Jon McCullough-Benner serves as principal bass of the Milwaukee Symphony, assistant principal bass of the Grant Park Symphony, and is on faculty at Roosevelt University.  Jon joins the Milwaukee Symphony after serving as principal bass with the Oregon Symphony. We dig into: studying with Owen Lee, Albert Laszlo, and Bruce Bransby the dangers of getting too tied up in rhythm and pitch fundamentals Jon's "early bird gets the worm" philosophy why practicing at quarter note = 60 works so well ...and much more! Follow along with all of our audition-related content at contrabassconversations.com/auditioning Links to check out: double bass study at Roosevelt University see Jon teach and perform at the Chicago Bass Festival in 2017 Thanks to our sponsors! This episode is brought to you by D’Addario Strings! Check out their Kaplan strings, which have versatility and control throughout the dynamic spectrum, rich tonal color palette, superb bow response, and beautiful balance. Enter our latest string giveaway for Kaplan strings at contrabassconversations.com/strings! Thank you also to the Bass Violin Shop, which  offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome! This episode is also brought to you by Rosin Saver, a revolutionary storage device that keeps bass rosin feeling as fresh as the day it was made. Rosin Saver is used by members of the New York Philharmonic, the MET orchestra, the Los Angles Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony, and many others. Use the promo code 'HEATH' at checkout for 10% off any and all orders from rosinsaver.com. Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!