Bradley Opland, Double Bass
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Bradley Opland joined the CSO bass section in 1994. He is a member of CCME (Chicago Chamber Musician's Ensemble) and plays electric bass every Sunday at 3rd Baptist Church of Chicago.
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KENNY’S GUARNERI
Why did I write this story? Why does anyone write a story? I guess the clearest reason I can come up with for myself is that I always wanted to write a book.
Chapter 1
Let me begin by telling you how I see myself today. It is not that different than when I was a child. Like many people of my age and background I once had an elementary school teacher who decided to give me the Classic Psychology Assignment: “Write Your Own Obituary”. As I remember, the creative part (the content of my dream life) was easy but coming up with the required number of words, spelling and grammar was a little more challenging.
Looking back the story was basically based on the father of a friend and teaching colleague of my father’s. My Dad was a Public School Orchestra Teacher and my Mother was the Neighborhood Piano Teacher. The other guy was a Retired Bass Player from a professional orchestra that I eventually became a member of.
I met this Professional Bass Player once or twice and heard tale of his magnificent bass, a Guarneri, which was not for sale because it was too valuable. His son, my dad’s friend and colleague played the electric bass at a supper club and taught school in my dad’s school district. My favorite story of Kenny (the Retired Bass Player) was retold to me by one of Kenny’s colleagues after I had become a member of the Minnesota Orchestra; the same Orchestra Kenny had played in.
The story goes that Kenny invited one of his colleagues to his house on the Mississippi River where he had a yacht docked on his property bordering the river. The guest arrived and walked onto his balcony up on the bluff and waved to Kenny who was standing with his bass on the dock. Apparently everyone was going for a boat ride that would include a performance on Kenny’s Famous Bass. The guest was another String Player who was an Italian Instrument Fanatic who could spend hours talking about the great string instruments he had encountered in his life. He was very aware of Kenny’s Bass and from a distance it looked like Kenny was holding the Bass of Legend. Kenny waved and the bass fell into the Mississippi River and began floating away. Kenny screamed to his friend “Come quickly, if you help me paddle this row boat we can save the bass”.
The Instrument Connoisseur was visibly shaken and charged down the bank of the river to help retrieve the valuable instrument. Kenny then instructed his friend to paddle as fast as he could towards the bass so that Kenny could lean over the side and retrieve the bass. To the guest’s surprise when they finally pulled the bass out of the water he discovered that the bass was made of aluminum. As a bass player I value these Rare Aluminum Basses and at one point in my life I even bought a Grumman Canoe and named it Kenny. Kenny’s friend was not amused.
Now for my assignment “Write your Own Obituary”. My paper was only half a page long so it is fairly easy to paraphrase and reproduce from my memory, mind, brain, soul, conscious, thought, core or whatever part of me decided to write this exposé.
Bradley Alan Opland died today in a freak boating accident in the Gulf of Mexico aboard his Yacht, the Sea Clef. (Sorry I embellished this a little bit. My father’s 1st fishing boat was called the Sea Clef and did not exist at the time I wrote my obituary but it adds 20 more words not including the explanation) Bradley’s wife of fifty years also perished in the explosion. Sadly Bradley’s bass and his wife’s harpsichord were lost as well. Bradley was the principal bass player of the Boston Symphony for 50 years and is survived by his 3 daughters.
Okay, so last year I celebrated my 30th Season in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I do not own a yacht, I have two sons and I am planning on rewriting my obituary to include a peaceful death at the ripe old age of 107.
Bradley Alan Opland - born: St. Joseph’s Hospital, Minot, North Dakota, 8:57am; December 10,1957-
KENNY’S GUARNERI
Why did I write this story? Why does anyone write a story? I guess the clearest reason I can come up with for myself is that I always wanted to write a book.
Chapter 1
Let me begin by telling you how I see myself today. It is not that different than when I was a child. Like many people of my age and background I once had an elementary school teacher who decided to give me the Classic Psychology Assignment: “Write Your Own Obituary”. As I remember, the creative part (the content of my dream life) was easy but coming up with the required number of words, spelling and grammar was a little more challenging.
Looking back the story was basically based on the father of a friend and teaching colleague of my father’s. My Dad was a Public School Orchestra Teacher and my Mother was the Neighborhood Piano Teacher. The other guy was a Retired Bass Player from a professional orchestra that I eventually became a member of.
I met this Professional Bass Player once or twice and heard tale of his magnificent bass, a Guarneri, which was not for sale because it was too valuable. His son, my dad’s friend and colleague played the electric bass at a supper club and taught school in my dad’s school district. My favorite story of Kenny (the Retired Bass Player) was retold to me by one of Kenny’s colleagues after I had become a member of the Minnesota Orchestra; the same Orchestra Kenny had played in.
The story goes that Kenny invited one of his colleagues to his house on the Mississippi River where he had a yacht docked on his property bordering the river. The guest arrived and walked onto his balcony up on the bluff and waved to Kenny who was standing with his bass on the dock. Apparently everyone was going for a boat ride that would include a performance on Kenny’s Famous Bass. The guest was another String Player who was an Italian Instrument Fanatic who could spend hours talking about the great string instruments he had encountered in his life. He was very aware of Kenny’s Bass and from a distance it looked like Kenny was holding the Bass of Legend. Kenny waved and the bass fell into the Mississippi River and began floating away. Kenny screamed to his friend “Come quickly, if you help me paddle this row boat we can save the bass”.
The Instrument Connoisseur was visibly shaken and charged down the bank of the river to help retrieve the valuable instrument. Kenny then instructed his friend to paddle as fast as he could towards the bass so that Kenny could lean over the side and retrieve the bass. To the guest’s surprise when they finally pulled the bass out of the water he discovered that the bass was made of aluminum. As a bass player I value these Rare Aluminum Basses and at one point in my life I even bought a Grumman Canoe and named it Kenny. Kenny’s friend was not amused.
Now for my assignment “Write your Own Obituary”. My paper was only half a page long so it is fairly easy to paraphrase and reproduce from my memory, mind, brain, soul, conscious, thought, core or whatever part of me decided to write this exposé.
Bradley Alan Opland died today in a freak boating accident in the Gulf of Mexico aboard his Yacht, the Sea Clef. (Sorry I embellished this a little bit. My father’s 1st fishing boat was called the Sea Clef and did not exist at the time I wrote my obituary but it adds 20 more words not including the explanation) Bradley’s wife of fifty years also perished in the explosion. Sadly Bradley’s bass and his wife’s harpsichord were lost as well. Bradley was the principal bass player of the Boston Symphony for 50 years and is survived by his 3 daughters.
Okay, so last year I celebrated my 30th Season in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I do not own a yacht, I have two sons and I am planning on rewriting my obituary to include a peaceful death at the ripe old age of 107.
Bradley Alan Opland - born: St. Joseph’s Hospital, Minot, North Dakota, 8:57am; December 10,1957-