Vienna Youth Joshua Thrush Places First In International Bassist Competition

Joshua Thrush, age 14 from Vienna, Virginia, recently won first place in the Age 14 and Under division of the 2021 International Society of Bassists Solo Competition. The biennial convention of the International Society of Bassists is the premier double bass gathering, with its performance competitions drawing competitors from countries all over the world. The competitors must play a required piece and then have the remainder of 15 minutes to perform a diverse program. In addition to the required piece, Joshua played Capriccio from David's Anderson's Four Short Pieces, the Allemande from Bach's First Cello Suite, and the first movement of the Dittersdorf Bass Concerto.

Joshua has been playing the bass for nearly five years, beginning private lessons with Ira Gold of the National Symphony Orchestra in the fall of 2016 after having previously played clarinet, saxophone, and even, briefly, the cello. Joshua is currently a Youth Fellow with the National Symphony Orchestra and a member of the American Youth Symphonic Orchestra (AYSO), a division of the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras program (AYPO) for which he's played for the past four years.

In 2021, Joshua won the AYSO Solo Competition, the Rockville Music Competition Intermediate Strings division, and was chosen as a Bass Alternate for the National Youth Orchestra 2 (NYO2). In 2020, Joshua was given the title of Principal Bass of northern Virginia's Junior District X Honors Orchestra and was accepted into the Fairfax Symphony's All-Stars Youth Orchestra program.

"We could not be more proud of Joshua for winning this competition," says AYPO Executive Director, Graham Elliott. "It has been such a pleasure having Joshua be a part of our program these last four years and this award is very much deserved."

This summer, after attending the virtual ISB Young Bassists 2021, Joshua plans on playing with the Birch Creek Symphony in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin and in The National Philharmonic Summer Strings program. Outside of playing the bass, Joshua enjoys boating, fishing, and discussing the stock market. Joshua looks forward to starting high school in the fall and to having more opportunities to grow and develop his skill on the double bass.