about « Kristina van de Sand

Born in Mönchengladbach, Germany, I made first early experiences on stage as violinist with the rock string orchestra (Rockstreichorchester) and the youth symphony orchestra of my hometown music school. During the rebel years I switched to electronic bass. Although the violin will always be my first and beloved instrument, every now and then I feel the need to switch to deeper registers on viola or bass…

I studied applied cultural sciences at the university of Hildesheim, focussing on music and theatre, having violin lessons with Marie-Luise Jauch and double/e- bass lessons with Bernd Jacobsen and Jürgen Attig. Before and during those studies I travelled to Ecuador and Peru and went with a scholarship from DAAD to Rio de Janeiro, working at SESC Rio in the production of a german-brazilian theatre project (Estranha Visão). I met violinist Nicolas Krassik and was fascinated by his Forró and Samba phrasing on the violin – the real journey began!

Rushing through the studies in Hildesheim, I participated at the Popkurs at HfMT Hamburg and spent one more semestre abroad as Erasmus student for jazz at ESMAE in Porto, Portugal. I met wonderful musicians and friends for life, digged deep into the vibrant jazz scene of this beautiful town and went back to Germany, preparing for the qualifying examination at HMT Hannover. I was lucky – after finishing studies in Hildesheim I had the chance to do even one more diploma, in jazz violin, with Hajo Hoffmann and Ulli Bartel.

During all these years, I played in string quartets and several bands, getting to know a lot of different musical styles, such as Punk, Swing, Forró, Samba, Salsa, Tango, Country, Minimal Music, Pop … Some of my ensembles and staged productions you can visit on this homepage, as well as the most recent projects I am touring with.

Since my kids are born and I see them growing up with music, my interest in creative forms of music education has grown likewise. Over the last years I developed various interdisciplinary concert formats for young audiences, for the Elbphilharmonie, Kölner Philharmonie, Konzerthaus Berlin, among others.

Actually, I am working as stage musician in theatres in Germany and Portugal and I perform with my ensambles FAYA and Mosaicollective, europe wide. As music pedagogue, I teach at Deutsche Schule Lissabon and I give music workshops for kids, families and educators (pre-school age). In 2020, I finished the Yoga Alliance Teacher Training, exploring also interdisciplinary formats of Yoga & Music like TRIMURTI.

With the pandemic, I had to adapt to online formats of teaching, which enables me to teach world wide. If you are interested in having (online) violin or Yoga lessons, please contact me directly at mail[at]kristinavandesand.de

Nominations and Prices:

2024 Nominated for the YAMAWARDS Best School Concert with O CANTO DA BALEIA, Mosaicollective
2019 Winner of the Creole Global Music Contest in Berlin with FAYA
2014 Winner of Junge Ohren Preis in the Category Concept for Die Beste Beerdigung der Welt, Quartett PLUS 1
2013 Nominated for the Creole World Music Award Berlin with Tango Bastardo
2013 Nominated for the YEAH! Award with the production Relax Your Mind, Quartett PLUS 1
2011 Winner of Creole World Music Award Berlin with bye bye brasil
2009 Winner of Creole World Music Award Hamburg with Goja Mars

Stages:

Discography:

FAYA | Recorded by Roman Keller at Klangkombüse Hamburg, March 2019 | Mixed and Mastered by Andrea Appino, Livorno in April 2019

American Jesus Suite | Quartett PLUS 1 | Aufnahme: Stefan Wurz und Michael Speer, Subterra Sound Hildesheim |2012 Flowfish Records

Always Be | Anyamobo | Aufnahme: Pedro Vera, Audio Cue Tonlabor Berlin | 2012

bye bye brasil | bye bye brasil | Aufnahme: Kostia Rapoport, Wohnzimmerstudio Berlin | 2011 Flowfish Records

In allen meinen Liedern | Flimmerfrühstück | Aufnahme: Michael Kersting, Click Studio Münster | 2011 Vertigo Berlin (Universal)

Von Wegen und Welten | Rauschenberger | Aufnahme: Gregor Zielinsky, Sennheiser Hannover | 2010

Abenteuerlust | Pinkspots | auf dem Sampler Swing is not Dead | 2010 Frankie Boy Records

Wunderschöner Tag | Pinkspots | auf dem Sampler Schlager Swings | 2010 DA Music

Shine + Belleville | Pinkspots | auf dem Sampler Best of Rock’n’ Roll | 2009 Feiyr Compilation

Wunderschöner Tag | Pinkspots | auf dem Sampler From Punk to Rockabilly | 2009 Feiyr Compilation

So swingt der Hutklub | Pinkspots | auf dem Sampler Dynamite, Warschauer, Magazin für Gegenkultur (2008)

Pinkspots & der Hutklub | Pinkspots & der Hutklub | Aufnahme: Macky, Noise Control Studio Hildesheim | 2008 Wolverine Records

our blanket skies | m.f. brasch | Aufnahme: Matthias Jürgens, Sperrton-Studio Hamburg | 2006

Hardchor | Die Prinzen | Aufnahme: Jens Krause, Peppermint Park Studio Hannover | 2004 Hansa (Sony Music)