Tim Gibbs is Principal Double Bass of the Philharmonia Orchestra, only the fourth musician in the orchestra’s history to hold the position. Alongside his orchestral career, he is an established soloist and chamber musician and appears as Guest Principal with leading orchestras and ensembles internationally. Tim first came to prominence after winning First Prize at the International Society of Bassists Under-18 Competition in Houston, Texas, in 1997. His debut solo recital at Wigmore Hall followed in 2000, marking the beginning of a career combining principal orchestral positions with an extensive involvement in chamber music.  

  

In 2020, clarinettist Michael Collins invited Tim to become a founder member of the Wigmore Soloists, a chamber collective bringing together leading musicians from across Europe. The ensemble’s recordings for BIS, encompassing music by Schubert, Beethoven, Berwald and British composers, have received critical acclaim, alongside regular performances in the UK and internationally. His other chamber music appearances include Leif Ove Andsnes’ Rosendal Chamber Music Festival in Norway and the Ruysdael Quartet’s Zoom Festival in the Netherlands. He has collaborated with the Dover, Vertavo, Piatti, Doric, Ruysdael and Sacconi quartets, reflecting the central place chamber music has held throughout his career.

   

Alongside his performing career, Tim has been Professor of Double Bass at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama since 2013. His teaching draws on a broad knowledge of both American and European playing traditions, as well as extensive experience of orchestral audition requirements. He has been invited to give masterclasses across the United States, Europe, Australia and Israel, and has also presented digital seminars on orchestral and section bass playing to international audiences.

Tim was the first double bassist to be invited to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School, joining in 1991, before continuing his studies at the Royal College of Music in London. He plays a “Maggini” model double bass made by John Betts in London in 1805, with bows by French archetier Boris Fritsch.