Justus Berger: 'Even Beethoven occasionally wrote stuff because people wanted to hear it'
- Music
The first step in his professional career has been taken: earning income from music. The next goal for Justus Berger (26), who graduated from the Composition for Film and Theatre course at the ArtEZ Academy of Music in Arnhem in 2023, is to make a full living from composing, arranging and producing his own music. 'I do a lot of different things, which is at once my struggle.'
Nowadays Justus is back in his hometown of Bonn, where, immediately after graduation, he was offered a job he could not refuse. As an arranger and orchestra librarian with the Symphony Orchestra of Bonn, he has the opportunity to live close to his family and friends while pursuing his dream. 'The fun part of this work is that I come into contact with professional classical musicians', he says. 'I didn't have much experience with that before this.'
All Quiet on the Western Front
Besides his job at the orchestra, Justus works as a freelance arranger and composer, as a teacher in Bonn and as an assistant at Ricochet in Düsseldorf, a company that provides all orchestration for the likes of Volker Bertelmann, the German composer who won an Oscar in 2023 with his music for the film All Quiet on the Western Front. He also runs the music production company Trytone with former classmate Dilan Safari.
'As you can see, I don't sit idle', Justus says with a laugh. 'I am working on many different things, which is at once my struggle. Above all, I hope this is a transitional phase in which I can try out a lot to discover what works best.' In the long run, he aims to have no more than two jobs. For now, though, I am very grateful for the fact that all my income comes from the music business. It is, after all, a dream come true.'
It's important to know who and what you are and which scenario makes you happy"
Learning to write for real musicians
Asked how he looks back on his Composition for Film and Theatre course, Justus especially praises his lecturers. 'Take Andries van Rossem and Rainer Quade', he cites as examples. 'Great lecturers as well as musicians with a lot of valuable knowledge.' The projects, too, are still clear in his mind. Justus marks getting to compose for the Matangi string quartet and the recording sessions he had with them still as one of the highlights of his student days. 'I was lucky enough to participate in this project three times. They are such good musicians with so much ambition', he emphasises. 'It was great to do and extremely educational at the same time.' The same goes for the projects with the Ereprijs orchestra as far as he is concerned. 'Writing for them was a challenge, because they readily discard many of the rules you have learnt. Everything is mixed together. For many of us, it was the first time our music was played by real musicians.'
Years fly by
Was it difficult to build a career upon graduation? Justus: 'That can be quite tricky. You are keen to latch on to everything that comes your way because you don't want to miss any opportunities.' You also need a little luck', he believes. 'Everything I have achieved so far has been mainly through friends and acquaintances. I know someone who knows someone. For example, I got the job at the Bonn symphony orchestra through an acquaintance of my parents who was head of administration there.' Although attending music events and other related meetings and events is the best way to connect, according to him, he is not a true networker by nature. 'That's more of a personal issue, because I also know people who love doing that. If you move up on the career ladder, it is mainly because people know and trust you. I like to compare it to voting during an election, which is also often based on gut feeling rather than facts. And I get that. You do have to have confidence in the person you're working with.'
Looking back on his time at ArtEZ, he might have been able to get a little more out of it socially. 'I met so many talented people there, but I also didn't meet a lot of people. So I would pass that along to – new – students: connections are very valuable, also for future collaborations. In addition, it is equally important to enjoy the time you spend at ArtEZ. The years fly by.'
Scenario that makes you happy
Although he has already accomplished a great deal so soon after graduation, Justus strives to be in an even better place. 'As I've only just started, sometimes it still feels a little unstable. My ultimate goal is artistic freedom and hence to be able to live entirely off my own compositions and arrangements. Anyway, even Beethoven sometimes wrote things that people wanted to hear, ha-ha.' In his view, it's good to strike a balance between making work you get paid for and making passionate work. According to Justus, the magic is in knowing your personality. 'There are artists who think: forget it. I quit my job and move into a small room with no family or pets and do exactly what I love. If that makes you happy, fine. But most people need family and friends around them. A life. And then you can't give up everything around you. So it is important to know who and what you are and which scenario makes you happy. Especially at a young age, that's a quest.
