Meet the Musician | Giovanni Vinci

When did music first come into your life?
My parents have always fostered a love and appreciation of music, which meant I was brought up in a very musical family. Each of my older siblings played an instrument from a young age so the sounds of the piano, violin and flute often wafted through the house at any given moment. I was inspired to follow suit and elected the cello as my first instrument.

How did you find yourself playing the Double Bass?
At the age of 10, I was awarded a scholarship opportunity through the West Australian Youth Orchestra (WAYO) to play the double bass (marketed at the time as the ‘Mini Bass Scholarship’). Whilst having private lessons with WASO double bassist Christine Reitzenstein, I joined WAYO’s Sinfonietta Orchestra and thus began my musical adventure on the double bass. I immediately started enjoying the novelty of the instrument, its physical size and vast pitch range. The double bass I initially played on was one-eighth in size.

Is there anything special about your instrument?
I am incredibly privileged to be playing on a double bass crafted by Gabriel Jacquet-Gand, circa 1875. It has been recently restored by luthier and former WASO double bassist, Andrew Tait.

Remarkably, Andrew was alerted to this double bass while it was disassembled in a fishing shed south of Perth. The owner of the double bass, a 93-year-old gentleman remarked to Andrew, “I’ve always wanted to learn the double bass, but I think the opportunity has passed me by!”

The instrument had never been taken apart since it was made; attempted repairs had planks of jarrah fixed from the outside. The double bass retains its original scroll, neck and French pegs, and is of fine craftsmanship of the distinctive ‘Vuillaume Model’.  It is a wonderful piece of unique history to have access to and I am forever grateful to my parents for funding this acquisition.

Do you have any pre-concert or post-concert rituals?
I don’t really have any pre-concert rituals per se, but I do ensure that I am well nourished, calm and walk on stage with a smile.

If you were stranded on a desert island what three things would you choose to have with you?
A writing implement and a book (to document, sketch, and write), and the Complete works of Bach (to sing, study, and discover).

Wait, did you say dessert island? …A never-ending tray of tiramisu!