Masterclass season launches with José González collaborator Sebastian Gäbel
Last week, we had the pleasure of welcoming musician and producer Sebastian Gäbel to our campus to host a masterclass on mentality and creativity – the first masterclass of our new semester.
Sebastian, known more commonly under his artist name Desert Man, is a Grammy-nominated producer and artist from Berlin, who has released 16 albums across various bands and orchestras, and played more than 1,000 concerts across Europe and North America.
Following five European and North American tours, Gäbel performed as a guitarist and backing vocalist with highly acclaimed singer-songwriter José González and The String Theory, contributing to a double live album.
He was later nominated for a Grammy Award for his work on the spoken word album Sekou Andrews & The String Theory.
“In three years, we had maybe 20 days off. That’s why it worked” he told students at BIMM Music Institute Berlin, reflecting on his early musical beginnings.
Sebastian spoke with students about his journey, first detailing his experiences as a young musician in Hannover, Germany. During this time, he built an audience through word of mouth, playing around 80 shows a year before becoming successful enough to open for established acts such as Maxïmo Park.
Throughout his masterclass, Sebastian highlighted the importance of both persistence and dedication when building a career in music, particularly in the early stages.
When discussing his later success with Berlin-based rock band Gods of Blitz, Sebastian recalled how:
“When we started, we were all in our thirties. People told us we were too old. We all laughed at that, because it didn’t matter what they said.”
Today, Sebastian continues to work across music production and festival organisation.
His work with José González and The String Theory remains a notable part of his career, bringing together songwriting and orchestral arrangements.
Concluding the 2 hour session, he answered questions from our students, and recommended a variety of events taking place in Berlin soon.
Thinking about studying in Berlin?
Visit us at an Open Day to chat with lecturers, meet current students, and experience BIMM Berlin firsthand.
