Musicians Behind the Scenes: Associate Principal Bass Tobias Vigneau
January 31, 2025Where were you born? I was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I spent my entire life there until I moved to Philadelphia to study at the Curtis Institute of Music.
What piece of music could you play over and over again? Beethoven’s Third Symphony (“Eroica”).
What’s your favorite food? The food from my home, New Mexico, has a very special place in my heart. Nothing gets me more excited than going home and having a breakfast burrito with Hatch Green Chile.
Tell us about your instrument. I perform on an antique German bass, which has been affectionately named “The Horn” in honor of the man who gave it to me, Dr. Karl Horn.
What’s in your instrument case? Typically, we leave our instruments in bass lockers at the Kimmel Center, so there isn’t much need for a case. However, if I go anywhere with my instrument, I will generally take a spare set of strings, a container of rosin for my bow, and a cooper scouring pad for cleaning my strings.
If you could ask one composer one question, what would it be? I would love to ask Bach about his process of composition. When performed at their finest, his works come across as improvised, and as if the lines could go on forever. I view his compositions as one of my favorite forms of art, alongside jazz piano.
What piece of music never fails to move you? It’s hard to pick just one piece of music, but I’ll draw from the repertoire that I’ve performed so far with The Philadelphia Orchestra. I can’t help but get goosebumps every time that I hear the love theme from Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet. I love the warm sonority created by the English horn and violas playing this melody.
What is the most challenging piece you have ever played? I performed the string orchestra version of Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht without a conductor in 2023. This was one of the most challenging projects I have been a part of. It took many, many hours of rehearsal to put it together.
What do you love most about performing? I love the spontaneity of performing. When playing alongside great musicians like those in The Philadelphia Orchestra, there are endless opportunities to make special musical moments in concert!
When did you join the Orchestra? In September 2024.
Do you play any other instruments? I used to play the violin, bassoon, and piano. As a double bassist, I find that I can play the electric bass with moderate success.
What’s your favorite Philadelphia restaurant? Monk’s Café.
What are you reading right now? I’m working on The Time in Between by María Dueñas. I recently read The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, which I consider my new favorite book.
Do you speak any other languages? I can speak a little bit of Spanish, and for the past year I have been practicing French.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I enjoy reading, cooking, and exercising. Whenever I get the chance to go home, one of my favorite hobbies is downhill skiing.
What do you love most about Philadelphia? I love the diverse cultural attractions that Philadelphia has to offer. I enjoy that on any given day I can go to one of the finest art museums in the world, or watch top-level professional sports teams in person, or dine at some really fine restaurants.
What’s on your Apple Music playlist? I love all kinds of music, but recently I’ve been listening to a lot of jazz. Some of these artists include Miles Davis, Brad Mehldau, and Esperanza Spalding.
When was the first time you heard The Philadelphia Orchestra? My first Philadelphia Orchestra concert was opening weekend 2021. The program, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, included Florence Price’s Fourth Symphony and George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. This concert was very special for me as it was the first time I saw my teacher, former Principal Bass Hal Robinson, perform.
Other than Marian Anderson Hall, where is your favorite place to perform? Carnegie Hall—I just performed there for the first time with the Orchestra this season.
What is your favorite memory with the Orchestra? As a new member, the best memory I have was being offered the position after my trial week with the Orchestra. We had just given a very emotional performance of Puccini’s La bohème, and directly following the concert I was given the news!
What advice would you give to aspiring young musicians? Always search to capture the spirit of the music you are performing. Audiences can tell when you are enjoying what you are doing, and spreading this joy is the greatest purpose you can have in music-making.
Photo by Nichole Howard