Master Class with Paul Ellison

A double bass master class with Paul Ellison, streamed live and recorded at the ISB 2009 Convention at State College, PA. Ellison works one-on-one with student performers in front of a live audience, treating the class as a collaboration rather than a recital.

What's covered

• Why master classes exist: moving from where you are to the next step
• Building trust in your own preparation — getting off the page and away from "the paper with the dots on it"
• Handling performance nerves honestly instead of suppressing them
• Finding a scenario or story for a piece so you engage the audience from the first phrase
• Thinking through multiple ways — physical, technical, emotional — to begin a movement

For bassists and teachers interested in how a veteran pedagogue coaches performance, mindset, and musical storytelling in real time.