Scott Pingel has served as the principal bass of the San Francisco Symphony since 2004, and appeared numerous times with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and at the Music@Menlo, Mostly Mozart, and Music in the Vineyards festivals. Versatile in a variety of styles, Pingel has performed in venues from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville to jazz clubs such as the Blue Note in New York City and Fasching in Stockholm, and his solo work with the iconic heavy metal band, Metallica, has been seen by millions worldwide and was hailed as "show stopping" by Rolling Stone. He has taught masterclasses throughout North America, Asia, and Europe and was among the first bassists selected to teach for Tonebase, the preeminent online music learning platform. He served as a tenured Associate Professor at the University of Michigan and is currently a faculty member of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, CA. Former students have won prestigious international solo competitions and gained employment with distinguished symphony orchestras and conservatories around the world.