Bertram Turetzky has been a featured contrabass soloist in the music centers of the United States, Europe, Latin America and Australia. The response to his many concerts, recordings, lectures, writings and his unique sonic vocabulary has taken the contrabass from it's traditional role to assume the position of a major solo instrument. More than 300 compositions have been written for, performed by and recorded by Turetzky, making him one of the few performers, in all of music history, to have created a large and impressive repertoire of music for his instrument. He is also an acclaimed scholar and researcher in the fields of Jazz History, 18th Century Chamber Music and the author of many reviews, articles and the now classic book The Contemporary Contrabass. After the success of his book, Turetzky was named co-editor of The New Instrumentation Series (UC Press). He is also a published editor and arranger of music for his instrument. His compositions continue to be published, reviewed and recorded. Turetzky has also received many awards for composition from ASCAP plus grants from the NEA and "Meet the Composer" as well as many commissions. He is currently a senior Professor of Music at the University of California at San Diego.

Three Donias for David was written in honor of my teacher/mentor David Walter. I thank Frank Proto for inviting me to participate in this music "Festschrift."

A Doina is a cadenza played before a klezmer piece and functions as an improvisatory intro to a lively dance. As Mr. Walter and I share the same ethnic background choosing this music seemed appropriate. Further verification came when a recent letter spoke of the David Walter klezmer experience with some of the great klezmorim of his generation. Now his student is playing some of the same music as his teacher did years before . . . only in America!

The subtext to this composition would be commonality, love and respect for one of the great musicians and human beings it has been my honor and privilege to know.