Meet double bassist Anton Tuxen
Thanks to the generous support of music lovers, the Musical Instrument Fund is able to make its exceptional collection of instruments available to talented musicians. This includes Anton Tuxen, who has been on loan from the fund a Dutch-made instrument since February. It is a cello built by René Zaal in Arnhem in 1994. In a short interview, Anton explains why this instrument appealed to him.
Why were you looking for a different instrument?
My ambitions and skills as a double bassist were becoming more serious and more refined. Thanks to my experience with the electric bass guitar, I knew that the combination of a good instrument and many hours of playing time to really get to know it would be the best way to help me find my own sound and make rapid progress.
Which double bass from our collection did you choose, and why?
I met René Zaal earlier this year and was able to try out his 1994 double bass. I immediately felt that the instrument was easy to play and had a beautiful, full sound. I could totally imagine myself playing this bass a lot. I asked René to put Evah Pirazzi strings on it, and once that was done, I was completely sold!
Was it hard to say goodbye to your previous instrument?
It was easy for me to part with my old instrument because I constantly had to switch between the double basses my school provided. Because of that, I never really had the chance to delve into the qualities of any one of those instruments.
What are you looking forward to now that you have the Zaal double bass on loan from the foundation?
I’m looking forward to playing this double bass during my final double bass exam for my bachelor’s program at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. I hope to be able to demonstrate my connection and affinity with this instrument then!
