Strings & Bass combines classic virtuosity with merciless grooves, challenging compositions with colourful improvisations and absolute perfection with the innate musicality of folk music. The four musicians Florian Willeitner, Johannes Dickbauer, Matthias Bartolomey and Georg Breinschmid combine their classical training with their enthusiasm for discovering new worlds. The string quartet with double bass without viola develops a totally distinct musical language ranging from jazz to pop and folk to blues. Strings & Bass – four exceptional musicians, each of them a successful composer and artist who pushes the others to new heights in this exciting formation.

Florian Willeitner is a violinist, composer and arranger who has received numerous awards. He has created works for well-known orchestras, festivals and soloists, including the Tonkünstlerorchester Niederösterreich, the Musikfest Stuttgart, star violinist Benjamin Schmid, and the double bass virtuoso Georg Breinschmid. He visits (often for a period of several months) various folk music cultures throughout the world.

Johannes Dickbauer is known for the breadth of his artistic range. His musical creativity is expressed in his work as a soloist, chamber musician, jazz and folk musician, and as both composer and arranger. He travels throughout Europe and further abroad with his various ensembles.

Matthias Bartolomey plays in the Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera and with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Since 2010 he has played as solo cellist in the Concentus Musicus Vienna, under Nikolaus Harnoncourt until his death. In 2012 together with the violinist and mandola player Klemens Bittmann he formed the duo BartolomeyBittmann.

Georg Breinschmid is one of the leading Austrian jazz musicians on the international stage. Breinschmid studied classical double bass at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Whilst still a student he played in various Viennese orchestras (Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, etc.) as well as in chamber music ensembles like “Kontrapunkte” and “Die Reihe”. At the same time he started to play jazz, and from 2003 on, Georg Breinschmid worked increasingly as composer, with a particular affinity with Viennese music.