It is an honor and a pleasure to welcome Orin O'Brien to the show!  I've been hoping to have Orin as a guest for years, and I want to give a big shout-out to Chris Mathers for connecting the two of us! We chat about numerous shared acquaintances, including Greg Sarchet, Miloslov Gajdos, David Grossman, Ira Gold, Ed Barker, Hal Robinson, Max Dimoff, Michael Hovnanian, Douglas Mapp, and Ron Wasserman. More About Orin New York Philharmonic bassist Orin O’Brien was born in Hollywood to parents in the film industry, George O’Brien and Marguerite Churchill, and received her early musical training in Los Angeles, where she studied with Milton Kestenbaum and Herman Reinshagen. She then studied in New York with Frederick Zimmermann and graduated from The Juilliard School, and is an alumna of the Music Academy of the West, now a partner in the New York Philharmonic Global Academy. She has been a member of the New York Philharmonic since 1966, where she has played with the world’s leading conductors. She has participated in numerous chamber music festivals, including Marlboro, and in first performances of the Gunther Schuller Quartet for Four Double Basses. She co-chaired the double bass department of The Juilliard School for ten years, and currently serves on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music and Mannes College of Music. Her most recent chamber music performances were the quintets of Schubert and Dvorak with the Guarneri String Quartet. We dig into a wealth of topics, including: how Orin came to study with Fred Zimmerman how to play specific excerpts the switch from gut strings to steel strings and the premiere of the Gunther Schuller Quartet (these two events are interlocking) how Orin felt about being the first woman in the NY Phil (the answer will surprise you!) how to really be a good principal player what trips people up in auditions New York in the 50s Herman Reinshagen and the bass lineage of the 20th century the great premieres throughout her career how special Riccardo Muti is as a conductor, and what makes him special - one of the living greats what was special about the musicianship of Carlos Kleiber how a great conductor can use imagery to inspire the orchestra Links to Check Out: Double Bass Notebook - amazing book by Orin O'Brien Orin's New York Philharmonic page the Manhattan School of Music double bass program Orin O'Brien Tribute from ISB 2013 (arranged and conducted by Inez Wyrick and narrated by Kristin Korb) Felix Weingartner - On the performance of Beethoven’s Symphonies (PDF) Women in Orchestras panel discussion with Orin - Brooklyn Museum the Miloslav Gajdos video Orin references Corresponding with Carlos: A Biography of Carlos Kleiber Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by: The Upton Bass String Instrument Company.  Upton's Mittenwald model is a sister to their popular Brescian model.  The contrabasses from the Mittenwald school are characterized by a high-shouldered gamba pattern with outside linings on deep ribs, resulting in a fine orchestral double bass. Our version incorporates all the ergonomic improvements and geometries found in other Upton models, with great flexibility in sizing afforded by the stout German pattern. The gamba pattern, especially when combined with a flat back, allows us to build this instrument in the 5/8ths sizing of the Kloz copy, all the way up to a large 7/8ths pattern built to lift a string section or push a big band. Bass Violin Shop -  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! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!