The Brazilian born double bassist Alexandre Ritter has a diverse Career as a symphonic musician, chamber musician, soloist, researcher, pedagogue and producer. his art and work has led him to play, produce and present lectures in countries like Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Holland, Italy and USA.
BIO
Alexandre develops since 2000, artistic, pedagogical and research work at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS (Porto Alegre / RS-BRAZIL), and has been maintaining an active studio since then.
Alexandre received both a Doctor of Musical Arts and Bachelor Degrees from the University of Georgia in the USA, and pursued Master’s studies at the University of British Columbia in Canada. He was also a recipient of scholarships for programs such as for the Academia Musicale Chiggiana in Siena/Italy receiving a Diploma di Mérito, for the Campus Internazionale di Musica in Sermoneta in Italy, for the Banff Orchestral Program and for the Toronto Summer Music Academy in Canada, as well as for the North Caroline School for the Arts in the USA. In addition, he has had the opportunity to play in important festivals and symposiums and learn from bassists such as A. Guaracy Guimarães, Milton R. Masciadri, Milton W. Masciadri, Kenneth Friedman, Franco Petracchi, Joel Quarrington, Edwin Barker, Gary Karr, and Francois Rabbath, among others.
Alexandre’s professional experience as an orchestral player includes engagements with ensembles in North and South Americas, including the ARCO chamber orchestra, the Savannah, Charleston, Greenville, Athens and Augusta symphonies as well as Theatro São Pedro Chamber Orchestra, the Porto Alegre (OSPA), UNISINOS and Paraná Symphony (OSINPA) orchestras in Brazil.
As a soloist, Alexandre has had the opportunity to play Giovanni Bottesini’s Concerto No. 2 as well as the S. Koussevitzky Concerto with the Orquestra Sinfônica de Porto Alegre-OSPA. With Camerata Florianópolis, he played Nino Rota’s Divertimento Concertante, and with Orquestra de Câmara da Ulbra, he did the world premiere of Marcelo Nadruz’s Concertino Ars Antiqua. Moreover, in 2016 Alexandre performed as a soloist the piece Sconcerto by Armando Trovajoli, with Symphony Orchestra of UCS.
As a researcher, Alexandre has worked in collaboration with the famous pedagogue and performer of double bass, Francesco Petracchi, and the result of this research project culminated with a DMA dissertation in 2010, which is now published in its entirety at the Online Journal of Bass Research - OJBR.
Other significant examples of his research and bibliographical abilities and production can be evaluated in two articles he published with the Bass World magazine. Furthermore, Alexandre has presented in the USA, Brazil, and Europe many lectures and presentations, such as the 2014 European Bass Congress.
As a producer, Alexandre has been the director for the Encontro Internacional de Contrabaixistas Milton Romay Masciadri, since its first edition in 1999, when he divided the coordination with the bassist Walter Schinke. Now, the Event is in its fourth edition.
In these important symposiums, he has managed and brought to Brazil a few of the most important performers and pedagogues in the double bass area, with names such as Milton W. Masciadri, Francesco Petracchi, and Joel Quarrington. Furthermore, in 2005 along with INMETRO public corporation in Brazil, Alexandre had the opportunity to be the Executive Producer, Artistic Director and bass player in the project entitled “Die Forelle”, “The Trout” by F. Schubert. In this project, it was produced, recorded, and played a tour in Brazil, as well as produced an artistic and pedagogical website.
In 2014/5, Alexandre developed a Jazz, Music of the Americas and own compositions project with the guitarist and singer Raul Leitão.
All his work and art has led him to play, produce and present lectures in countries like Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Holland, Itay and USA.