Players of the bass section of the Concertgebouw Orkest
Our combined enthusiasm for rosin has kindly led 050rosin to pledge an endorsement to our Bass Section of the Royal Concertgebouworkest! The honour is all ours!
Felix Lashmar – I have now fully switched to using 050rosin. As things stand, in the early stages of a player having just shifted away from Pops, the ‘Soft’ cake is my main rosin. I have also found that the ‘Hard’ cake has its utility for my playing when dosed in a little bit with the ‘Soft’ cake.
I have a ‘Hard’ cake in my bow case, if I want to play the kind of solo piece that invites shine and the desire to sink into the string more. And possibly also a good weapon if I find myself having to play in an orchestra in a really humid and hot climate.
Theotime Voisin – “The ‘Soft’ cake is a great rosin for the orchestra, it has a really nice sound quality and is plenty sticky ! For even heavier playing, I’ve had fun experimenting with the more recently made, ‘very soft cake’.”
Nicholas Santangelo Schwartz – “Sticky icky !! These are fun, soft rosins. From ‘Sticky Nicky’.
Marietta Feltkamp – “These are the rosins I have been waiting for my whole life. Sticky, but the sound stays good. No ugly noises and it does not dry out.’
Luís Cabrera
Born in Spain in 1985, Luis Cabrera began playing the double bass at the age of 10. After completing his studies in Madrid, where he studied with professor Rafael de Frías and later with Karen Martirossian, he moved to London in 2002 to complete his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with professor Rinat Ibragimov. Luis then completed his postgraduate studies at the “Hans Eisler University” in Berlin with Janne Saksala.
After receiving numerous awards and scholarships, he became, at the age of 20, principal double bass of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, in Amsterdam in 2006. Since then, he has been invited to play as a guest principal double bass with numerous orchestras such as; Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra BBC Symphony, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera, Orchestre National de France, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Amsterdam Sinfonietta, among others, where he played under the direction of the most prominent conductors and soloists.
He has recently been appointed principal double bass at the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra (OBC).
Marco Diaz
Marco Diaz studied at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Asturias and at the Prince Claus Conservatory in Groningen. He teaches drums and percussion at Drum Lessons Groningen and plays a wide range of musical styles. Marco enjoys collaborating with classical and contemporary ensembles and modern music groups such as Noord Nederlands Orkest, Noordpool Orkest and Side by Side Percussion Duo.
Signe Førre
Signe Førre is a double bassist, singer, and composer known for her innovative approach to music. Her album FAGERT on label Ta:lik Records features her own arrangements of multi cultural folk music from countries like Serbia, Norway, and Turkey, showcasing her ability to blend diverse musical traditions into a cohesive sound. She is both a jazz musician and folk/ world musician artist from Norway.
Teodora Nedyalkova
Teodora Nedyalkova is a Bulgarian-born cellist based in the Netherlands. She graduated cum laude with both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen and refined her artistry through international masterclasses and collaborations.
Teodora is the artistic director and principal cellist of Kamerorkest van het Noorden, an innovative and socially engaged ensemble that connects classical music with new audiences through interdisciplinary projects and educational outreach across the Netherlands.
She performs with various chamber music groups both in the Netherlands and abroad, throughout Europe, China, and Mexico. Her work has been awarded multiple awards and grants for artistic excellence.
Alongside her performing career, Teodora teaches cello and works as a producer at the Prince Claus Conservatoire. She is known for her artistic vision, dedication to education, and her ability to bridge tradition with innovation in music-making.
Gabriele Basilico
About me
In recent years, my work—as both a double bass player and composer—has focused on two main musical directions: historically informed early music and live-electronic sound design.
Since 2022 I have been a member of the Balthasar-Neumann Ensembles. I also work as second principal double bass with Collegium Musicum Basel and teach double bass and electric bass in Saarbrücken. I collaborate i.a. with ensembles such as Le Concert d’Astrée, the Dutch National Opera, and the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg.
Alongside my classical music career, I perform in several jazz ensembles (including Gilles Grethen 4tet and Moondog) and pursue a “multi-linguistic” approach in my solo recitals, with an eye toward the future.
I am currently working on the music for Dante’s Divine Comedy, premiering in February 2026 at Theater Trier.
Esat Ekincioglu
Esat Ekincioglu (Istanbul, 1990) is a Turkish/Dutch bass player, improviser, composer and manager based in Groningen. As a versatile and highly in-demand bass player, Esat spends a good portion of the year on the road, playing all across Europe, Near East and China. Aside from his successful bands KUHN FU and AVA Trio and his new project TURKISH PUMPKIN, Esat enjoys playing solo where he explores uncharted territories of the double bass, microtones, amplification, and drones.
“The unbridled way in which this wild man from Turkey tackled his double bass unceremoniously elevated him to primus inter pares. The solo piece ‘Freedom Jazz Dance’ became a ‘Freedom! Jazz! Dance!’ ” Draai om je oren, NL
“He lives in complete symbiosis with his double bass.” Het Nap Magazine, HU
“Highlights included the AVA Trio, a heady blend of double bass, saxophone and Middle-Eastern style percussion. Esat Ekincioglu’s battered looking instrument appeared to be patched up with gaffer tape, but that didn’t impede his gutsy playing.” Jazzwise Magazine UK
Stefano Sciascia
“Stefano Sciascia is an Italian soloist, teacher, and composer. He began studying double bass at the age of 16 and soon started collaborating with the RAI Orchestra of Turin, the Solisti Veneti led by Claudio Scimone, and the Chamber Orchestra of Padua and Veneto, with which he has performed in major European and world capitals. As a soloist, he has performed in Europe, Japan, and the USA, and has released 20 CDs with Rivo Alto, Naxos, and King Records Japan. He has given masterclasses in Italy and Japan, as well as at the Oslo University of Music, Helsinki Sibelius Academy, London Trinity College, Riga Academy Latvia, Copenhagen Bass2012, Mozarteum University Salzburg, Lugano Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana, Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, Zagreb Academy of Music, Belgrade Academy, The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, Prague Bass2016, Lucca Bass2018, and Göteborg Academy of Music & Drama. Stefano Sciascia has composed the soundtrack for the award-winning film _Across the River_. Sciascia is head teacher of double bass at the Tartini Conservatory in Trieste and plays a Ruggeri double bass.”
Lee Man Hon Marco
Lee Man Hon Marco was born in Hong Kong. He studied double bass since he was 12 years old. He entered the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2017 to study with Mr Zong Xiaoqian, the former principal of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. While studying at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Lee participated in performances with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta. In 2018, he was honoured to be selected to perform at the Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam and studied and performed with Mr Dominic Seldis, the principal double-bassist of the orchestra.
After graduating from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2021, Lee won the ABRSM Scholarship and went to the Royal Academy of Music to enrol in the Master of Music program, majoring in double bass and minoring in conducting. Lee followed Prof. Graham Mitchell, the current dean of the string department of the Royal Academy of Music, Prof. Dominic Seldis, the principal double-bassist of Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest, and Tom Goodman, the double-bassist of the London Symphony Orchestra, and completed the master’s program in 2023. During his stay in the UK, Lee played in the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and London Philharmonic Orchestra, and won the first runner-up in the 2021 London Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition. He has studied with many musicians in different orchestras, including those from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Singapore Philharmonic Orchestra, and BBC Radio Philharmonic Orchestra.
Laura Menegozzo
*Biography*
Laura Menegozzo was born in Naples on July 1st, 1975. She graduated with honors from the Conservatories of Venice, Naples, and Bologna, studying under the guidance of A. Farulli. She attended master courses in quartet and chamber music with renowned professors and perfected her solo and chamber repertoire with J. Levitz and Y. Bashmet.
*Discography*
– *Colori e Suoni del Novecento* (2013) – featuring works for solo viola of the XX century, performed on a Carlo Giuseppe Testore 1699 viola
– *E=Mc2 – Hindemith: 4 Sonate per viola*
– *Le son du cor* – compact with Laura Menegozzo (viola), Hiromi Arai (piano) and Elif Canbazoğlu (mezzo-soprano)
– *In Alto* (2017) – featuring the Suite for cello n. 1, op. 72 (1964) arranged for viola, published by Stefano Sciascia Production SSP2019
– *Fotogramma* – with Stefano Sciascia (double bass), Laura Menegozzo (viola) and Iryna Lytvynenko (piano)
Antonio Muedra
Born in Pedralba, Valencia, he began his musical studies at an early
age with his father, who inspired his strong interest in classical music.
Some years later he discovered the double bass, an instrument that
immediately fascinated him and that he decided to pursue seriously.
This interest eventually led him to continue his musical training at a
higher level.
He completed his undergraduate studies at Musikene – Centro
Superior de Música del País Vasco, where he studied with PierreEmmanuel de Maistre and Julio Pastor. After graduating, he moved to
Rotterdam to continue his studies at Codarts – University of the Arts,
where he completed a Master’s degree under the guidance of Luis
Cabrera.
He has performed with several orchestras, including the Orquesta
Nacional de España, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, the
Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and La Monnaie / De Munt,
among others.
In 2024, he was selected as a soloist double bass at the Opéra Royal
de Wallonie-Liège, where he is currently based.
Thomas Martin
Thomas Martin (born July 22, 1940) is an American-born musician and luthier, known for playing the double bass. He was twice awarded prizes for his recordings of Giovanni Bottesini‘s work, and he has been principal in many orchestras of importance, including the English Chamber Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra.[1] Martin was formerly International Chair of Double Bass at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and has been professor both at the Royal College of Music[2] Guildhall School of Music and Drama and at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music in Glasgow.[3]
Maud Montagnon Nocente & the Orchestre Azur
Maud Montagnon-Nocente is a French concert cellist and chamber musician trained in Paris, and co-founder and director of the Orchestre Azur, created to promote the young virtuosic musicians of the new generation in Paris, and the Festival Les Rencontres d’Excellence. The festival aims to highlight chamber music through rising young classical artists with promising musical futures in Paris.
The Orchestre Azur is an association, a symphony orchestra, and a flexible ensemble composed mainly of young virtuosic musicians studying mostly at the CRR and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP).
Founded in 2023 in Paris with my twin sister, violist Emma Montagnon-Nocente, the Orchestre Azur is dedicated to promoting musical excellence and supporting a new generation of artists through ambitious yet accessible projects, including collaborations with renowned guest soloists. The orchestra also regularly collaborates with internationally acclaimed artists for album recordings, including the pianist Van Toan and other leading figures of the classical music world. In 2026, we also launched the festival Les Rencontres d’Excellence, devoted to showcasing young talents and fostering connections between heritage, venues, and audiences.
Since its creation, the ensemble has had the honor of performing in prestigious venues such as the Château de Ferrières, the Polish Library in Paris, the Musée du Quai Branly, the Palais de l’Élysée of the President of France, the Paris Court of Appeal, Église Saint-Justin, Studio Ferbers, Chapelle Lariboisière, the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Paris, as well as at the Pathé Film Festival and more.
Here are the Orchestre Azur links:
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@orchestreazur
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orchestreazur
Website: www.orchestreazur.fr
