David Heyes (b.1960) studied double bass with Laurence Gray and Bronwen Naish, later at the Royal College of Music in London, and completed his post-graduate studies in Prague with František Pošta (Principal Bass, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra). He has given recitals and masterclasses in 20 countries over the past few years and has been a juror at a number of international competitions, three times as chairman.

David’s collaborative work gained him a prestigious award from the David Walter Charitable Trust of New York for his pioneering activities as a soloist, teacher, publisher, and commissioner of new music for double bass and he works with composers throughout the world to expand the double bass repertoire by commissioning new music and by rediscovering forgotten ones. Since 1983 more than 700 works have been written for him, music from one to twenty basses and from beginner to virtuoso, and he has premiered ten contemporary concertos with orchestra.

David began to compose in 2013 and has had music performed and recorded in 29 countries across five continents. He is a D’Addario Performing Artist and has recently commissioned a solo double bass from British master-luthier Martin Penning.

David Heyes’ Aiming High is a collection of twelve melodic and inventive pieces in thumb position for the advancing double bassist, each in a different key.… The challenges are musical and technical in equal measure, in a range of styles, with a few harmonics and false harmonics added to create variety and contrast. Scale and arpeggio figures help to consolidate a sense of tonality in the higher register and each piece can be played successfully with a range of fingering patterns and hand shapes. Aiming High was commissioned for her students by Susan Hagen (Berklee College of Music/Principal Bass, Boston Pops Orchestra) and builds on the technical skills acquired in Scaling the Heights which focused on moving into and out of thumb position. It is suggested that the appropriate scale and arpeggio are studied alongside each piece.