Thomas Martin is one of the world's best-known bassists and studied in America with Harold Roberts, Oscar Zimmerman and Roger Scott. He has been on the podium of the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestras for many years, as well as a soloist with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, the English Chamber Orchestra, the CBSO and the London Symphony Orchestra.In recent years he has increasingly devoted himself to solo playing, appearing in recitals and concerts with orchestras around the world. He has presented a wide range of repertoire in numerous television and radio recordings, from the Baroque to the 20th century, and has played and recorded most chamber music for his instrument.

He has completed a series of recordings of the music of Giovanni Bottesini, the great 19th century virtuoso, which have been highly acclaimed by critics. His recordings of the music of Giovanni Bottesini, the great virtuoso of the 19th century, have been highly acclaimed by critics. His recordings of the Bottesini series with Anthony Halstead were named Record of the Year by Gramophone Magazine, and his recording with the English Chamber Orchestra was named Record of the Year by the Sunday Times. Tom has spent most of his career as a teacher and enjoys a large and impressive list of students from all over the world. He has held positions at McGill University in Montreal, the Guildhall School of Music, the Royal College of Music in London and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. He has been honoured as a Fellow of the GSMD and the RBC. Tom is frequently appointed to international competition juries. 

As a conductor, he studied with Sian Edwards in London and with Stephen Darlington in Oxford. He has recently completed the first recording of Bottesini's masterful Messa da Requiem with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Choir and Soloists, released by Naxos. Tom studied violin making with Andrew Dipper and made 166 double basses before joining forces with his son to form Thomas and George Martin Violin Makers in 2008.

A versatile double bass virtuoso, Christine Hoock can be heard in classical performances as well as in cross-genre and innovative constellations of world, jazz and electronic music. This is reflected in her varied discography and radio recordings. Christine Hoock completed her studies in Frankfurt and Geneva with Günter Klaus and Franceso Petracchi with distinction. While still a student, the creative artist founded the Frankfurt Double Bass Quartet, which has enjoyed worldwide success.

The international prize-winner has performed at the Schleswig-Holstein Musikfestival, Musiktriennale Köln, Aurora Chambermusic Festival, Rheingau Musikfestival, Festival Musicale di Portogruaro, Lucerne and San Sebastian Festivals and at the Berlin and Salzburg Festivals, among others. Her artistic partners include Alessandro Taverna, John Goldsby, Benjamin Schmid, Glen Moore, DJ UmbertoEcho, Enrico Bronzi, Winfried Rademacher and others. Christine Hoock teaches as university professor for double bass at the renowned Mozarteum University Salzburg. She was awarded a visiting professorship at the China Conservatory Beijing in 2014. In 2021 Christine Hoock was awarded the "Solo Performance Award" of the International Society of Bassists.

During her many years of orchestral engagements as deputy solo and solo double bass in the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne and other top German orchestras, the artist performed with conductors such as Semyon Bychkov, André Previn, Peter Eötvös, Neeme and Paavo Järvi, Pinchas Zukerman, Gary Bertini, Sir Neville Marriner, and Rudolf Barschai. Parallel to her orchestral work, she taught at the Robert Schumann Hochschule für Musik Düsseldorf and the Folkwang University of the Arts. In addition to her busy international concert schedule, Christine Hoock is in demand as a juror of international competitions and as a mentor in the music scene. She is the founder and artistic director of the "International Rhodius Academy for Double Bass" at Schloss Burg Namedy and directed the International J.M. Sperger Competition for Double Bass from 2016-2023.

Christine Hoock inspires composers worldwide who dedicate pieces to her. This has resulted in solo works and concertos by Rabbih Abou-Khalil, Gloria Coates, Paul Chihara, Toshio Hosokawa and Arni Egilsson, among others. She regularly arranges pieces for double bass ensemble herself.

Artistic as well as tutorial videos with Christine Hoock and sheet music material are present in social media. Christine Hoock plays an English instrument by William Tarr from 1848.

Ekkehard Beringer received his first double bass lessons at the age of 10. During his school years he was a member of the German National Youth Orchestra and in 1988 won the national prize in the "Jugend musiziert" competition. He studied orchestral music at the conservatories in Cologne and Karlsruhe with Prof. Wolfgang Güttler and passed his concert exam at the Hochschule für Musik "Franz Liszt" Weimar with Prof. Horst-Dieter Wenkel. During his studies Ekkehard Beringer was a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra and the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival Orchestra.

His career in professional orchestras began at the age of 24 with the Munich Philharmonic, and at 27 Ekkehard Beringer became principal double bass in the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. From 1998 to 2003 he was 1st solo double bass in the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and since August 2003 he has been 1st solo double bass in the NDR Elbphilharmonieorchester, with whom he has also performed as soloist. From 2008 to 2022, in addition to his work as an orchestral musician, Ekkehard Beringer was a professor at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media. Solo and chamber concerts as well as master classes took him to performances in Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Croatia. His partners have included Elsbeth Moser, Robyn Schulkowsky, the Leipzig String Quartet, the Auryn Quartet, Christian Zacharias, the Bläserakademie Stuttgart and the Jena Philharmonic.

Ekkehard Beringer plays on an instrument by the Venetian master Matteo Goffriller, ca. 1720.