Director of Education and Community Engagement
Stockton Symphony
Stockton, California
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Time in current position: 5 months
Time in the field: Less than 1 year
Majors:
B.A. Music (vocal performance emphasis), minor in psychology
Completing M.A. in Music Therapy
Additional Training:
Board-certified Music Therapist
Being a Music Therapist has been extremely beneficial in helping me to plan educational programming. Music therapy is all about using music to achieve non-music goals, so I’m able to help design programs that can give the schools a really valuable music experience.
Career Path:
Other than a few retail jobs to get me through school, I’ve been a Music Therapist. I worked at a psychiatric facility, a children’s home and a veteran’s home.
What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
The most surprising thing for me is that all the contacts I’ve made through my previous job in retail, as well as through the local university that I currently attend, have really come in handy. You never know who might be a good resource, and never forget that you may turn out to be a good resource for them in return. It’s all about helping each other out in this business, I think.
What inspired you to work for an orchestra?
I hadn’t really ever thought about working for an orchestra before the job was offered to me. I knew people who worked here and when the job of Grant Writer was offered, I thought it was a good way to at least be working in the area of music. After a couple of months they needed an education coordinator, so I decided to take on that role. I just sort of fell into it, but I’m loving it. I’m learning a lot and meeting some great people and still fulfilling my desire to use music to inspire people.
What advice would you offer to someone considering the orchestra field?
Make as many contacts as you can. Be aware of the politics going on around you, because they play a huge part in how well you’ll be able to get your programs out there. Make yourself aware of the visual and performing arts standards (or whatever they are called in your state) and also be aware of the education standards in each subject for each grade your programs are targeting. You want to be able to tell teachers and administrators that you are aware of what they are trying to do and that your programs can help them meet those goals. Also, take a few classes on data collection; they will come in quite handy.
Any other advice?
It’s always a learning process. As soon as you feel you’ve got it figured out, something will change. It’s okay to be unsure, just don’t let it stop you from trying. And never be afraid to ask your colleagues for advice.
Marketing Director/Education Coordinator
Santa Barbara Symphony
Santa Barbara, California
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Years in current position: 24
Years in the field: 28
Majors:
B.A. Sociology/Anthropology
M.A. Public Service Management
Additional Training:
Attended nearly every Association of California Orchestra Conference
and several League of American Orchestras National Conferences, plus
marketing workshops in the Santa Barbara area
Career Path:
Public Relations and Marketing
Information and Referral Professional, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Community Relations Coordinator, St. Francis Hospital, Santa Barbara
What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
Every day is a creative day. Whether it be putting together marketing
plans, creating ads or scripts, or negotiating contracts, it’s all
interesting. The challenge over these 24 years has been to handle all
the demands of marketing an orchestra, handling the public relations,
coordinating the Santa Barbara Symphony’s education programs, selling
ads and creating the concert books.
What inspired you to work for an orchestra?
I have loved classical music since I was young. It was a natural to
take my public relations skills to this field. I love all aspects of
working for a symphony, including the social parts.
Would you have done anything differently?
I would have majored in communications if that had been a degree offered at Eastern University.
What advice would you offer to someone considering the orchestra field?
Work as an apprentice or an intern under a professional in the field.
There are so very many things to learn and it would be helpful to learn
from someone who is already skilled. Take as many courses or workshops
as possible to keep up your skills and to learn more about the city or
town that you are working in. Get involved with other organizations in
your city or town and serve on their boards. Network every chance you
can.
Any other advice?
If possible, take the training offered by the League.
Associate Director of Education and Community Engagement
The Orchestras of Pasadena (Pasadena Symphony Association)
Pasadena, California
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Years in current position: 1
Years in the field: 5
Majors:
B.M. French Horn Performance
B.A. Sociology
M.A. Performing Arts Administration (NYU)
Additional Training:
Essentials of Orchestra Management, League of American Orchestras
Career Path:
Education Intern/Assistant to the Director of Education, League of American Orchestras Intern and Advertising Assistant, Symphony Magazine
Special Events Intern, New York Philharmonic
PR and Publications Associate, Pacific Symphony
What are the most surprising, interesting or challenging aspects of your day-to-day work?
I think the most challenging part of my work is juggling multiple
programs (education/community engagement). Time management is crucial,
as well as keeping a constant reminder of why we do what we do and how
important it is to the community. It gives me the greatest feeling when
I am actually able put into practice the advice from others in the
field that has helped me get where I am today.
What inspired you to work for an orchestra?
I discovered during my undergraduate training that I really did not
want to make music performance my profession. Although I loved teaching
young students and am very passionate about music education, I really
did not see myself as a young ensemble or orchestra director/teacher.
Shortly after college. I started to research what other possible
professions could be out there for me and stumbled upon information for
an arts administration master’s (which I did not know existed) and an
internship in music education with the Pasadena Symphony. After that
season I knew that I wanted to work with orchestras.
What was the first step you took toward a career in orchestras?
The first step was figuring out where I wanted to be after grad school
in New York and that was easy! California! Though many people told me
that I might limit my job opportunities by narrowing down a geographic
location, it is where I wanted to be for my personal life/growth. In
the two years I have been back working with California orchestras I’ve
gone through the opening of a new concert hall (with the Pacific
Symphony) and the acquisition and organizational transition of two
separate orchestra entities at The Orchestras of Pasadena.
What advice would you offer to someone considering the orchestra field?
I would be honest and say that a career in orchestra management
sometimes means long-hours with office work as well as concert duties.
However, when you see that students are benefiting from the education
programs that you’ve worked hard to coordinate—that makes it
worthwhile. When you get to be backstage making sure your favorite
musician/artist of all time gets to his/her interview on time—that
makes everything worthwhile. My advice is to always keep reminders for
yourself of why you do what you do.
Any other advice?
What I’ve found is that the orchestra field, though quite large, can
feel as close as family! There are always people in the field who are
willing to speak to you about their experiences, so if you are
interested in a certain department or the field in general, I’d
encourage you to reach out, ask questions, and even volunteer/intern as
early as possible—just to see how things run and to find out if it is
right for you.