Double bassist Phoebe Russell. Photo: Sarah Marshall
Phoebe Russell plays one of the biggest musical instruments in the world, and she has a big personality to match.
After all, she earned the right to play it in an arm-wrestle.
Having been thwarted in her desire to play the harp, which wasn't available in the string programme at her school, the young Australian settled for a quarter-size double bass.
But she wasn't the only one who wanted that particular instrument in her school music class - two other boys had their eyes on it.
The issue was settled with an arm-wrestle, which she won.
"I don't think I'd win now."
These days, Russell is one of Australia's leading double bass players, especially when it comes to chamber music.
Over the next week, Russell will be one of the stars of this year's Adam International Chamber Music Festival in Nelson.
You'll find her performing in a wide range of works culminating with Schubert's glorious Octet in the festival's finale concert at the Nelson Centre for the Musical Arts on Saturday 7 February.
Russell spoke with RNZ Concert host Bryan Crump ahead of her appearance at the festival.
They spoke about her early days as a bass player, why she chose to focus on chamber music (along with her job as principal bass with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra) and the challenges of travel with an instrument that's bigger than most human beings.
The latter includes a story of how the rock star Joan Jett helped get her bass on a plane after baggage handlers had refused to accept it.
