'Dittersdorf – Vanhal Double Concertos' on Hyperion is acclaimed first solo CD of double bassist Chi-chi Nwanoku

[Dittersdorf - Vanhal Double Bass Concertos; Chi-chi Nwanoku, double bass; Swedish Chamber Orchestra; Paul Goodwin, conductor; Hyperion CDA67179 (2000)]

The Nigerian-Irish double bassist Chi-chi Nwanoku was featured on AfriClassical on July 24, 2012 when AfriClassical posted: “WHPK-FM Plays Hyperion CD of Nigerian/Irish double bass player Chi-chi Nwanoku in Dittersdorf Concertos July 25 12-3 PM."

The next day, July 25, 2012, we posted: “'Chi-chi: Tales from the Bass Line' will premiere at the Black Harvest Film Festival in Chicago Aug. 5 & 6.” Several months ago I acquired a CD of three Sinfonias of Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf, and the recording has been on my iPod most of the time since then. When I learned of Chi-chi Nwanoku's Hyperion CD of two double bass concertos of Dittersdorf and one by his contemporary Johann Baptist Vanhal I promptly purchased a copy. I was not disappointed by either the choice of repertoire or the quality of the performances.

ArkivMusic.com has compiled excerpts from reviews of the disc:

'A most enjoyable disc' (BBC Music Magazine) 'Nwanoku's playing is both athletic and eloquent in these appealing bass concertos. [She] plays her solo music with due vivacity and skill ... as graceful as can be imagined on her instrument. Paul Goodwin's neat and sympathetic accompaniments, his leisurely pacing and his judicious balance...make this disc even more appealing' (Gramophone) 'An elegant performance. Beautifully played and phrased by Nwanoku, who reveals the lyrical potential of the solo bass' (The Strad) 'Chi-chi Nwanoku is a delightful soloist. [Her] light-as-air sound and technical clarity are a continual source of pleasure' (International Record Review) 'An ideal coupling, very well recorded' (The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs) 'A treat' (Amazon.co.uk)

Chi-chi Nwanoku Bio (Excerpt)
She is currently Principal Double Bass with
the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (of which she is also a founder member), and Endymion Ensemble.

She is Professor of Double Bass Historical Studies at The Royal Academy of Music, Professor of Double Bass at Trinity College of Music in London, and a visiting Professor for the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

Chi-chi was made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in 1998.

She was awarded an MBE for ‘Services to Music’ in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2001.

Chi-chi has a wide range of musical interests, resulting in her involvement in the cutting edge of diverse st on frequent occasionsyles of performance practise.

This includes authentic style baroque performances, through the periods until the contemporary.

She gave the UK premiere performance of Ferneyhough’s ‘Trittico per G.S.’ for solo double bass in 1996, and is the double bass soloist on the recording of Alexander Goehr’s ‘Sing Ariel’, conducted by Oliver Knussen.

Chi-chi compiled a varied solo programme for the BBC Radio 3 series ‘Tuning Up’, which was selected for ‘Pick of the Week’. She has also been interviewed for ‘Woman’s Hour’, ‘Kaleidescope’, and ‘Comparing Notes’.

She was featured as a soloist on a BBC 2 television series ‘Strings, Bows and Bellows’, and Channel 4 television’s ‘Shooting Stars’ in 1994/5. She presents a weekly programme Radio Three Requests on BBC Radio 3 every Sunday 2-4pm. Chi-chi was a jury member of 'Classical Star', featured on BBC 2 TV in 2007. Her extensive discography includes three recordings of Schubert’s ‘Trout’ Quintet, with Domus, Hausmusik and Trio Fontennay with Nabuko Imai (viola), for Virgin, EMI and Teldec respectively. There are also recordings of the Schubert Octet, Beethoven Septet, Rossini String Sonatas (a Quattro) and Boccherini ‘cello sonatas (with Richard Lester/Hyperion).

She has made many symphonic recordings as orchestral principal.

In October 2000 Hyperion label released Chi-chi’s first solo recording to critical acclaim. This includes three double bass concertos by Vanhal and Dittersdorf, with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra; Hyperion CD 67179.