A note from Scott Faulkner about Edgar Meyer…

Ever since I became executive director of the RCO in 2001, I have dreamed of having Edgar Meyer come to perform with our orchestra. Well, this year the stars aligned, and as you know he will be performing on our March 14-15, 2009 concerts. I’m writing to tell you in as strong a language as I can, DO NOT MISS THESE CONCERTS and TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO ATTEND THESE CONCERTS! This is not the concert to go out of town, or be too tired, or not to have enough money for, or forget to attend.

Simply put, Edgar Meyer is the greatest bass player who ever picked up the instrument. He makes it sound like a bass AND a cello AND a violin. He is the Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali and Warren Buffet and Bill Gates and Yo Yo Ma and Jascha Heifetz of the string bass. If you have not heard his jaw-dropping technique, his beautiful sound, and his mind-blowing musicianship, I envy you that you can still hear his playing for the first time.

They say that when promoting a concert, one is not supposed to use too much hyperbole, in case the experience is a let down. Well, I’m not worried about that. THIS CONCERT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE! YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO HEAR ONE OF THE GREATEST INSTRUMENTALISTS IN HISTORY IN THE INTIMACY OF NIGHTINGALE CONCERT HALL AND IT WILL BLOW YOU AWAY!

In case I didn't make it clear how I feel, here is what some others have said about Edgar Meyer:

“The most remarkable virtuoso in the history of his instrument.” -The New Yorker

“One of the greatest virtuosos on the double bass…he’s also a fabulous composer…I love him as a human being and as a musician.” -Yo Yo Ma

“Quite simply the best bassist alive.” -San Diego Magazine

“Meyer is a chameleon-like virtuoso…no bassist has combined his range of talents in different genres at such a high level.” –Washington Post

"I don't consider that Edgar and I play the same instrument. He is a soul that has decided to locate itself in a bass." -Susan Ranney, principal bassist, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra

"Anyone with Edgar's intensity is going to be somewhat unusual. He's a genius, and that's not a word I toss around lightly. He's also the sweetest, nicest, most interesting guy to hang around with. He has incredible patience. But he also expects everybody to be great, and he really won't accept anything less. He expects you to be in tune and in time, and he expects you to have perfect intonation and to phrase things beautifully. He expects that because that's the way he does it." -Fred Sherry, cellist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

"I sat through an hour and a half of the most awesome bass playing I had ever heard. It was totally overwhelming. Both his technique and creativity were amazing. The musical expressiveness he demonstrated, coupled with his personality, which he wraps around his instrument, was spectacular." -Karen Deal, assistant conductor, Nashville Symphony

Get your tickets by going to: www.renochamberorchestra.org or calling 775.348.9413

You can see and hear Edgar play by going to the RCO's You Tube page: www.youtube.com/renochamberorch