Il Segreto String Quartet |
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Michael Rais |
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Michael Rais - Double Bass, Electric Bass
Michael Rais (b. 1983) started learning music at the young age of six years old. He started learning bass from his uncle, Roger Rais. Roger put the bass in his hands and taught him to play some Led Zeppelin songs. From then on, there was no turning back. Even though his parents never played any instruments, his mom sang in the high school choir, there was always music playing in the house. Rais was and still is very influenced by the music of the 80's (Ask him about Tears for Fears). By the age of twelve, Rais studied two years at the Center for Creative Studies on scholarship learning Jazz. He studied double bass with Al Martin (Billie Holiday). That year he performed with C.C.S at the Detroit Jazz Fest and was the 2nd youngest performer to play that year. Rais started playing double bass at the age of twelve.
In high school, Rais was principal bassist for four years in Orchestra, Jazz Band, and Wind Ensemble at Churchill High School, his senior year, he won the concerto competition and performed Saint-Saens "The Elephant" for Double Bass and Orchestra, also that year he earned the Orchestra Director's Award in 2001, and graduated with honors in Music. During high school, Rais studied double bass with Derek Weller (E.M.U Bass Professor) for over two years. After high school, Rais auditioned into Wayne State University and received a Full Scholarship (Music Talent Award) in 2001. At Wayne State, he studied with Maxim Janowsky (Detroit Symphony), and Stephen Molina (Detroit Symphony), Craig Rifel (Detroit Symphony). Rais was also principal bassist in the Wayne State Symphony Orchestra (three years), and Wayne State Wind Symphony for four years. Rais graduated in the fall of 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education. He graduated from VanderCook College of Music with his Masters in Music Education - Strings.
Rais has also been performing with a number of musical groups in the Metro-Detroit area, such as Dearborn Symphony, Lake St. Clare Symphony Orchestra (Principal Bassist), Wayne State Symphony Orchestra, Wayne State Wind Symphony, Eastern Michigan University Ensembles, Detroit Civic Orchestra and Metro-Detroit school area musicals. He has also performed under conductor’s Neeme Jarvi, Mark Wigglesworth, Thomas Wilkins, and others. Rais is also very involved with music education. He has been teaching privately for over seven years, guest teaching and conducting at local Michigan schools, performing sectionals in Jr. High's and High Schools. Along with music education, he is also pursuing his conducting interests by studying with Douglas Bianchi.
Michael currently teaches instrumental music (Band and Orchestra) for Livonia Public Schools with over 250 instrumental music students.
Some of Michael's influences include: The Lawrence Arms, The Bouncing Souls, Pietro Mascagni, Primus, Les Claypool, Jaco Pastorius, Johanne Pachelbel, Tears For Fears, Dixie Chicks, Edgar Meyer, Brian Bromberg, Victor Wooten, Hilary Hahn, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Bizet, Shostakovich.
Rais is currently performing with the Il Segreto string quartet (double bass), Lake St. Clair Symphony Orchestra (Principal), Smith-Rais Duo (Flute/Bass), Former Detroit Civic Orchestra- Mentor, The Lazy Crazies, Sniff Test, Freelance Bassist, Conductor and Educator. |
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Michael endorses the following: - Behringer Amplifiers |
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