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Casey Andersen was born in Pasadena in 1991, and his family relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico, a year later, where he remained until he turned 18. His first instrument was the drumset, which he played from about age 6 to 16. In the fourth grade, he began playing the upright bass, participating in orchestras, Jazz and Rock bands, among others. He auditioned for Berklee College of Music with the Electric Bass as his primary instrument but changed his major to Jazz Composition within the first year.
After graduation, Casey took a job as the bassist in the house band of a cruise ship. However, it wasn’t the right fit for him, so after his contract ended, he had to engage in some serious rethinking about his career direction.
Returning to Santa Fe, Casey started teaching various music classes at his former school, the Santa Fe Walford School. He kept busy playing gigs and teaching during the day, but also found time to practice Yoga and indulge in reading whenever he wasn’t working.
He earned two Masters degrees from St. John’s College in Santa Fe—one in Western Philosophy Liberal Arts and the other in Sanskrit, focusing on the Eastern Classics. Casey met his wife in the Eastern Classics program, and they have recently relocated to Oxford to further their studies.
What makes you uniquely qualified to discuss financial and artistic freedom for musicians?
I graduated from Berklee College of Music with a degree in Jazz Composition, and have spent the majority of my life, with the exception of the last two years, as a professional musician and music educator.
What is a crazy-but-true fact about you?
My wife and I are graduate students at the University of Oxford in England. I am studying Sanskrit and Classical Indian Religion, and she is studying Classical Chinese and Buddhism.
Why is financial literacy among musicians important to you?
I understand that financial and artistic freedom is one of the major factors that keep musicians either pursuing and maintaining their craft or finding another career.
What is one piece of advice you would impart on the audience?
No real advice, but perhaps a question to musicians about how music supports and enriches our lives as a whole rather than it being our sole meaningful activity.
Thanks for listening and keep thriving!
