Peter Dominguez & Mark Urness

UW Mead Witter School of Music Guest Artist Series. $15.

media release: Peter Dominguez grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, participating in the Music for Youth Orchestras, and performing with his father, pianist and singer Frank DeMiles. His teachers included Willard Feldman and Clyde Russell. Peter went on to study with Roger Ruggeri and Richard Davis at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he earned his baccalaureate and masters degrees with a teaching assistantship 1980-82.

In 1981 he was the first recipient of the Milton J. Hinton scholarship competition award. A teaching assistantship and doctoral studies with Dr. Lucas Drew at the University of Miami, Coral Gables followed in 1982-84. Eventually securing positions in both the Florida Philharmonic and Michigan State University, Peter chose MSU, served as Professor of Double Bass and Jazz Studies 1984-96, and was instrumental in developing their Jazz Studies program. During his Michigan years, he continued studies with Robert Gladstone and performed with the Detroit Symphony.

Currently he is Professor of Double Bass and Jazz Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Mark Urness is a versatile bassist, composer, and educator. His diverse performance experience encompasses orchestral, chamber, solo, jazz playing. He is an associate professor of music at Lawrence University in Appleton Wisconsin and the principal bassist of the Weidner Center Philharmonic Orchestra. His playing on the unaccompanied jazz album, Foreground, was described by Bass World magazine as “completely in command of the instrument and the tunes, rife with good ideas, melodic instinct, and groove.” Recent performances include Chamber music broadcasts on Wisconsin Public Radio, Concerto performances as guest soloist with the Fox Valley Youth Orchestra, a Solo Recital at the 2018 ISB convention, and jazz performances with Bill Carrothers, Danilo Perez, Peter Erskine, and Joe Locke.