All About the Bass with Andy Butler

Tell us a little about yourself and your history with the California Symphony. 

I currently live in Oakland, CA. I started substituting in the orchestra in 1992, eventually joined the section, and then won the Principal bass job in 2007. I play in many of the Bay Area regional orchestras, including Opera San Jose, Oakland Symphony, Marin Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic, and Fresno Philharmonic. I also perform regularly as a substitute with Symphony Silicon Valley, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, Modesto Symphony, and the San Francisco Symphony.

We hear that you tried a few different instruments as a child. What was it about the double bass that ultimately led you to decide on that instrument?

I grew up playing the recorder, piano, trumpet, and then electric bass. I switched over to string bass in high school and became enamored/obsessed with classical music. Playing Beethoven’s 5th Symphony with the San Francisco Youth Orchestra sealed the deal and sent me on my course of pursuing a career as a classical bassist.

Why did you decide to create the Double Bass Dimensions series? 

This series was born out of a massive creative surge as a result of the pandemic and lock down. I wanted to create something that was fun, interesting, involved great melodies, and gave people some insights into the bass world and what the instrument sounds like played in a more soloistic capacity. As the series evolved, I discovered amazing threads between the works, which I will tell you about in the series!

Some of the pieces highlighted in Double Bass Dimensions are more commonly played on cello or violin. What gives? 🙂

The double bass is rarely heard in a solo capacity, although legendary bassists like Gary Karr and Edgar Meyer have been championing the instruments’ abilities for decades. But like an unusual baritone, with a rich and pleasing tone, the double bass can be a melodic instrument!

We hear you and your wife are wicked cooks. What’s a favorite dish that you like to make together?  

My wife is from Peru, and we love to cook lots of her indigenous dishes. Here is a recipe for Chupe de Habas (Fava Bean Chowder).