International Society of Bassists

The International Society of Bassists (ISB) is a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization for anybody who enjoys the double bass. The society was founded in 1967 by Gary Karr as the International Institute for String Bass (IISB). After a two-year hiatus of the IISB, the International Society of Bassists was launched with Barry Green as executive director, and the society maintains that name today. The president of the Society from 1982-1991 was Jeff Bradetich, and the current president is Robert Nairn, double bass professor at Penn State University and the General Manager is Madeline Crouch of Don Dillon Associates. The society has about 3,000 members in about 40 countries and is steered by an international board of directors.

Every other year, the society holds a convention that consists of music competitions, workshops, recitals, lectures, and exhibits. Recent convention attendance routinely exceeds 1,000 attendees.

In addition to a periodic newsletter, the ISB publishes a magazine three times a year, Bass World. Several columns appear with regularity and are edited/refereed/curated by leading experts and enthusiasts in the field.

The ISB also publishes the Online Journal of Bass Research.

External links

• The ISB World Office
• International Society of Bassists Convention at Penn State University
• The Historical Bass Website