Impressions is a set of four short works for unaccompanied double bass, each composed for and dedicated to a student of the composer.

David Heyes writes: "The World Inside... was composed in 2013 for Matthew Green, one of my former students at Wells Cathedral School (Somerset, UK). Matthew was both musically talented and academically gifted, eventually deciding to study History at Cambridge University. My aim was to write a short piece which included musical and technical challenges in equal measure, with a recurring motif which begins and ends the work, creating music which explores a range of moods and landscapes. Slow and fast episodes alternate with passages of repose contrasting music of a more energetic and immediate nature.

'the dreamer of dreams...' takes its title from a line in the poem 'The Music Makers' by Arthur O'Shaughnessy (1844-1881) and is dedicated to Josie Jobbins, one of my former students at Wells Cathedral School. Josie is a very lyrical bassist and I wanted to write something which played to her strengths. She has astrong technical command of the solo register of the double bass and the long melodic phrases, written in a lyrical but modern idiom, demonstrate her singing and cantabile approach.

'That's Life!' is played pizzicato throughout and employs a number of jazz and contemporary effects. Jim Rintoul is one of my adult students and has had an interesting career including a number of years as a successful rock musician in Japan. Today, Jim performs both as a classcial and jazz bassist and 'That's Life!' is jazz-inspired with the addition of a few effects which are common to both musical styles such as glissandi, 'hammer-on', pedal notes and left hand pizzicato. It has a strong rhythmic momentum and driving remaining in bass clef throughout.

'Tintagel' was composed for Joe Prindl, one of my students at Wells Cathedral School, and was inspired by a visit to the ruins of Tintagel in Cornwall a few years ago, which is also Joe's home county. The piece begins with slow and lyrical music gradually, initially in the lower register of the double bass before ascending into a more soloistic register, to reflect the slow and difficult climb from the beach to the top of the castle ruins, almost travelling through time. The music changes colour, with the use of double stops, building in strength and intensity to display the exciting history of the castle - the battles and storms, and a unique energy and fascination which is linked to the legend of King Arthur. The double stops play to the end of the piece, with the melodic interest played on the lower string and the upper one acting as a drone. The music and energy slow drift away into nothingness and the mists of time..."

'The world inside..' and 'the dreamer of dreams' were premiered by the composer at Prague Conservatoire (Czech Republic) on Tuesday 8 April 2014.

David Heyes studied double bass with Laurence Gray and Bronwen Naish and later at the Royal College of Music in London. He completed his post-graduate studies in Prague with Frantisek Posta (Principal Double Bass, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra). He has given recitals and masterclasses in 13 countries over the past few years and has been a juror at a number of international competitions, twice as chairman.

David has been Specialist Double Bass Tutor at Wells Cathedral School for 19 years and received a prestigious award from the David Walter Charitable Trust of New York for his pioneering activities as a soloist, teacher, publisher and commissioner of new music for double bass. He works with composers throughout the world and is particularly interested to expand the double bass repertoire, by commissioning new works and by rediscovering forgotten ones. Over the past 30 years he has commissioned more than 500 works, from beginner to virtuoso, and from one to twenty basses.

David has transcribed more than 200 works for double bass, many published by Recital Music, and in recent year has also composed a number of original works for double bass which have been performed in Britain, America, Venezuela, Turkey, Spain, Mexico, Germany and Czech Republic. David is self-taught as a composer and his music has been described as lyrical, evocative and accessible, but certainly of the 21st-century.