Jan Alm
Jan Alm, born 1955, studied double bass with Ferdinand Lipa, Göteborg Sweden and Klaus Stoll, Berlin.
After working in Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Norway, as assistant principal for one year he joined the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in 1984, becoming assistant principal in this orchestra in 1986.
The same year, 1986, he was appointed teacher of double bass at the University of Gothenburg, Academy of Music and Drama. Other teaching activities include the summer course of Bass Club in England since 1999.
Jan Alm is the composer of two double bass quartets, written 1984 and 2001. In 2006 he wrote pieces for electric bass and orchestra.
These were performed by Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Stockholm Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Gävle Symfoniorkester as part of a young persons concert production.
This music is available in a Naxos worldwide release of Magnus Rosén's CD "Past Future".
In 2004 Jan Alm was commissioned by London's Royal College of Music Junior Department to write ensemble pieces for young players. The ABC-Trios comprise four small pieces: 'Astounding Antelopes', 'Bad Mood Badgers', 'Crooky Crocodiles' and 'Dynamite Dogs'.
Jan Alm explains that "Group playing has many benefits; young players are often left alone for too long, the orchestra repertoire being either too difficult or too easy for them to progress. A catchy tune or rhythm can bring near-beginners quickly up to speed, especially if they practise with more advanced players."
A cycle of fourteen settings of poems by Swedish Nobel laureate Harry Martinson was completed in 2007. Scored for piano, string quartet and harp these songs have been performed in Sweden and Warsaw, Poland.
A new quartet for double basses called Q for Salamanca was published in 2011.
A new edition of Quartet no 1 for double basses was published in February 2012.