polyglotPaul Cannon, Double bass
Double bassist Paul Cannon, originally from the American Pacific Northwest, began music lessons at the age of ten. Studying with the Seattle Symphony's Jordan Anderson, by 14 he was already a member of the Olympia Symphony. At 18, he enrolled at Rice University in Houston, Texas, where he worked with Prof. Paul Ellison. In 2010, a Wagoner Fellowship led him to Paris, where he trained with François Rabbath.
Since 2014, he's been a member of Ensemble Modern. He has been a featured artist with many other ensembles, including the Arditti Quartet, Klangforum Wien, and Musiqa Houston. He has appeared as guest principal bass with the WDR Symphony Cologne and Frankfurt Opera, in addition to frequent guest work with many top international orchestras. His critically-acclaimed portrait album, ›polyglot‹ was released in 2022 at Ensemble Modern Medien.
Beyond performing, Cannon is a trained luthier and advocate for music education. He has given masterclasses and led workshops for composers and double bassists at many renowned institutions. From 2018-2023, he was Artistic Co-Director of the International Ensemble Modern Academy.
His primary instruments include a vintage Paul Toenniges double bass from 1936, a Daniel Hachez five-string bass designed for Ensemble Modern, and a Christian Laborie solo bass. His bows are made by Boris Fritsch.
