Adam Renn Olenn | January 8, 2014

Connecticut native Samantha Preis ’10 began playing the piano at a young age, but didn’t care much for practicing the music she was given. Instead, she preferred to write her own songs, a habit which led her to Berklee’s summer Songwriting Workshop, and from there to a songwriting scholarship.

A veteran traveler who has studied and performed in Greece and Israel, in her last year at Berklee Preis traveled to Egypt on the Live! Music Festival charity tour to raise money for children with cancer. The experience inspired dreams of one day founding her own performing arts cultural organization to encourage cultural appreciation, understanding, and artistic expression.

She is currently pursuing that dream at the University College of London, where she is working on a master’s degree in cultural heritage studies, as well as touring the UK in support of her 10-song debut release, Good News.