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Niek de Groot is one of today's leading bass players. Since 1996, he is professor for double bass at the 'Folkwang Hochschule' in Essen, Germany. He also has been working as principal bass in various orchestras throughout Europe. From 1996 to 2006 he was the principal solobass of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam.
Through studies at the 'Banff Centre for the Arts' in Canada and masterclasses with distinguished cellists such as Frans Helmerson, Lluìs Claret and Laurence Lesser, he has a developed a style of playing which enables him to also use the double bass as an independent solo instrument.

Many of his students hold positions in famous orchestra's like the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Münchner Rundfunkorchester Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg, Brabant Orchestra, Aachen Symphony, Barcelona Symphony, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfonica de Galicia, Orchestra National de Lille etc.

At the same time he has carved a notable international career as a chamber musician, soloist and teacher of masterclasses.
Performing frequently as a soloist with orchestra, Niek de Groot is also a highly respected recitalist, appearing in halls like the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. He is frequentely asked as a soloist and teacher at major international music festivals, including those of Schleswig-Holstein, Kuhmo, Naantali, Xalapa, Potsdam-Sancoussi, 'Pablo Casals' Prades, 'Orlando', Carthago, Middelburg, Freiburg, Colmar, Robeco Amsterdam, Brugge, Oslo, Bergen, Venice, Storioni Eindhoven, Delft and Buffalo.
Amongst his chambermusic partners are the Artis , Mandelring , Ysaÿe, Skampa, Brodsky and Fine Arts quartets as well as the Altenburg Trio, Storioni Trio, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Menahem Pressler, Markus Stockhausen, Arto Noras, Michel Lethiec, Milan Turkovic, Andre Cazalet and Vadim Repin.
He is also a well-known contemporary music performer, working with composers such as Kurtàg and Stockhausen.

Niek de Groot plays double-basses by Cesare Candi, Genua, 1900. His bows are especially developed for him by Jochen Schmidt, Dresden