Margarita Elias
Pronouns Used: She/her
Languages Spoken (other than English): Spanish, French
Hometown: Chihuahua, Mexico
Anticipated Graduation Year: 2028
Principal Instrument: Voice
Major(s): Performance
Describe your favorite Berklee experience so far.
My favorite Berklee experience is not one specific event, but the everyday routine that makes being here feel so special. I love walking through the winter streets of Boston in January, seeing the snow-covered trees, and arriving at my 9 a.m. Harmony 3 class, where my professor might welcome us with a beautiful piano melody before passionately diving into a challenging new subject.
After class, I’ll grab a coffee and run into friends on my way to Ear Training, where my classmates have become close friends and we somehow make the difficult task of solfège genuinely fun. Later, I might spend some time practicing, and in the evening, head to the Caf to watch a friend get onstage and share their art.
And when my schedule gives me a little extra time, one of my favorite things is walking over to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, which is so close to Berklee and free for students. Being able to spend a few quiet minutes looking at Monet’s Water Lilies before returning to a day surrounded by music feels almost unreal. For me, that is what makes Berklee so special: music, friendship, learning, art, and inspiration are all woven into everyday life.
When you think about your favorite class so far, what is one example of why you enjoyed it?
My favorite class so far has been Ear Training. Beyond being such a fundamental skill for any musician, I love how it helps me connect what I hear in my head with what I can actually create and play.
What makes the class especially enjoyable, though, is the atmosphere. Everyone gets a chance to participate and share what they’ve learned, and then we come together for group exercises that make even challenging things like solfège feel engaging and fun. There is a real sense that we are learning from and encouraging each other.
The class is incredibly dynamic, and I always leave feeling energized, motivated, and excited to keep improving as a musician.
What is your favorite part about studying and living in Boston?
My favorite part about studying and living in Boston is how much the city becomes part of your education. With so many universities in one place, you are constantly surrounded by people who are deeply devoted to their craft, whether that is music, mathematics, physics, art, business, or almost any other discipline.
I love how this makes even everyday conversations incredibly enriching. You can meet someone studying something completely different from you and walk away seeing the world from a new perspective. There is so much diversity of thought, culture, and passion here, and I find it amazing to be surrounded by people who are genuinely curious and excited about what they do. Boston feels like a city where everyone is learning from something, and from each other, and that makes living here incredibly inspiring.
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone applying to Berklee College of Music/Boston Conservatory at Berklee?
One piece of advice I would give someone applying to Berklee is to prepare as much as you can, but when the moment comes, trust yourself and be genuine. Research the program, understand what Berklee offers, practice seriously, and come prepared; but don’t become so nervous about doing everything “right” that you forget to show who you are.
Put your whole self on the table: your personality, your musical influences, your creativity, and even the things that make you different. Berklee is full of incredibly talented people, but what makes each person valuable is that no one has the exact same story or perspective.
If you’ve done the work, trust your preparation, enjoy the process, and let them see the musician and person you truly are.
Where is your favorite place on campus?
My favorite place on campus is the library because it captures something I really love about Berklee: being surrounded by people who are passionate about what they do. It is where I can get into the zone and focus on my own work while seeing everyone around me doing the same studying, creating, and working toward their goals. There is a quiet but inspiring energy that comes from sharing a space with so many motivated and creative people. Even when everyone is focused on their own work, you still feel part of the Berklee community, and that makes the library a really special place for me.
Why did you choose Berklee?
I think I chose Berklee because of a little bit of serendipity. The opportunity to audition came into my life almost unexpectedly, and from that moment on, everything seemed to fall into place and point me toward Berklee. The more I learned about the school, the more I realized it was exactly the kind of place where I wanted to be.
I am a very driven person, and I take my work and my growth as a musician seriously. I wanted to be surrounded by people who feel the same way; people who are constantly creating, practicing, collaborating, and pushing themselves to become better at their craft. Berklee has that energy everywhere. It also has an incredible presence around the world and has been part of the journeys of so many musicians I admire, including Alicia Keys.
What started as a moment of serendipity became my dream school. I feel incredibly grateful to be here, surrounded every day by people who inspire me to work harder, stay curious, and grow into the artist and person I want to become.
What are your plans for after graduation?
After graduation, I plan to continue building my career in music as a singer-songwriter and artist. That includes writing, recording and releasing albums, performing, and collaborating with other musicians and creatives.
More than anything, I want to create music that means something. I hope to write songs that people can connect with, that carry meaningful messages, and that can bring encouragement, joy, or a new perspective into someone’s life. I believe music has an incredible ability to reach people in ways that words alone sometimes cannot.
My dream is to build a life around creating and sharing that kind of music—and hopefully, make the world a little better one song at a time.
What have you enjoyed most about the live shows you've been involved in at Berklee?
What I’ve enjoyed most was helping record a K-pop festival for my friend from Singapore. It was an incredible opportunity to experience K-pop through the perspective of people who grew up surrounded by the music and culture behind it. Being involved in the recording allowed me to learn not only about the technical side of capturing a live performance, but also about how culture shapes the way music is created, performed, and experienced. Collaborating with people from a different musical background challenged me to listen and think in new ways. That combination of technical learning, cultural exchange, and collaboration is what made the experience so valuable to me.
Where do you hope to perform this coming year?
The Institute of Contemporary Art and the South Boston waterfront.
Your social media channel/web URL
Instagram: @margaritaeliasva