Hong Yiu Thomas Lai

Biography

Born in Hong Kong, Thomas is currently a student of Prof. Dorin Marc at the Hochschule für Musik Nürnberg. He received his earliest musical training on piano when he was five and violin at the age of nine. He switched to the double bass under the tuition of Stephen Yam at twelve and started studying in the Musikhochschule Luzern in Switzerland with Prof. Božo Paradžik from 2013 to 2018. He then further on continued his studies with Prof. Duncan McTier at the Zürich University of the Arts.

Nevertheless Thomas has participated in different international and local competition. He got the first prize in the 2011 ISB double bass competition, 14 and under division (USA) and the first prize in the Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf Competition (SVK). Moreover, he has already performed as a soloist with professional orchestras, such as the Philharmonie Baden-Baden (DEU) and the Göttinger Symphonie Orchester (DEU)

Thomas also actively performed as an orchestral musician. From April 2016 to February 2017 he held the position as the principal double bass player under a temporary contract in the Göttinger Symphonie Orchester (DEU). Furthermore, he also frequently shows up as an extra player in the Philharmonia Zürich (CHE). From March 2018 to March 2020 he was an academist in the Bamberg Symphony. Currently he holds the position as the 1. coordinated Solo Double Bass at the NDR Radiophilharmonie.