Principal Contrabass

Ju-Fang Liu was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan and began her study of the bass at age 9. She earned B.M. and M.M. degrees from Indiana University and has studied with Bruce Bransby and Lawrence Hurst. Prior to joining the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 2003, she was principal contrabass with the New World Symphony in Florida. She has also been a member of orchestras in Kansas City, Owensboro and Evansville, performed in summer festivals at Aspen, Marlboro and Tanglewood, and been heard as soloist with the Louisville and New World orchestras.

In her leisure time, she enjoys jogging, badminton, table tennis, reading, cooking and learning/playing jazz. Her parents, two brothers and a sister reside in Taiwan.

Assistant Principal Contrabass

Robert Goodlett II is a native of Frankfort, Kentucky. He received his B. M. degree in organ and church music from the University of Louisville and his M.M. in contrabass performance from Indiana University. He has studied with Murray Grodner, Gary Karr, Larry Hurst, Warren Benfield and Julius Levine. Prior to joining the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1972, he played four seasons with the Louisville Orchestra.

In addition to his performing duties, he is very active as an Artists in Schools instructor in the Orchestra’s School Partnership program and as a section coach in the Side by Side concerts. He was the recipient of an Artist Renewal Grant from the Indianapolis Arts Council in 2003. The father of three sons, Goodlett has been a coach, official and administrator for several soccer programs around Indianapolis and former organist/choirmaster at All Saints Episcopal Church. Away from music he is an avid bicyclist.

Contrabass

Nami Akamatsu was born in Hokkaido, Japan, and came to the United States as an exchange student to attend high school in Forest City, Iowa. She earned a B.M. degree from the University of Michigan and an M.M. from Juilliard. Her major teachers have included Lawrence Hurst, David Walter and Stewart Sankey. Prior to joining the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1994, she was a member of the Fort Worth Chamber Orchestra and Fort Worth Symphony and often appeared with the Dallas Symphony.

In Indianapolis, she is a member of Outer Bass, a contrabass quintet. She has served on the Orchestra’s tour committee and enjoys cooking, flower gardening and traveling whenever possible.

Contrabass

Leonard Bennett Crantford was born in Knoxville, Tennessee and grew up in South Carolina. He studied with Stuart Sankey, Eugene Levinson, Peter Rickett and Murray Grodner and received his degree from Indiana University. After playing with numerous regional orchestras in the South, Texas and Indiana, he became a member of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1983.

Crantford serves as the assistant orchestra personnel manager and has been a section coach for the Orchestra’s Side by Side program. He and his wife, a published author, are the parents of two sons. Away from music, Crantford is interested in cycling, kayaking and computers.

Contrabass

Gregory Dugan became a member of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1979. A native of Eugene, Oregon, Dugan earned a B.M. degree from Indiana University. His major teachers included Murray Grodner and Robert Hladky. Before coming to Indianapolis, he was principal contrabass of the National Symphony of Costa Rica.

Dugan has held faculty positions at the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati, Indiana University, Ohio University, Indiana State University, Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts, the Congress of Strings sponsored by the American Federation of Musicians and currently teaches at DePauw University. He spent two seasons on sabbatical from the Symphony in order to act as principal contrabass with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (1989-91) and has also served as guest principal contrabass with the Australian Chamber Orchestra (1993) and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra (1996). He is principal contrabass of the Oregon Coast Festival of Music.

Dugan plays chamber music as a member of OuterBass, a contrabass quintet. He has served the Orchestra in the Artists in Schools program, a section coach for the Side by Side concert, a member of the Orchestra Committee and was the 2002 winner of the Patch Leadership Award. Away from music he spends time hiking, traveling and railroading. Married to a microbiologist, he is a former board member of Habitat for Humanity of Indianapolis.

Contrabass

Peter Hansen was born in Blair, Nebraska, and grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He has studied with David Phillips, Joseph Guastafeste, Warren Benfield and Gary Karr. Hansen played with the Lyric Opera, the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra and the Alabama Symphony before joining the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in March 1983.

Equally at home in the classical and jazz music worlds, Hansen is increasingly recognized for his compositions and arrangements as well as his performances. He is a founding member of Outer Bass, a faculty member of the University of Indianapolis and a section coach for the ISO’s Side by Side program. He and his wife, a mathematics professor, are the parents of one son. Away from music he enjoys outdoors activities and sports.

Contrabass

Michael Hartt joined the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1989. A native of Boulder, Colorado, Hartt attended Indiana University. His major teachers include Stuart Sankey, Lawrence Hurst and Bruce Bransby on bass and Harvey Sollberger and Donald Erb in composition.

Hartt has been a member of the Orchestra Committee, including a term as Chair. He has a keen interest in contemporary music as a performer in numerous recitals, a composer/arranger of works for his instrument and a sponsor of commissions. Away from music, he enjoys reading and visual arts.