Joel Quarrington is the principal bass of the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Few bass players have risen from the orchestra to personal fame, but in 2010 Quarrington's solo CD Garden Scene won a Juno. His colleagues at the orchestra threw a reception for him with speeches and cake; he's always had the respect of his peers. Along with principal bass posts at the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Joel Quarrington moonlighted with the London Symphony Orchestra in the U.K. with the official title of "guest principal bass."
Quarrington was born in Toronto and took up the double bass at the age of 11 to complete a bluegrass trio with his brothers. By the time he was 21 he had won prizes in both the CBC talent festival and the Geneva International Music Competition. In addition to the Juno-winning recording Quarrington has released several CDs, and premiered new music for the double bass.
On This Is My Music Quarrington reveals that he is also passionate about the erhu, a bowed instrument from China. Together with his brothers Tony Quarrington, the jazz guitarist and composer, and the late Paul Quarrington, who was a writer and musician, he has recorded several albums playing the erhu.
Joel Quarrington is the host of This Is My Music on Saturday, June 16 on CBC Radio 2, 10:05 a.m. to noon ET, 11:05 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. AT.
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