thought how can I bring this instrument to the forefront? I wanted to show that the bass can sing.”
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Conyers is returning home for a two-hour show at Congregation Mickve Israel with his collective of chamber and orchestral musicians making their SMF debut, the Dubhe Ensemble. The Dubhe will perform the "Quintet in the Key of Blue," composed by Stefan L. Smith and co-commissioned by SMF and the National Orchestra Institute.
The Savannah native will also make an appearance at the Garrison School of Visual and Performing Arts to teach a masterclass. But in doing so, he is reminded that many of the faces he embraces may never touch an instrument again. The thought is not only daunting but in some ways upsetting to Conyers, who wonders how many “would-be” musicians had to forgo their calling in life due to a lack of financial support.
“My industry has failed when it comes to recognizing how much privilege it takes to do the work that I do,” said Conyers. “While we were middle class, we were at Country Day on scholarship, we definitely could not afford that school. But there were opportunities afforded to us like Dollars for Scholars. That's so important. Jobs like this is a life investment. A career in the arts and music is so wonderful and it's so rewarding but one must have the resources.”
The contributions made to his music career fueled Conyers to start Project 440. The organization began in Savannah in 2007 alongside fellow musicians Blake Espy and Catharine Gerheiser but moved to Philadelphia when Conyers became assistant principal bass for the Philadelphia Orchestra. Project 440 focuses on music education and performances as an outreach opportunity and to improve accessibility to budding musicians.
“We use students’ passion for music to fuel the desire for service in their community and bettering themselves so that they can be leaders in the community,” said Conyers. “You've got to learn about entrepreneurship, you've got to learn to promote yourself and be entrepreneurial.”
His homecoming reminds Conyers of where his love for playing the double bass began. The double bass, not to be confused with the cello, is twice the size of the aforementioned string instrument and requires more power, control and skill. Conyers said he is grateful to see how the instrument has grown into an intricate part of chamber music.
“What’s exciting for me is I'm playing the cello part on the double bass in the same pitch as the cello,” said Conyers. “It's a lot of high playing and a lot of a register that we don't necessarily pay a lot of our bills with. But it's going to be a lot of fun, and anytime I feel like the bass gets to have its own voice, that makes me happy.”
If You Go >>
What: Joseph Conyers and the Dubhe Ensemble
When: 6 p.m., March 30
Where: Congregation Mickve Israel, 20 E. Gordon St.
Tickets: $57
Info: savannahmusicfestival.org/event/joseph-conyers-dubhe-ensemble
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Joseph Conyers eager to showcase the double bass at Savannah Music Fest
