Nicole Boyeson

What inspired you to take up the double bass?
I love the deep sounds of the cello and bass and since my mum plays the cello I thought I would ring the changes and so chose the bass.
 
When did you join the BSO?
I joined in September 1992 just before the first USA tour of 1994 and couldn't believe my luck, as it was such a great tour.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love the commitment and camaraderie in the bass section, they are such a lovely bunch of people to work with and also it's wonderful to have Kirill on board.
 
Which piece of music do you enjoy playing?
All music is challenging and exciting to play so this is a hard question, but recently playing Beethoven's First Symphony with Kirill was extremely exhilarating.
 
What do you enjoy doing in your free time? What are your hobbies?
My top priority is spending as much time as possible with my husband and two children all of whom are very busy with their various artistic projects. When I can, for fitness and pleasure I do adult ballet classes, which I love and would like to more often if time allowed!
 
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
I love opera so I can definitely say that one of the highlights was doing Tosca with Kees Bakels.
 
What was your earliest musical experience?
My earliest musical experience was failing my grade one violin age five!
 
Do you play any other instruments?
Yes, the piano badly, and at school I wasn't bad at the tuba!
 
What would you do if you weren't a musician?
That’s a hard one. Possibly bake cakes and have a tearoom, as I love the whole afternoon tea thing!

Are you from a musical family?
My mother taught music her whole life and as youngsters all my four brothers and sister played various instruments quite well but followed other careers later.

Does your family come to see you play in concerts?
The children are still quite young so love coming to the firework concerts, which are a bit less formal. Occasionally they have come to half of a real concert but now as they are getting older they are showing a lot more interest in coming properly. My mother who is choir mad never misses a choral date!
 
What’s your favourite place to eat for a pre-concert meal?
A sandwich in the dressing room!