Discovery tour: The octobass and the Maison symphonique
Did you know that the OSM is one of the few orchestras to boast three octobasses? Come and meet Eric Chappell, who will unveil the secrets of this exceptional instrument. Then take a self-guided tour of the Maison symphonique, one of the world’s most prestigious concert halls!
Artists
Eric Chappell, host and octobassist
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Eric Chappell
Principal octobass and assistant bassEric Chappell studied with Theodore Mayer, Joel Quarrington and Mike Leiter at McGill University. He caught the “music bug” while playing in the Niagara Youth Orchestra, and a summer internship with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada combined with the training he received at McGill confirmed his musical career. As a student, he had the opportunity to hear the OSM at Notre-Dame Basilica in a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony no. 5. He joined the Orchestra in 1999, and among his favourite memories is the concert to inaugurate the Maison symphonique, as well as his first concert at Carnegie Hall with the OSM. A low-frequency champion, Eric dreamt of playing an instrument that was even bigger and lower-sounding than the double bass; his dream came true in 2016 when the Canimex company commissioned an octobass for loan to the OSM. It is the only instrument of its kind actively played by an orchestra.
