Rick Stotijn has collaborated with and performed world premieres of works by composers such as Louis Andriessen, Michel van der Aa, Jesper Nordin and Ned Rorem. Turning a different corner – and to the surprise of many – Rick has also made his instrument dance in works by Piazzolla, Rota and De Falla, “capturing the moods from the romantic to the menacing,” as Gramophone wrote about the resulting recording Basso Bailando, made with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In recent years, he has also premiered new works by Martijn Padding, Britta Byström and Jesper Nordin.

Stotijn studied double bass at the Conservatory in Amsterdam with his father Peter Stotijn, and graduated with the highest distinction. He continued his studies with Božo Paradzik at the Hochschule in Freiburg. He won several first prizes at competitions and was awarded the highest accolade for a musician in the Netherlands – the Dutch Music Prize. As the jury noted, “Rick is a versatile musician with a moving musicality and an overwhelming virtuosity”. Amongst the many solo appearances which followed worldwide was a Carte Blanche series in the Recital Hall of the Concertgebouw Amsterdam. More recently, he has appeared as a soloist with the Kölner Kammerorchester and the Bochum Symphoniker, and recorded the highly acclaimed album Doppio Espressivo with Camerata RCO, praised by The Strad for his technical mastery and expressive imagination. He has appeared as a soloist with the Kölner Kammerorchester and the Bochum Symphoniker, and recorded the highly acclaimed album Doppio Espressivo with Camerata RCO, praised by The Strad for his technical mastery and expressive imagination.

Rick Stotijn performs regularly as a soloist with orchestras such as the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra, The Residence Orchestra The Hague, South Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, Toulon Opera Symphony Orchestra, Musica Vitae Sweden and Joensuu Symphony Orchestra. He has also appeared with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in recent seasons. He has also appeared with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in recent seasons.

Rick was principal double bass in the Rundfunk Sinfonie Orchester Berlin and Amsterdam Sinfonietta, and is currently principal in the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Mahler Chamber Orchestra. He is also a member of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. As guest principal, he plays regularly in the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestra Mozart. He also appears with the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. He is also member of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Beyond the classical repertoire, he is the co‑founder of two innovative ensembles: the Stockholm Syndrome Ensemble, known for its concept‑driven programming, and ORBI, a “chamber music rock group” combining improvisation with elements of rock and metal.

With regard to chamber music, Rick has worked with Janine Jansen, Christianne Stotijn, Liza Ferschtman, Julius Drake, Cecilia Bernardini, Vilde Frang, Julian Rachlin, Lawrence Power, Tabea Zimmermann, Lars Vogt, Christian Tetzlaff and many others. He has also collaborated with Malin Broman, Simon Crawford‑Phillips, Johannes Rostamo, Maximilian Hornung, Daniil Trifonov and Alexander Malofeev. Rick is a regular guest at festivals such as the Lucerne Festival, Delft Chamber Music Festival and the International Chamber Music Festival in Utrecht. He has also appeared at the Ljubljana Festival, the Marvão Festival and the Ojai Music Festival.

Rick Stotijn is Professor of Double Bass at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf. He performs on a Giovanni Battista Rogeri double bass, generously loaned by the National Musical Instrument Foundation.