Nicholas Walker, double bass

Professor Nicholas Walker from the Department of Strings performs a recital. The recital will begin with Prof. Walker’s transcription for double bass of J. S. Bach’s Partita in A minor for solo flute, BWV 1013.

The second half of the program will feature 8 original works by Nicholas Walker: In April of 2017 Walker wrote ZUGZWANG – Eight Duos for Double Basses, for Matthew McDonald & Rick Stotijn to play at the 50th Anniversary ISB Convention in Ithaca. The three bassists have a deep love of Germanic music, although they each hail from non-German countries. This inspired a work for bassists from all cultures to play together, eight duos that depict “Eight German language words that do not exist in English, but ought to”:

ZUGZWANG (2017) – Nicholas Walker (b. 1972)
– from Chess; a situation in which an individual is required to make a move, but any move will cause a serious disadvantage.

i. Fernweh – A Longing for Far-Away Places
ii. Frühjarsmüdigkeit – A Sense of Listlessness Brought on by the Coming of Spring
iii. Sehnsucht – Ardent Longing, Pining, or Yearning for Unattainable Life Experiences
iv. Fingerspitzengefühl – “Fingertips Feeling” – Intuitive Empathy with Things & People
v. Weltschmerz – Despair Caused by the State of the World
vi. Kopfkino – “Head Cinema” – Playing Out an Entire Fantasy Scenario in Your Head
vii. Geborgenheit – The Perfect Combination of Cozy, Warm, Safe, & Comfortable
viii. Luftschloss – An Unrealistic Dream – an “Air Castle”

FACULTY BIO

Nicholas Walker