Double Bass Recital by Dave Whitla, accompanied by Brian Connor (piano)

This is a rare opportunity to hear a double bass recital in a truly historic setting right in the centre of Belfast.

Cork based double bassist David Whitla presents a programme of unaccompanied and accompanied music for double bass.

The double bass is a wonderfully versatile and sonorous instrument, but is often neglected in the solo arena. This recital brings the double bass out from its usual role as a group player and into the spotlight.

David is the double bass instructor at the CIT Cork School of Music and a former member of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. An active chamber musician, David tours and plays regularly with the Irish Chamber Orchestra.  Besides classical music, David is a member of the Colin McLean Latin Trio, and has played in bands with singers such as Karen Underwood, Mandy Murphy, Karan Casey, and Billy Kennedy.

Pianist, producer, arranger and composer Brian Connor studied piano with Professor John O'Conor at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin. A major focus of his career to date has been his collaborations with singers, leading to performancesand recordings with artists such as Ute Lemper (contemporary), Danielle de Niese (opera), Sinead O'Connor (pop), Van Morrison (rock), Agnes Bernelle (Weimar cabaret), Freddie White (Americana), Ramin Karimloo (musical theatre) and jazz vocalist Claire Martin. As an improvising jazz performer, he has been featured at festivals in Europe and America and broadcast on BBCRadio 3, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and RTE.

Brian has been Musical Director at venues in London’s West End,Chicago and on Broadway where he worked as Associate Musical Director with Alain Boublil and Claude Michel Schonberg (Les Miserables, Miss Saigon). He was Musical Director of 'Riverdance – The Show' which toured Europe and the USA.
This recital is promoted by The Bass Academy in conjunction with The Doublebass Workshop, Galway.