Tijs Klaassen (1993) discovered the double bass at the age of 19, when he switched from bass guitar to fully dedicate himself to the instrument he loves most. He studied jazz at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Ernst Glerum, Frans van der Hoeven and Ruud Ouwehand, and classical double bass with Peter Leerdam. During an exchange semester in Philadelphia, he studied with David Wong at the Boyer College of Music and Dance. While in the United States, he also took private lessons with Ron Carter, Orlando Le Fleming, Rick Rosato and Ben Street.