Igor Šajatović Double bass
Information
Facts
Born in Zagreb, Croatia
Member since 1.5.2025
Biography
From electric guitar to double bass: Igor Šajatovic initially wanted to play electric guitar, but the director of a Croatian folk ensemble was looking for a double bass player and handed him the huge instrument. Igor Šajatovic immediately felt a connection to the double bass. He was fascinated by its expansive, rich and dark sound. At the age of fifteen, he studied at the Zagreb Academy of Music with Mario Ivelja. In 2016, Šajatovic continued his training with Dorin Marc at the Nuremberg Academy of Music, and later at the Music Academy in Liechtenstein. He is the winner of several competitions.
Igor Šajatovic discovered the Berliner Philharmoniker’s Digital Concert Hall trailers on YouTube and was thrilled by the energy of the bass section. “They seemed like a rock ‘n’ roll band to me; I thought, ‘I’d love to play there too!’” In 2022, this dream became more tangible when he received a scholarship from the Karajan Academy. “I learned a lot there,” Šajatovic says, “– above all, how important it is as a musician to have your own personality and still blend into the ensemble.” His first professional position took him to Cologne as principal bassist with the WDR Symphony Orchestra. During this formative time, he gained direct experience of the responsibilities demanded by a solo position. However, his longing for Berlin remained, so in May 2025, after passing an audition, he moved to the Berliner Philharmoniker. When he is not focused on the double bass, Igor Šajatovic has another passion: classic cars, which he enjoys driving and, if necessary, repairing himself.
“The double bass section of the Berliner Philharmoniker is something special for me: we play very passionately, yet in a controlled and relaxed manner. Whether forte or pianissimo, the sound has incredible intensity. Added to this are our large five-string instruments, whose tone has its own unique resonance. All of this contributes to the characteristic dark, robust sound of our bass section.”
