Featured Student: Elin Margareta Sandberg

“I’m from a small city in Sweden called Uppsala. Music has always been a big part of life in our family. Everyone in my family plays an instrument so it was very natural for me to start, too. How I started playing bass is actually kind of a funny story. I started out playing a little bit of guitar; my dad taught me some chords and I played for fun. But then when I was about 12 or 13-years-old, my brothers told me that since they were already playing drums, piano and guitar, I should start playing bass so we could have a family band. So I started playing bass on the guitar along with CDs and just kind of fell in love with the instrument and have played it ever since.”

“High school was where I really decided that music was what I wanted to do and where I started taking it seriously. I went to a music high school in Stockholm, and in 11th grade a team of teachers from Berklee came to our school to hold auditions for the school. My ensemble and I played a concert for the Berklee teachers and they saw me and offered me a full scholarship to the Five Week Program that summer. So I went and that’s how my Berklee journey started and I have loved every second of it! I’m now in my third semester as a full-time student and it really has been the best time of my life so far. I’m so grateful for everything I’ve learned so far and can’t wait to see what the rest of the years have to offer.”

“What I love about Berklee is all the amazing resources we have here. To get to learn from legends like John Patitucci on a regular basis is incredible, and that’s just one example of the amazing teachers we have here. Also, to get to know and play with other students from all over the world that are incredible musicians is so rewarding. There is so much to learn here at Berklee, both as a musician and also as a person, that you just need to take advantage of all the resources you get and really be open to learn. During my time here at Berklee, I just want to learn as much as I can and create friendships and contacts with all of the amazing people that are here.”

“In the future, the dream would be being a working musician and doing what I love: playing music with great musicians, touring the world, and hopefully making a difference for people through my music.”

Listen to Elin Margareta Sandberg perform with the Simon Moullier Quartet in this podcast.

Watch Sandberg perform "Spain" with Tracy Robertson: