Page 233 - PDF Flip TR Program Demo

instruments. That’s pretty much the function for the double bass in pieces by Mozart and Bach. It’s pretty simple and straightforward, and a very important part. Without it, things just wouldn’t sound right.
DH: In addition to performing, you also compose. How did you get interested in writing music?
XF: There isn’t much [solo] repertoire for the double bass. The only way to play different pieces is to make those pieces; otherwise, there’s nothing to play. When I started, I didn’t have a teacher. I just wanted to write down what I heard. Typically, if I can make sense of what I hear, then the audience sees what I see. If it sounds good to me, it sounds good to them. I listen with very non-biased ears. If I hear
something and it makes sense, I’ll put it down on paper. It’s that simple, really.
DH: How do you experiment and discover new sounds with your instrument?
XF: If I hear a sound, I have to find a solution, and most of the time I do find a solution. Sometimes it takes weeks, but
I keep trying and experimenting. [These sounds] are not the sort of sounds that I’ve been trained to do in college or was taught by teachers in high school. I don’t discriminate the sounds that I hear. If I hear it and it makes sense in my work, I’ll put it in. This is all about providing a storyline for the au- dience that’s engaging, easy to understand, highly accessible, and something different than all the other pieces have to offer.
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