Born in Cambridge, Ying Lai studied double bass at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and at the Royal Academy of Music in London where she won multiple prizes and graduated with the highest honours. Funded by a scholarship from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, Ying Lai furthered her studies in Germany before being appointed to her first orchestral position with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. She has since worked with a variety of great symphonic and chamber orchestras around the world.

Besides her intense orchestral activity, Ying Lai has given recitals throughout Europe and is in much demand as a chamber musician. As a soloist, Ying Lai has performed Bottesini’s B minor concerto in the Netherlands,the Dittersdorf concerto in the UK, Bottesini’s Gran Duetto with Julien Hervéin France and the Netherlands and Bottesini’s Grand Duo Concertante with both Daniel Rowland and Rosanne Philippens in Germany and the Netherlands respectively.

In 2009 Ying Lai was honoured with an Associateship from the Royal Academy of Music. She currently lives in Utrecht and is Principal Double Bass of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Solo Bassist with Amsterdam Sinfonietta and has a teaching position at the Conservatorium of Amsterdam.