Playing an instrument has always been a given for Jakob Rolandsson, as he comes from a musical family. The realization that he wanted to work professionally with music came after music high school and graduation. After many years of studying at a folk high school, Ingesund School of Music, and the Royal Danish Academy of Music, he is now a freelance musician in classical music, folk music, and jazz.
At home in Kungsbacka, where Jakob Rolandsson grew up, music was always present. With a father who was a cantor and singer, and a mother and siblings who were very interested in music, social life often revolved around making music.
"When your parents are that interested, you’re shaped as a child," says Jakob. "When I started playing an instrument, I began with the clarinet at the local music school in Kungsbacka. Then I tried the double bass at an open house at the same school, and for a while, I played both — but eventually, it was just bass. A big reason was that I had a very inspiring bass teacher, and now it’s my main instrument. I owe a lot to the music school in Kungsbacka."
Jakob’s realization that he wanted to work professionally as a musician truly came when he was applying to folk high school after music high school.
"That insight came gradually over the years. Maybe it became even clearer when I was looking for a folk high school. I checked around, and there weren’t many schools offering classical double bass instruction. It was just Ingesund and Kävesta, both with the same teacher, Sebastian Dubé. But the choice was easy considering the environment, the ensemble opportunities, and so on. When I visited Ingesund for the first time, the trees were blooming in the courtyard, which was a very seductive setting. Sure, I missed city life sometimes during my years at Ingesund, but even though Arvika is small, the town offers a functioning student life. And you rarely leave the school—at Ingesund, you can really immerse yourself in your studies, and everyone is in the same bubble."
When Jakob was studying at Ingesund, the pandemic unfortunately hit, and opportunities to play together with other students became almost nonexistent.
"It was pretty depressing during the pandemic; we hardly got to play together. I’m driven by interaction, and the magic that happens between fellow musicians is my driving force. So after graduating in 2021, I took the M60 course to really play a lot with others. Also in other genres, especially jazz and folk music. It’s a real luxury for a classically trained musician to have the chance to play in other genres at a music college with incredibly skilled teachers — you don’t get that in many other places."
After his bachelor’s degree and the M60 year at Ingesund, Jakob continued to a master’s program at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen in 2022, which lasted three years. He graduated this spring.
"Now I live in Malmö and freelance as a musician. I play with various symphony orchestras and take on a variety of smaller gigs. It’s mainly classical music but also folk music. After the M60 year, I started a band with three of the people I played with in the folk music ensemble, and we still play regularly. Again, that’s what’s so unique about Ingesund — the school is so seamless when it comes to genres."
How do you see the future? If you could wish, how would you work as a musician?
"My dream, vision, and plan are to maintain the broad range of genres and repertoire I’ve built up. I’d like to have a permanent position in an orchestra and then have the opportunity to freelance in the other genres I play. The different playing styles refresh me as a musician, and I learn a lot while renewing my playing."
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