American double bassist and pedagogue Lawrence Hurst has
received the International Society of Bassists (ISB) 2013
Distinguished Achievement Award.
Hurst (pictured) was chair of the string department at Indiana
University Jacobs School of Music from 1987 to 2012, and served as
president of the ISB from 1993 to 1995. He is the previous
recipient of several teaching honours, including the Artist Teacher
Award from the American String Teachers Association in 2005, and in
2006 the ISB's Special Recognition Award for teaching.
Hurst took up the bass at the age of 13. He began his professional
career as principal bassist of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under
Georg Solti. He joined the faculty of the University of Michigan
School of Music in 1964, and in 1967 began teaching at the National
Music Camp in Michigan (now the Interlochen Arts Camp). He joined
the Jacobs School of Music faculty in 1986. After his retirement in
June 2012 his former students established a scholarship and annual
medal for double bassists in his name.
The ISB also gave a number of 2013 Special Recognition Awards to
bassists, including Harold Robinson for teaching; Catalin Rotaru
for solo performance; Christian McBride for jazz performance;
Timothy Cobb for orchestral performance; and James Lambert for
historically informed performance. Arnold Schnitzer won the Special
Recognition Award for lutherie. The awards, along with the
Distinguished Achievement Award – the ISB's highest honour – are
given every two years.
Photo: courtesy Indiana University
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