Dutch double bassist Niek de Groot is one of today’s leading soloists on his instrument. Originally a trumpet-player he started playing the double-bass at 18. Within an unusually short time he became principal bass with several European ensembles, including a 10-year tenure as principal Solo-Bass with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. After his formal studies he further developed his skills at the Banff Centre for the Arts, Canada. Niek’s playing has benefited a great deal also from attending masterclasses with eminent cellists Frans Helmerson, Lluìs Claret, Laurence Lesser and in collaborations with Leonard Bernstein,György Sebök and Mstislav Rostropovich.
Over the last years Niek de Groot has dedicated himself entirely to chambermusic and solo performances. He performs regularly at the best known concerthalls and music festivals. Besides standard repertoire he includes a great deal of contemporary music. He has worked closely with composers such as Kurtág, Stockhausen, Saariaho, Vasks and Gubaidulina. He recorded solo- CD’s for EMI, NIMBUS and BIS a.o.
Upcoming projects include the release of a new version of György Kurtág’s ‘Sudelbücher’ for BMC recorded with the composer, a CD with French music with pianist Catherine Klipfel for ORLANDO Records, the recording of Sofia Gubaidulina’s ‘Galgenlieder à 3’ for KAIROS and Culiner Creative Circle and the world-premiere and registration of the new Double Bass Concerto by Sebastian Fagerlund for BIS.
Since 1996 Niek is Senior Professor for Double Bass at the Folkwang University of Arts, Essen, being the only French-Bow playing bassist ever to hold such a position in Germany. He also taught at institutions in Norway, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and regularly gives master classes worldwide. Many of his former and current students play in Europe’s foremost orchestras and ensembles.
Throughout his career, Niek de Groot had the privilege to play on rare double basses by Cerutti, Bajoni, Candi, Amati and lately the double bass made in 1737 by Domenico Montagnana. Recently he also started playing an instrument custom made for him by Anneke Degen, Hamburg, 2019. His bows are developed for him by Jochen Schmidt. His baroque and classical bows are by Gerhard Landwehr.
Frontside Chamber Music Association has existed since 2019 and is largely driven by volunteer efforts, but we are highly dependent on additional financial sponsors and fundings. All contributions are used to engage fantastic musicians, rents of venues and all other things that make the festival a magical experience.
If you are interested in chamber music that goes beyond the ordinary, you should become a member! As a member, you are invited to the association’s annual meeting and participate in electing the board. You can also suggest activities for the association, thereby influencing future festivals and other events we organize. You also have the opportunity to volunteer during the festival, allowing you to enjoy wonderful chamber music without paying an entrance fee.
How do I become a member and support Frontside? Submit your information in the form below and pay the membership fee, and we will register you as a member immediately. Please also indicate which chamber music you love the most. Together with your personal information, this helps us better understand who our members are. How we handle your information can be read under the GDPR section.
You renew your membership every fall term – we’ll remind you! Alternatively, you can purchase a lifetime membership and thus become a permanent member with a one-time fee.
If you join as a new member in the spring, your payment also covers the following year’s membership.
How do I do it and what does it cost? You can pay the membership fee to Bankgiro 5318-7969 or via Swish 123 356 63 95. Always include your name and, if paying via bankgiro, your mobile number.
Welcome as a member!
For requests, feedback, and additional information, fill in your message in the form at the bottom or send an email to info@frontside-festival.se
The General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR, came into force within the EU on May 25, 2018.
How does Frontside handle its membership register? In our membership register, we store your name, address details, email address, phone number, and birth year. If you leave the association, we will retain your information for a maximum of seven (7) years before deleting it.
Who has access to my information? We register your details digitally in our membership register. Only you (first party) and individuals with trusted roles in the association (second party) have access to your information. No information is shared with third parties.
You can request to see what information we have collected about you at any time.
Validity? By becoming a member of the association, you enter into an agreement regarding which information about you can be stored with us and who has access to this information, as described above. This agreement is valid indefinitely, as long as you are a member of the Frontside Chamber Music Association.
Do I have the right to have my information deleted? According to GDPR, you have the right to have your information deleted, but you will also lose your membership in the association. To request this, send an email to info@frontside-festival.se and ask for your stored information to be deleted.
