Widely considered the greatest double bass soloist of our time, world-renowned virtuoso Gary Karr will perform tonight at Taishi Bunka Kaikan Hall in Hyogo Prefecture with the piano accompaniment of his long-time duo partner Harmon Lewis, one of the final concerts of his 11-city, 3-week tour of Japan. Regrettably, the tour will mark Karr's last visit to Japan before he retires from performing next year.
Born in Los Angeles in 1941 into a seven-generation family of bassists, Karr started to play at age 9 without ever considering any other instrument. His talents were soon apparent, and encouraged by a high school teacher to pursue a career in music over medicine, he went on to study at the University of Southern California, Aspen Music School and the Juilliard School.
In 1962, at the age of 21, Karr was asked to play a recital at Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. Televised internationally, the highly acclaimed recital served as a launching pad for Karr, the first person in history to pursue a full-time career as a solo double bassist.