Music man Graham’s noteworthy career
Double bass date on Sunday
Graham Robb has had a life filled with music.
The moment he struck his first key on the piano as a toddler he was hooked.
From orchestral and jazz bass playing to conducting and even creating the first rock course in Europe, Birnam-based Robb has been hitting the high notes at whatever he is done.
He was even once invited to compose a short opera in the hustle and bustle of New York.
But this Sunday he will be just as excited to oversee and play his beloved double bass in the City of Perth’s Sinfonia as they team up with the city’s Choral Society for a night entitled ‘The Trumpet Will Sound’.
The programme of music by Handel will take place at the Perth Concert Hall.
The small professional freelance orchestra has musicians drawn from all over Scotland, many of whom perform as featured soloists.
It will be yet another memorable string to Robb’s bow.
Robb (69) said: “I was five when I started to play the piano, following my big brother David.
“He and my mother trained as amateur musicians. My dad had no training but earned free drinks in a bar the night he got back from Dunkirk.
“When I was 11 I started to play the double-bass. You have to be a reasonable size to even begin playing that instrument.
“But whatever I’ve done in music over the years, the double bass has remained my main instrument.
“I can’t wait for the upcoming concert. The fact it is all Handel is great as I have a huge passion and appreciation for his music.
“It’s extraordinary to put such an excellent orchestra together – we have top-class players - and to play such astonishing music as though it’s brand new with other musicians who are at the top of their game.
“The featured instrumental soloist on Sunday will be trumpet player Andrew Digger, who is an outstanding talent.”
Robb was born in Aberdeen then studied and lived in Glasgow for 12 years before making Perthshire his home in 1979.
He qualified from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama - now the Conservatoire - in 1972 and his musical involvement has progressed and evolved through the decades.
He said: “When I first qualified I was an orchestral and jazz bass player but more recently I was a choral conductor and composer.
“As a double bass and bass guitar player I was a full time member of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for most of the 70s. As a freelancer I subsequently performed professionally with all of the Scottish orchestras and theatre companies.
“These included the City of Glasgow Philharmonic Orchestra, my own and others jazz quintets and sextets such as HEAD and HEAD2HEAD, for which I wrote and recorded much of the music, and Cameron MacIntosh’s theatre company in ‘Phantom of the Opera.’ During this time I composed music for various art ensembles and BBC radio and TV. With Scottish Arts Council funding I was commissioned to write an extended five movement jazz song-cycle.
“I was also musical director of Perth Operatic Society and wrote and directed the music - mostly original songs - for a number of new shows on the Edinburgh Fringe.
“Around this time I had two music improvisation textbooks, JazzSteps volumes one and two, published by Faber Music.
“In the 80s I created the first full-time rock music course in Europe at Perth College and then was appointed assistant director of music at Glenalmond College.
“My primary duty was to coordinate and conduct music theatre, teach composition and music technology and to conduct the excellent choirs for three rehearsals and chapel service each week.
“I was appointed musical director of Pitlochry and District Choral Society. This role involved conducting a wide range of mainstream 20th and 21st century music.
“I wrote a considerable amount of new music, notably settings of a group of six poems by the American pacifist poet EE Cummings, a Christmas song and also arranged Carpentier’s Messe de Minuit.
“I was invited two compose a short opera, ‘Flora and the Prince’ for a chamber opera festival at Carnegie Hall in New York and flew over to supervise rehearsals.
“I was subsequently invited to conduct Dundee
University Chamber Choir in an extended oratorio version of that piece.”
Yet Robb has recently turned his artistic talents in a new direction – after taking up photography. A camera has become the latest instrument he has tried to master across a long and distinguished career.
After taking pictures of landscapes near his home he has now branched out into capturing sports action.
He added: “Three or four years ago I just felt the need to remain creatively active but with a change of direction. I bought my first Nikon DSLR camera and knew I was at the beginning of a steep learning curve.
“I’ve dabbled in still-life and landscape photography and I’m a contributor to Shutterstock and Dreamstimes image libraries.
“But I like photographing people most and have found myself drawn to photographing action sports.
“I now regularly travel all over Scotland and the north of England honing my photographic skills at mountain biking, motocross, drag strip, and rowing events.
“Then in the summer I saw an internet advertisement from Newmains United junior football team, who play in North Lanarkshire.
“I responded and have since covered most of their games. Having 22 people to photograph all at once is a new skill in itself.”
Tickets for The Trumpet Will Sound are £16.50 for adults and £14.50 for concessions.
More information can be found in the events section at www.horsecross.co.uk