1135: John Mietus and the World-First "Butterfly Lovers" on Double Bass
Contrabass Conversations · Jason Heath
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Show Notes
John Mietus is a composer, double bassist, and conductor, currently Associate Principal Bass with the Auckland Philharmonia. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Ohio, John started playing bass at age four and went on to study with some legendary teachers while building a career that spans orchestral playing, chamber music, teaching, and composition.
In this episode, John and Jason dig into John's world-premiere performance of the "Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto" (He Zhanhao and Chen Gang) on double bass with orchestra in Changsha, China, on January 1, 2026, and what it took to make a faithful transcription of such an iconic work.
John shares how he approached the arranging process, why he ultimately chose fifths tuning, the practical realities of living in that tuning for months, and the string setup that helped him pull it off. They also discuss expanding the bass repertoire through transcription, the ways conducting and composing enhance a bassist's musicianship, and John's work as a teacher.
Enjoy, and follow John on his website, Instagram, and YouTube!
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Gear used to record this podcast
- Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder
- Rode Podmic
- Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera
- Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens
- Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens
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