Niko Rosales-Rios

Niko Rosales-Rios is 47 and is in his third semester of a Bachelor’s degree program in “Applied Musicology and Music Education.” For a long time, attending university wasn’t even on his radar. Although Niko had earned his high school diploma in Chile before coming to Germany in 1996 at the age of 18, his immediate priorities were finding an apprenticeship and earning his own money. “I wanted to be independent,” Niko says during our conversation in the cafeteria. For many years, he earned a good living in his trade as a communications electronics technician and used that income to fund his hobby: Music. Music has always been an important part of Niko’s life: “I’ve met so many people through music, played in many bands, and always made music.” It wasn’t until later—Niko now lives in Munich—that he enrolled in a part-time program at the German Pop Academy, which he financed himself and which broadened his musical horizons. He then worked in middle management at the German Pop Academy for several years and finally wanted to gain a foot in the door in the music industry professionally. But after the birth of his eldest son in 2013, a very difficult phase in Niko’s life followed, marked by countless setbacks. His first steps in the industry stalled. “I was sick for a long time, and afterward I sent over 200 applications to music agencies, labels, music publishers, and event agencies—nothing but rejections!” Niko saw one reason for the many rejections in the fact that he didn’t have a proper final degree that would have qualified him for the advertised positions. In 2018, Niko finally went into business for himself. The self-taught musician worked as a church musician, choir director, and music teacher—and eventually applied as a music therapist and educator at Regens Wagner, a facility for people with disabilities. He landed a part-time job and the prospect of doing more work in this field, but only with the appropriate final degree. “I’ve always made music, taught myself an incredible amount—music is my lifeblood—but it wasn’t until Regens Wagner that I even got the idea to turn my passion into a career through a degree program.” Niko thought that, as a practical person, he wouldn’t fit into a degree program. Nevertheless, he began researching and came across the Bachelor’s program in “Applied Musicology and Music Education” at the KU: “As soon as I read through the course content for the first time, I realized: Here I can rediscover my experiences from the past decades in a well-founded way.”

But before starting his studies, Niko still had a few hurdles to overcome. His Chilean high school diploma is recognized in Bavaria only as a Mittlere Reife. He therefore gained admission to the program through his professional qualifications, and the International Office supported him, as Niko is still a Chilean citizen today. He had to complete the first two semesters on probation—to prove his aptitude for higher education. “That was very stressful,” says Niko. But he made it and feels supported and motivated by his lecturers—especially music professor Kathrin Schlemmer.

For Niko, the path through vocational qualifications was also a stroke of luck in terms of financing his studies. Unlike students who begin their studies after high school graduation, the age limit for the German federal student grant BAföG does not apply to him. So while juggling full-time studies, his part-time job at Regens Wagner, his freelance work—which he continues to pursue—and his small family—Niko now has a four-year-old daughter with his partner Marion—is very stressful, he can afford his studies and is on his way to finally turning his passion for music into his profession.

His concerns that a degree program would be too theoretical for him have long since vanished in his daily university life: “The emphasis at the KU is really on the ‘applied,’ and what we learn in theory is directly put into practice.” Niko is certain that his studies will open many doors for him that have remained closed until now. Whether he decides to pursue a Master’s degree after his Bachelor’s or to enter the workforce, he can finally demonstrate his skills and knowledge. For Niko, one thing is clear: “It’s never too late to make the right decisions for my life. Today I know where I want to go, and I’m approaching my studies with a clear purpose.” Without the support of his partner, he makes it very clear, his studies wouldn’t be possible. “We both want this.” That means Niko is allowed to lock himself away to study during exam periods, while his partner takes care of their young daughter on her own.

At the end of our conversation in the cafeteria, his fellow student Johanna Sarmiento-Schwarze joins us at the table. The two of them are about to continue working on a joint study project. When Johanna hears what we’re talking about, she expresses her enthusiasm for her “older” fellow student: “Niko can explain things so engagingly—often more compellingly than the lecturers. We benefit so much from his experience.” And for Niko, the exchange with other music enthusiasts is a key reason why he enjoys his studies so much.