Mark Haanstra
Double bass and bass guitar
Mark Haanstra is a versatile bass player from The Netherlands. He studied bass at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, where he graduated cum laude in 1997. His distinct sound, groove, and flexibility make him a highly demanded musician among bands, ensembles, and orchestras across many genres.
Mark has won various prizes, including at the Dutch Jazz Competition with the Nemesis Quartet (1994), Geel (1998), and Agog (2002). He has performed with various major ensembles such as the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Nieuw Ensemble, and Asko|Schönberg. He is also the soloist in Steve Mackay’s Grammy Award-winning work Dreamhouse, which has been performed and recorded by several renowned orchestras such as the BBC and New York Philharmonic Orchestras.
Mark has an affinity with Indian music thanks to his studies of South Indian music and composition with Rafael Reina at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, and he went on to study with Indian musicians in South India.