Edgar Meyer has carved out an extraordinary role in music as a virtuoso bassist and trailblazing composer. Praised by The New Yorker as “the most remarkable virtuoso in the relatively un-chronicled history of his instrument,” he is known for combining peerless technique with an inventive compositional voice. He is a recipient of both the Avery Fisher Prize and a MacArthur Fellowship.

As a performer, Meyer bridges genres and collaborates widely. He has recorded Bach’s Cello Suites on bass, released a self-titled solo album featuring a range of instruments, and appeared on The Goat Rodeo Sessions alongside Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile, and Stuart Duncan—a Grammy® Award-winning project. His wide-ranging partnerships include collaborations with Béla Fleck, Joshua Bell, Mike Marshall, and Mark O’Connor. With Yo-Yo Ma and O’Connor, he recorded Appalachia Waltz and Appalachian Journey, the latter earning a Grammy®. He continues to perform with long-time collaborators including Thile, with whom he’s released original duo albums.

As a composer, Meyer has premiered numerous major works. Highlights include his Double Concerto for Bass and Violin with Joshua Bell; a bass and cello concerto with Yo-Yo Ma; a triple concerto for bass, banjo, and tabla with Fleck and Zakir Hussain; and a violin concerto for Hilary Hahn. His works have been performed by major orchestras such as the Boston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Meyer began studying bass with his father at age five and continued with Stuart Sankey. He is the only bassist to have received the Avery Fisher Prize. In addition to his performance and recording career, he serves as Visiting Professor of Double Bass at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.