Help Dennis stay at Berklee

Hi everyone,

My name is Dennis van der Sanden, and I’m a current student at Berklee College of Music pursuing a dual degree in Contemporary Writing & Production and Performance. I just finished my second year at college with a cumulative GPA of 3.93 (Summa Cum Laude).

I am currently looking for $6000,- in additional funding to continue my studies at Berklee.

Being exposed to music from an early age, I was fortunate enough to have parents who supported me in learning an instrument. Upon discovering the music of Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel at the age of nine, I was determined to become an accomplished fingerstyle guitarist. I started studying Emmanuel’s material and soon found myself playing shows around the area. My ability on the guitar was recognized by Emmanuel himself when he invited me to join him on stage in The Netherlands. He later asked me to perform alongside him in Nashville as his special guest. Since then, he has been an incredible mentor and a dear friend, for whom I am incredibly grateful.

While in Nashville, I met professor Guy van Duser, who teaches at Berklee. Though I was still in high school, professor Van Duser encouraged me to audition for Berklee and offered to write me a letter of recommendation after seeing me perform.

Coming to Berklee, I made it a mission to learn as much as possible, both academically and culturally, so I could become an element of connection at our school. I currently lead a team of musicians and engineers with whom I go into the Berklee studios to compose and record music. In addition to that, I am the founder and current president of the “Spontaneous Composition” student club, which focuses on creating free improvised music. Throughout my academic career at Berklee, I maintained a cumulative 3.93 GPA, and have made the Dean’s list every semester.

Over the past few years, I developed an interest in writing and producing music. In August of 2021, I was invited by multi-platinum writer and producer Rex Kudo to play and produce multiple recording sessions in Amsterdam. This experience introduced me to many other established music producers, whom I now create samples, loops, and beats for. After graduating, I am planning to move to Los Angeles and use the network I built to pursue a career in production and composition.

Following my Berklee audition, I was awarded an annual partial scholarship. For a while, I was able to pay for most of my education through loans, savings, student employment, and financial support from my parents. However, due to the annual tuition cost of $46,950, I can no longer finance my education by myself. With tuition, Boston’s high living expenses, and a limited budget, I am looking for financial aid to finance the upcoming semester, bringing me one step closer to graduating from Berklee.

Thank you for your consideration!

Sincerely,

Dennis van der Sanden