Rob Wolanski
Q: When did you start playing?
A: I started playing guitar and cello at age 12.
Q: What made you choose your instrument?
A: The guitar quickly led me to take up electric bass which then made me interested in the double bass. The double bass seemed a more logical choice than cello in that context. I was also really thrilled by the sound of the double bass, and I still am!
Q: What is your most memorable HPO experience?
A: I really enjoyed playing Mahler Symphony #4 last season. I also remember an especially stunning rendition of Mascagni’s Intermezzo from ‘Cavalleria rusticana’ on the Popera program 2 seasons ago. Every note seemed to be just perfectly placed with just the right feeling.
Q: What kind of things do you like to do when you’re not playing?
A: I don’t know if this counts since it’s still music… one of my ‘recreational’ activities is playing in a Peter Gabriel era Genesis tribute band. I play electric bass, 12 string acoustic and electric guitars as well as bass pedal synthesizer.
Q: Who is your favourite composer to play or listen to?
A: Overall, my favourite composer is Verdi. For symphonic and string quartet writing I love Shostakovich.
Q: Favourite book? Movie?
A: My favourite book is ‘The Fionavar Tapestry’ by Guy Gavriel Kay. My favourite movie is Edward Scissorhands
Q: Who was your hero when you were 10? Who is your hero now?
A: When I was 10, I really liked Gene Simmons from KISS. He’s one of the first people that made me aware of the bass. He also made me appreciate the importance of entertaining people rather than just simply playing music at them. One of my heroes now is Tullio Serafin, perhaps the greatest 20th century Italian opera conductor.
