Special Order – One Bass, Please

By Caren Handleman

According to Rex Bozarth, Middle School Orchestra Teacher, bass players enjoy a greater number of opportunities to perform because there are few bass players. A modest statement from a talented teacher and accomplished musician. Bozarth, now in his 15th year at FWCD, earned his BA in Music Education and Master’s of Music in Bass Performance at the University of North Texas.

For a performer, having the right instrument is essential; high-quality instruments produce better sound with less effort. Over his career, Bozarth has purchased and sold five basses. Recently, he had a Lucien Hawkes bass, built in 1907 for the British Army Band. About 100 of these basses were commissioned with the requirement to have a big sound that could be heard over the brass instruments. It served Bozarth well in performances for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and Fort Worth and Dallas Operas. However, it was large and unwieldy to move back and forth.

When he began looking for a smaller, more streamlined instrument, colleagues recommended Upton Bass in Connecticut, which specializes in handmade stringed instruments. Based on Bozarth’s description of his ideal instrument, the company recommended a Kloz bass, which is smaller than the Hawkes, but has a big sound. Upton Bass had access to a Kloz bass, built in 1780 by Matthias Kloz, and created a replica pattern that matches the original’s quality and sound. In this creative process, Bozarth specified the materials to use in building his bass, including the wood type, stain color, varnish and tuning keys. The bottom of the bass is made of hardwood; the top is a softer wood; both types are essential to producing the instrument’s sound. Bozarth selected spalted maple for the body and a dark stain, so it would have the appearance of the original German instrument. It took three months to construct, and he has had it for two years. It takes time to break in a stringed instrument, which gets better the more it’s played. Bozarth’s love of music came from his father, who could play any instrument by ear. As a teenager, Bozarth played bass guitar and was in a band. He noted that performers need to be proficient in a broad range of styles, including jazz, classical and rock. As a professional, he was the resident bassist for 20 years at Casa Mañana, and performed at the Winspear Opera House opening and in the world premiere of Moby Dick, a musical by composer Dave Malloy. He enjoys playing new works of music, especially when the composer is present during rehearsals and performances.