Piotr Zimnik

Piotr Zimnik is a Polish double bassist born into a family with rich musical traditions.

He started his musical journey with the violin at the Fryderyk Chopin Music School in Bytom. Later, he switched to the double bass in Professor Gerard Przybyła’s class. His path as a musician took him to the Leoš Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno, where he studied with Prof. Miloslav Jelínek. He later joined the Karajan Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker, working closely with solo bassist Matthew McDonald, and continued his studies at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” with Prof. Gunars Upatnieks.

Over the years, Piotr has taken part in many international competitions, receiving awards such as 3rd prize at the J.M. Sperger Competition (2012), and 1st prizes at the Janáček Competition (2013), the Wrocław Anniversary Competition (2014), and the Yamaha Competition in Brno (2016).

As a high school student, Piotr played with the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester and the Polish National Youth Orchestra. During his studies, he began working with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice and became an associate member of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Piotr also was a guest in many prestigious orchestras like Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Gürzenich Orchester Köln and Deutsche Symphony Orchestra Berlin. He later had a contract as a sub-principal double bass player in the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra for over two years.

Beyond the orchestra playing, Piotr enjoys playing chamber music, performing as a soloist and exploring music of all kinds — from classical to folk and rock. In spring 2024, he joined the teaching faculty at the Universität der Künste Berlin as an assistant double bass teacher, where he enjoys working with young musicians.

Since 2021, he has been a member of the Berliner Philharmoniker