Master Class at the Cat with Chris Eldridge ’04</h1> <article> <h1>Master Class at the Cat with Chris Eldridge ’04</h1> <p>jstrauss — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 21:11:49 +0000</p> <span>Master Class at the Cat with Chris Eldridge ’04</span> <span><span>jstrauss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-10-09T17:11:49-04:00" title="Monday, October 9, 2023 - 17:11">Mon, 10/09/2023 - 17:11</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Grammy Award-winning guitarist and singer Chris Eldridge ’04 returned to �鶹��Ƶ for a brief residency that included a band workshop at the Cat in the Cream on the afternoon of October 6. Two student bands, Cast-Iron Cornbread (made up of Sasha Paris-Carter, Cashel Day-Lewis, Max Allard, Francesca Neibel-Spruill, and Ellie Rui) and the Yard Salers (Jace Mason, Otto Allard, Max Allard, Katie Galt, and Eva Paddock) prepared original compositions and their takes on the classics.</p> <p>Eldridge listened and offered feedback, emphasizing the ways that conversational and unreserved expressive qualities of music can help the bands find their voices and their connections with one another. He urged them to push their limits in performance and find the extremes of their sound. “There’s something beyond just nailing pitch or rhythm,” said Eldridge, a founding member of Punch Brothers who has served as a visiting faculty member at �鶹��Ƶ. “It’s inflection, and timbre, and arguably, the most important thing is communicating that amongst each other.”</p> <p>Eldridge’s residency also included a career Q&A presented by the Conservatory deans office and the College of Arts and Sciences’ <a href="/node/3321">musical studies</a> major.</p> <p>Drop in on the bands’ experience in these clips below.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Punch Brothers guitarist guides student bands as part of two-day residency.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-10-09T12:00:00Z">Mon, 10/09/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Genevieve Dilan</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3874">Improvisation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3714">Conservatory Professional Development</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25281">Musical Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies" hreflang="und">Musical Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Chris Eldridge ’04 offers guidance to bands onstage at the Cat in the Cream coffeehouse during a conservatory master class.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">true</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Genevieve Dilan</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id class="o-flex--video-embed"> <div class="video-embed-field-provider-vimeo video-embed-field-responsive-video"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-33583" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-cont-img-section paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images photoswipe-gallery"> <div class="o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="image-grid image-grid--single-caption pull"> <div id="obj-31741" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-image-row paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <div class="image-row"> <div class="image-row__images" data-cols="3"> <div id="obj-29937" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/202310_chriseldridge_gdilan-4.jpeg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="6240" data-pswp-height="4160"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29939" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/202310_chriseldridge_gdilan-3.jpeg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="5619" data-pswp-height="3746"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29938" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/202310_chriseldridge_gdilan-2.jpeg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="6240" data-pswp-height="4160"> </a> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <p>Scenes from the masterclass.</p> </div> <div class="figure__credit"> Photo credit: Genevieve Dilan </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <hr> <p>From left: Members of Yard Salers, fiddle player from Cast-Iron Cornbread, and members of Cast-Iron Cornbread. All of the musicians in the two bands are majoring in various disciplines in the conservatory. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-27818" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p><em>Genevieve Dilan is a fifth-year double-degree student in vocal studies and psychology. She is a correspondent for the Conservatory Communications Office.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Virtual Business, Actual Visit</h1> <p>tapplega — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 17:39:48 +0000</p> <span>Virtual Business, Actual Visit</span> <span><span>tapplega</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-03-28T13:39:48-04:00" title="Tuesday, March 28, 2023 - 13:39">Tue, 03/28/2023 - 13:39</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When we <a href="/news/business-virtual-learning">last heard from Bryan Rubin and Ben Steger</a>, the 2018 �鶹��Ƶ grads and business partners had seen their 2018 venture—the online music education platform <a href="https://www.virtu.academy">Virtu.Academy</a>—soar in response to global pandemic restrictions on in-person learning. Each month, more than 5,000 virtual lessons were delivered by eminently qualified instructors—think Cleveland Orchestra musicians, and even Grammy winners—to students everywhere.</p><p>Since then, the world has gradually eased back into in-person education, but the possibilities that were revealed over the previous three years have shored up Rubin and Steger’s prescient business model.</p><p>“Originally, most people were skeptical of the quality of online lessons,” says Steger. “When the pandemic forced people online, they realized how high the quality of instructors we work with is. Parents won’t have to drive their kids to a lesson every week, or you won’t have to lug around your instrument to class. So the most interesting thing is that we haven’t really seen retention drop at all.”</p><p>Virtu.Academy initially took flight with support from �鶹��Ƶ’s entrepreneurship accelerator program—through which Steger, a Biochemistry and Trumpet Performance major, and Rubin, an Environmental Studies and Politics major—gained essential mentorship and $10,000 in startup funds. Now they partner with consultants for guidance in growing the business and keeping up with technological needs. Most recently, Virtu.Academy earned a $1 million renewable grant from the state of Texas to provide teachers for students in numerous school districts who do not have readily available private music instruction.</p><p>This week, they’re back on campus to talk about their experience and encourage others to pursue their passions in creative ways. It’s all part of the Alumni Conversations and Careers series, and it happens <a href="/events/entrepreneurial_pathways_building_a_career_after_oberlin">Thursday, March 30, at noon in StudiOC’s Main Commons</a> (38 E. College St.). A pizza lunch will be served, and <a href="/node/453692">RSVP is required</a>.</p><hr><p><em>Steger and Rubin's presentation is made possible by the Conservatory Professional Development Speaker Series, �鶹��Ƶ College Musical Studies Program, and the Office of Entrepreneurship, with support from Alumni in Service to �鶹��Ƶ College (ASOC).</em></p><p><em>Learn more about Virtu.Academy and read our </em><a href="/node/317276"><em>2021 interview</em></a><em> with Steger and Rubin.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The Obies behind Virtu.Academy share their story in a March 30 career talk.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-03-28T12:00:00Z">Tue, 03/28/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tyler Applegate</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2360">After �鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2395">Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3714">Conservatory Professional Development</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/winds-brass-and-percussion" hreflang="und">Winds, Brass, and Percussion</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Bryan Rubin & Benjamin Steger</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Take It for Granted</h1> <p>jreinier — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 14:56:55 +0000</p> <span>Take It for Granted</span> <span><span>jreinier</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-09-21T10:56:55-04:00" title="Wednesday, September 21, 2022 - 10:56">Wed, 09/21/2022 - 10:56</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>As the excitement of the school year begins, it can seem like �鶹��Ƶ is so full of opportunities that it’s hard to remember them all. But there are a few that you may not have heard about yet, and that you surely don’t want to miss: funding! �鶹��Ƶ students are brimming with creative ideas and aspirations, and part of a complete education is being able to bring these ideas to fruition. That's where the <a href="/conservatory-professional-development">Office of Conservatory Professional Development</a> comes in.</p> <p>Every year, there are a variety of grants to support creative projects, as well as providing financial support for students in need. They enable many students in the Conservatory and Musical Studies, as well as the College, to transform their dreams into reality. And it's not just the money—the experience of crafting a project and proposal is an essential skill for an artistic career. Many different pathways are possible, including a wide range of musical projects, other creative and scientific disciplines, and projects that center education, social justice, and entrepreneurship. But the best way to understand the imaginative scope is to hear from the students themselves:</p> <h2>The Flint Initiative Grants (FIGs): Music for All</h2> <p>Raiden Bernal has two principal passions: classical music and his home of Hawai’i. But many young musicians there don’t have access to classical music education, so Raiden applied for a FIG to change that. The <a href="/conservatory-professional-development/internal-funding-opportunities/figs">FIGs</a> are designed for music students pursuing Winter Term projects involving music, and Raiden’s project, “Mele no ka ‘opio” (“Music for the Young”), evolved to be so much more. The funding enabled him to commission a piece from local composer Michael Thomas Foumai, which soon turned into five pieces—with more to come—building a repertoire of Hawaiian classical music for students to discover. He also founded a free month-long program featuring instruction from professional percussionists, as well as Raiden himself. </p> <p>In another happy surprise, when Raiden told conductor Joseph Stepec of the University of Hawai’i about the project, Stepec was so excited he offered Raiden free conducting lessons. The experience was transformative: Raiden shares, “It’s become my mission, not just for the project but in my life in general, to become a conductor, go back to Hawai’i, and build up these programs.” His project has become much more than a percussion camp: it’s now a lifelong path. </p> <h2>The Grindlay Fund: The Nature of Innovation</h2> <p>The words “technological innovation” often bring up images of shiny chrome plates and developers hunched over screens. But TIMARA majors Ivy Fu and Maya McCollum had another idea: a five-day kayaking trip down the French River in Ontario, accompanied by water-resistant microphones, a camera, and a desire to connect their passions for nature and programming. Their project was supported by the <a href="/conservatory-professional-development/grindlay-fund">Grindlay Fund</a>, which helps Conservatory and College students combine technology with music and sound design. The pair are making an iPhone app which narrates their trip with animations and interactive puzzles that gradually reveal the mysteries of the river.</p> <p>Ivy and Maya see technology as something which can both create new worlds and bring us more deeply in connection with our own. Their project aims to deconstruct the boundaries between the natural and the human. On the trip, they passed ruins of engines and towns which had gradually become part of the landscape. Their app mimics this progression, with animations of objects dissolving and merging with samples they collected from the river. And that’s what the Grindlay Fund is about: dissolving boundaries and rethinking what technological innovation can mean.</p> <h2>The XARTS Fund: Fish, Accessibility, 3D Models, and Animation</h2> <p>When Rayce Kojiro thinks about combining different disciplines, he doesn’t just stop at two. With an <a href="/conservatory-professional-development/internal-funding-opportunities/xarts">XARTS grant</a>, designed for interdisciplinary summer and Winter Term projects, Rayce expanded his skills in marine biology, 3D modeling, animation, and activism. The project began with “Squish Fish,” a startup aiming to expand accessibility within marine biology education. While most marine biology education relies on videos, Squish Fish makes 3D models of marine life so that sight-impaired students can feel how they move and what they look like. </p> <p>The XARTS grant helped Rayce to take a class called “Data-Driven Animation for Scientific Communication” at California State University in Monterey Bay, which has one of the best scientific illustration programs in the US. There, he made his first scientific animation based on jaw disorders in marine mammals. Rayce is now using his newfound animation skills to design videos for a new startup, as well as the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, where he’s making animations to spread awareness of marine life conservation. XARTS has helped Rayce add a whole new discipline to his skill set, deepening and expanding his aspirations with “Squish Fish.” </p> <h2>The Student Success Fund: Get the Tools You Need</h2> <p>They always tell you, “It’s not the horn, it’s the player.” But for Jazz Studies major Nick Beltramini, just the opposite was true. Nick had been playing a beautiful vintage saxophone, but after years of hard use, it was greatly in need of repairs. That’s where the <a href="/conservatory-professional-development/internal-funding-opportunities/student-success-fund">Student Success Fund</a> comes in: Nick received partial support to give the sax new keys. And thanks to some additional outside funding that Nick secured, he did even more—now he has a shiny new saxophone with a sharper sound and a modern, more ergonomic design. While the Student Success Fund doesn’t usually cover new instruments, it gave Nick the start. </p> <p>Nick confides: “It’s hard to quantify how good you’re getting over months of practicing. But as soon as I took care of my instrument, instantly my tone improved. It was the tone that I had so clearly in my mind, and I had been making progress towards it by pushing my old horn so hard, but as soon as I made the change it was effortless.” And the more Nick enjoys playing, the more he plays, and the better he gets. The grant has been instrumental for him.</p> <h2>The Student Success Fund Summer Experience Award: Think You Can’t Go? Think Again.</h2> <p>French hornist Bebe Wagner has had quite a summer. She started with a 7-day excursion to Madeleine Island to work with the Prairie Winds ensemble, where she was thrown into a woodwind quintet to play Samuel Barber’s Summer Music—a notoriously complex piece to put together in a week. Her quintet bonded over the challenge, and they are still in touch; they want to continue the group moving forward. But Bebe didn’t stop there: next, she was off to New York, where she received instruction from the Imani Winds on musical entrepreneurship and the business of starting up a chamber group. She shares, “I’d never been to New York, and there’s so much music everywhere—I really craved that.”</p> <p>Summer programs can enrich an �鶹��Ƶ education with a wide range of new experiences, but they are difficult for many students to afford. That’s why the <a href="/conservatory-professional-development/internal-funding-opportunities/student-success-fund">Summer Experience Award</a> is here: because if all roads lead to �鶹��Ƶ, �鶹��Ƶ leads to everywhere. After the summer, Bebe’s eyes have been opened to a new world of chamber music, and her career aspirations have broadened significantly. </p> <hr> <p>These are just a few examples of many diverse projects from �鶹��Ƶ students. If you’re a student thinking about applying, don’t hesitate to find out more! You can start with the short overview video below, which includes some helpful advice. But the best thing you can do is to drop in to the <a href="/conservatory-professional-development/internal-funding-opportunities">Office of Conservatory Professional Development</a>, where the staff are practiced guides in grant writing and project development.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Funding opportunities at �鶹��Ƶ Conservatory</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-09-21T12:00:00Z">Wed, 09/21/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Joshua Reinier</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Internal funding opportunities—along with the practiced guidance of professional development faculty and staff—help �鶹��Ƶ Conservatory students bring their projects and ambitions to life. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3714">Conservatory Professional Development</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2403">Career Exploration & Development</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2401">Resources for Students</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Julie Gulenko</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id class="o-flex--video-embed"> <h3>Grant Opportunities at �鶹��Ƶ Conservatory</h3> <div class="video-embed-field-provider-youtube video-embed-field-responsive-video"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>The Team for Your Dreams</h1> <p>eburnett — Tue, 04 May 2021 21:03:51 +0000</p> <span>The Team for Your Dreams</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-05-04T17:03:51-04:00" title="Tuesday, May 4, 2021 - 17:03">Tue, 05/04/2021 - 17:03</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Like many students I know, I arrived at �鶹��Ƶ with a lot of plans. I wanted to learn how to sing. I wanted to learn how to direct. I wanted to learn as many languages as I could and as well as possible. But I knew that to achieve my goals—and to start reaching for opportunities at �鶹��Ƶ and elsewhere—I needed some guidance.</p> <p>Enter �鶹��Ƶ’s <a href="/node/70241">Office of Conservatory Professional Development</a>, directed by <a href="/node/30066">Dana Jessen</a>.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Dana Jessen</figcaption> </figure> <p>Jessen is an educator and bassoonist who helps �鶹��Ƶ students cultivate their own paths in music. In addition to her role at �鶹��Ƶ, she performs as a solo bassoonist and as cofounder of Splinter Reeds, a San Francisco-based reed quintet with a commitment to contemporary music. Thanks in part to her own life on the stage, Jessen’s knowledge of music-industry challenges is wide-reaching, current, and genre-spanning.</p> <p>Jessen teaches the conservatory’s Professional Development for Musicians course and curates the Professional Development Speaker Series, both of which draw on her expansive network. (In recent weeks, visiting speakers have included NPR music director Lauren Onkey, bass-baritone Dashon Burton ’05, I CARE IF YOU LISTEN editor Amanda Cook, and flutist-entrepreneur Valerie Coleman, among others.) On the rare occasion Jessen can’t answer a question, she knows someone who can.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Conservatory Professional Development sponsored a series of popular Zoom panels in spring 2021, including this one featuring NPR music director Lauren Onkey.</figcaption> </figure> <p>“The Professional Development Speaker Series gave me such a firm sense of <em>It’s going to be OK</em>, regardless of what happens,” says Joshua Rhodes ’21, a bass performance major from Fayetteville, North Carolina, who transferred to �鶹��Ƶ. “There were such diverse stories; it was such a diverse group of speakers from all different areas of the music industry—and related industries as well. Hearing Ivy Newman ’04 talk about how she started as a composition student, then did a master’s in arts administration at Columbia, and now owns her own marketing firm—it’s the idea of using the transferable skills that we have as musicians for other large things.”</p> <p>These transferable skills are taught from the very first year. In the <a href="/node/3256">vocal studies division</a>, all first-year students take the Vocal Studies Seminar, which covers managing finances as a singer, applying for summer programs and graduate schools, and—of course—working with the Professional Development Office.</p> <p>During my first year, Jessen brought along her peer advisor at the time, mezzo-soprano <a href="https://www.oliviacosio.com/">Olivia Cosío</a> (pictured with Jessen, top), who presented a brief overview of her own �鶹��Ƶ experience. I was hooked. I set up an individual meeting with the office, during which Jessen discussed her professional development course, which I enrolled in for the following fall. Taking that class—and taking it as early during my time at �鶹��Ƶ as I did—were two of the best decisions I have made. The class involved study of seemingly every possible career option in music and covered topics such as cultivation of multiple income streams, gigging, taxes, public and private arts funding, and—most important—artistic and financial independence. (The two are pretty much synonymous.)</p> <p>“Working with Dana, both one on one and in Professional Development for Musicians, helped me understand that there are so many different career paths available to musicians,” says Hannah Allen ’23, a harp performance and French double-degree student from Connecticut. “Although there are so many amazing opportunities already available at �鶹��Ƶ and elsewhere, it is entirely possible to create those that don’t yet exist. �鶹��Ƶ encourages students to explore subjects outside of their majors, and I think everyone should take advantage of this—not just to discover new passions, learn more, and meet people, but also to qualify yourself in multiple areas and increase your versatility.”</p> <p>Through the <a href="/node/171441">Music Leadership Career Community</a>, a career-readiness program available to third-year students through �鶹��Ƶ’s <a href="/node/4521">Career Development Center</a>, students participate in workshops with faculty, staff, and alumni for course credit. At the end of the program, students apply their newly acquired skills in the field through financially supported micro-internships or research-based projects. Afterward, they can continue to reach out to their mentors—including Jessen—for advising as they apply for fellowships and grants.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Darren Hamm</figcaption> </figure> <p>I was part of the inaugural Career Community class, and with the support of Jessen and fellow mentor Darren Hamm, executive director of the �鶹��Ƶ Center for the Arts, I applied for and earned <a href="/node/114806">XARTS</a> and <a href="/career/set/funding/descriptions">Conservatory Student Success</a> grants, two internal funding sources offered though �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for Innovation and Impact and the Career Development Center.</p> <p>This year I joined the Professional Development staff as a peer advisor, guiding musicians from both the college and conservatory. This past semester, I used the skills I learned in the Career Community to apply for the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX), a cultural exchange fellowship with Germany co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. I was selected, and will spend the next year in language school at a German university and interning in the opera industry there.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Nick Petzak</figcaption> </figure> <p>In addition to Career Communities, �鶹��Ƶ provides numerous resources for life after graduation. <a href="/node/31851">Nick Petzak</a>, director of the <a href="/fellowships">Office of Fellowships and Awards</a>, leads a Winter Term project on procuring fellowships that prepares students for the application process. Petzak’s guidance was crucial to my CBYX application. He coaches �鶹��Ƶ students through mock interviews, checks in regularly, and connects students with previous program participants when it’s time to accept or decline offers.</p> <p>Across campus in �鶹��Ƶ’s Career Development Center, Associate Director Dustin Evatt-Young and Executive Director Dana Hamdan just wrapped up <a href="/career/set/senior-launch">Senior Launch</a>, a rigorous program designed for spring graduates. Almost every weeknight for four weeks, students engaged in discussion, watched lectures, and workshopped practical skills like interviewing and negotiating salary. At the end, every senior received a professional portrait session and $400 toward professional expenses.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Dustin Evatt-Young</figcaption> </figure> <p>If those professional development opportunities aren’t enough, �鶹��Ƶ always has more. Students can enroll in the Organization Grant Proposals course, which teaches grant- and fellowship-application writing skills; they can take Arts Management, a course that specializes in leadership skills for the arts industry; or they can explore �鶹��Ƶ’s <a href="/musical-pathways">musical pathways</a>, a curated collection of interdisciplinary minors and concentrations meant to foster collaboration between the conservatory and college.</p> <p>The world seems extra-big right now. For those in the performing arts, it can feel even more uncertain—especially as graduating students. Even when I watched my older friends graduate in years prior, I don’t think I truly understood the way your last year on campus feels like leaping off a cliff.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Dana Hamdan</figcaption> </figure> <p>My four years at �鶹��Ƶ were a time of self-discovery, of opening unexpected doors, and of making connections far and wide. This year, as the Conservatory Professional Development peer advisor, I presented to first-year voice majors as Olivia Cosío had done for me—knowing that, yes, there is and always will be uncertainty, and yes, �鶹��Ƶ’s Professional Development team is standing by to help you build your future.<br> </p> <p><em>Charlotte Maskelony ’21 is a fourth-year vocal performance major from Arlington, Virginia.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Conservatory Professional Development helps students find their path.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-05-04T12:00:00Z">Tue, 05/04/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Charlotte Maskelony '21</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3714">Conservatory Professional Development</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2403">Career Exploration & Development</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3444">Career Communities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35596">Voice</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=32971">Opera Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/dana-jessen" hreflang="und">Dana Jessen</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/vocal-studies" hreflang="und">Vocal Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Julie Gulenko '15</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>What Works When You’re Looking for Work</h1> <p>eburnett — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 19:01:38 +0000</p> <span>What Works When You’re Looking for Work</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-04-05T15:01:38-04:00" title="Monday, April 5, 2021 - 15:01">Mon, 04/05/2021 - 15:01</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In the past year, so many aspects of our lives have gone virtual—from school to concerts to social gatherings. I spent more time on my computer last year <em>than in all of my other years combined.</em></p> <p>As I approached the end of my undergraduate life at �鶹��Ƶ, another challenge I needed to become accustomed to was my search for jobs and internships.</p> <p>I’m sure I wasn’t alone in feeling lost when it came to finding ways to gain experience in my field. When the pandemic hit, I was applying for hundreds of internships in what would be my last summer before graduating—a period that is typically crucial for students to build their résumés. But COVID ensured that no internships would happen that summer, and I felt like I had failed. The disappointment of not even getting responses to my applications amounted to another mental hurdle I needed to overcome.</p> <p>But I continued to stick my neck out there. And I was surprised to learn that I actually was experiencing more success applying for <em>jobs</em> than internships. There’s some truth to the saying “Shoot for the moon and you’ll end up in the stars.”</p> <p>I applied to any job that sounded interesting, regardless of whether it seemed like too much of a reach. A friend sent me a post on Instagram advertising an audio software company that was looking for someone with a design background. It would be a far cry to call me a graphic designer, but I had some experience making posters and animations, so I threw my name in the hat. And they responded! While I wasn’t exactly right for the job, I was right enough to earn an internship with this company, working remotely while I finish out my senior year. </p> <p>I have failed lots more times than I have succeeded, but this process of trying has taught me a few things that might help you on your career path too.</p> <p>• Approach your search by considering opportunities in three different categories: internships, jobs you think you’re qualified for, and jobs that might be out of your reach. Then don’t be afraid to go for any of them!</p> <p>• Look at the résumés of people in your field. Lots of people post them on their websites, and I found it really helpful to become familiar with the ways other people talk about themselves. It helped me plan how to structure my own résumé, as well as what language to use when describing my skills and experience.</p> <p>• Not everything on your résumé has to be a job. �鶹��Ƶ offers so many great summer and winter programs that could add a lot to your résumé and help you connect with great people in your field. </p> <p>• If you don’t have much experience in the field you hope to work in, think of the relevant academic work you have done. If you earned a grant or are an apprentice to a professor, those are things that show you can be trusted with responsibility. Professors and mentors also make great references. </p> <p>• Cater your résumé and cover letter to the specific position you’re applying for. It might feel like a tedious extra step, but it’s definitely one worth taking every time. Put your most relevant jobs and skills at the top of your list of experience. A recording studio will be more interested in my experience in recording music than my social media work. You want to prove that you will be an asset to the company and be able to hit the ground running.</p> <p>• �鶹��Ƶ for internships (and even jobs!) even if you aren’t sure they exist. Send emails to companies you admire—even DM them on Instagram. You don’t need to wait for people to be hiring to get your name on their radar.</p> <p>• Use your campus’ <a href="/career">career services</a> and <a href="/conservatory-professional-development">professional development offices</a>. They want to see you succeed, and they can be helpful with everything from developing a strategy, to uncovering opportunities, to critiquing your résumé and cover letter.</p> <p>• Ask your professors if they have colleagues who might be a good fit with you. You never know where a little connection may take you or what you might learn from somebody you don’t even know yet. </p> <p>• Don’t be afraid to think small. The most high-profile internship opportunities also tend to get the most applicants. I had much more success getting responses from smaller companies. Even if their answer is no, it can be much more encouraging to hear back than to be left waiting in limbo.</p> <p>• Whatever you do, be sure to follow up! This one was a hard one for me to learn. I felt like people would find me annoying if I emailed them too much. While there certainly is a point where contact can become excessive, being eager and interested in the job you are applying for lets the people hiring know that they weren’t just one of a million internships on your list. </p> <p>And remember: If your dream gig doesn't work out one summer or winter term, don’t think of it as time wasted. There is a lot you can do to bolster your résumé, from pursuing personal creative projects to building a website.</p> <p>�鶹��Ƶing for internships can be stressful, disheartening, and downright unfair sometimes, but it can also teach you a lot and give you great experience. If you can keep your head up and keep trying, you’ll find the opportunity that’s right for you.</p> <p><em>Oli Bentley is a fourth-year TIMARA major and a contributor to the Office of Conservatory Communications.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">A job hunter shares what she’s learned about securing internships and more.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-04-05T12:00:00Z">Mon, 04/05/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Oli Bentley ’21</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2403">Career Exploration & Development</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3714">Conservatory Professional Development</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=33031">TIMARA</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/contemporary-music" hreflang="und">Contemporary Music</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy Oli Bentley</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Claire Chase ’01 and Others Eye the Future of Entrepreneurship and the Arts</h1> <p>eburnett — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 17:28:51 +0000</p> <span>Claire Chase ’01 and Others Eye the Future of Entrepreneurship and the Arts</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-08-02T13:28:51-04:00" title="Monday, August 2, 2021 - 13:28">Mon, 08/02/2021 - 13:28</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The Strategic Plan Speaker Series continued this week with a conversation about the arts, entrepreneurship, and higher education. Panelists included 2012 McArthur Fellow and founder of the International Contemporary Ensemble, Claire Chase ’01; CEO of Michigan Opera Theater Wayne Brown; and president and executive director of Creative Capital Ruby Lerner. They spoke about the future of the arts and creativity, and their place in higher education and in local communities.</p> <p>Brown began by describing why he left his position as an arts administrator with the National Endowment for the Arts to move to his native Detroit. “I wanted a hands-on role in reimagining the arts sector in Detroit,” he said.</p> <p>Brown spoke about his vision for arts in the 21st century and emphasized the importance of nurturing creativity and student development, honoring diversity, and recognizing the potential for institutions of higher education to transcend the campus. Brown believes that local communities should be laboratories for higher education.</p> <p>“It is important for institutions [not just individuals] to think outside the box,” he said.</p> <p>Brown’s work with Michigan Opera Theater has done just that. This season’s production of <em>Frida</em> attracted 6,000 audience members—60 percent of whom had not previously been to an opera.</p> <p>Brown went on to discuss the need for arts organizations to emphasize more than just artistry. The landscape of classical music has changed, and it is important for organizations to engage with surrounding communities in a meaningful way to create value, relevance, and authenticity.</p> <p>Ruby Lerner followed Brown with an engaging lecture about creating a space for emerging artists that paves the way for success. She emphasized the importance of honoring artists creating new work.</p> <p>“We need to create an environment that encourages success as the artists choose to define it: Artists need to be at the center of critical societal conversation—not decorations at the fringe,” she said.</p> <p>Creative Capital takes a multifaceted approach to supporting emerging artists by providing monetary support, robust mentorship, interchange, and a platform for community engagement. Lerner believes art fields cannot absorb the vast number of trained artists that enter the workforce each year. Because of this, she believes that institutions of higher education should offer a holistic curriculum that teaches life skills and professional skills. Courses should be taught in career development, financial literacy, community engagement, building an internet presence, and marketing. Through this training, students are able to react to situations with flexibility, alertness, and curiosity.</p> <p>Claire Chase began her portion of the lecture by boldly claiming that the “entrepreneurship has sailed.” She challenged the current use of the word entrepreneurship, arguing that the meaning is removed from the actual artistic process. Chase believes institutions of higher education should create healthy ecosystems of learning, in which everyone is compelled to create and where people can become themselves. She emphasized the potential of a project-based curriculum that allows students to take risks, experiment, and show initiative.</p> <p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Guest panelists appear as part of �鶹��Ƶ's Strategic Plan Speaker Series.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2015-04-02T12:00:00Z">Thu, 04/02/2015 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Josie Davis ’14</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3714">Conservatory Professional Development</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/pace" hreflang="und">Pedagogy, Advocacy, and Community Engagement</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Josie Davis '14</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Punch Brothers Talk Entrepreneurship with �鶹��Ƶ Students</h1> <p>eburnett — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 17:43:37 +0000</p> <span>Punch Brothers Talk Entrepreneurship with �鶹��Ƶ Students</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-08-02T13:43:37-04:00" title="Monday, August 2, 2021 - 13:43">Mon, 08/02/2021 - 13:43</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Punch Brothers first formed to play mandolinist Chris Thile’s 40-minute, classically and jazz-influenced suite for five-piece bluegrass band, <em>The Blind Leaving the Blind</em>. Such an unusual and complex musical statement wouldn’t seem to bode well for great success, but the group has since become one of the most innovative bluegrass bands around and has achieved widespread popularity even beyond the roots music world.</p> <p>So the band must know a thing or two about musical entrepreneurship. On February 16, all five members gave a professional development talk, sharing their own career stories and distilling their experiences into thoughtful advice, all with their customary humor and gregariousness.</p> <p>“Noam just purchased a house, so it can be done: You can make money off music,” joked Thile as he walked into the crowded classroom where the talk (actually, conversation is a better word) was held. </p> <p>And indeed, Punch Brothers seem pretty optimistic about the state of musicians, in spite of the decline of the traditional recording industry. Aside from one dry comment from fiddler Gabe Witcher (“That was nice, back when people used to buy music”), they believe that decline and the advent of simple recording technology and distribution services have made it easier to follow your own path as a musician and get noticed.</p> <p>“If you’re making good music, music that people can only get from you, you will make a living,” Thile said. “Make music for the situation you want to be in, know exactly what you want to do, and then just will it to be.”</p> <p>They also offered some more practical advice: Proactively put yourself in situations where you can meet great musicians and show them what you can do. And live shows are a musician’s bread and butter. “Your live show is the only thing people have to pay for,” Witcher said. “Recorded music is a souvenir people can buy at your show.”</p> <p>Guitarist Chris Eldridge ’04 also suggested taking advantage of being young. “I’m finicky now that I’ve gotten older. I don’t want to sleep on couches anymore. But it’s empowering starting from nothing, from sleeping on couches. You can only go up.”</p> <p>On Thursday, February 19, Punch Brothers will play a concert in Finney Chapel at 8 p.m, the first live performance in America of their new album, <em>Phosphorescent Blues</em>. Tickets are $10 for students and $20 for the public, and can be bought online at Central Ticketing Services in Hall Auditorium. There are also a variety of free events with Punch Brothers throughout the week.</p> <p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">American roots ensemble follows series of campus events with February 19 performance.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2015-02-10T12:00:00Z">Tue, 02/10/2015 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Daniel Hautzinger '16</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3714">Conservatory Professional Development</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2403">Career Exploration & Development</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2395">Entrepreneurship</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/pace" hreflang="und">Pedagogy, Advocacy, and Community Engagement</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Daniel Hautzinger '16</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Ethan Dong Speaks About Careers in—and out of—Music</h1> <p>eburnett — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:29:29 +0000</p> <span>Ethan Dong Speaks About Careers in—and out of—Music</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-08-02T14:29:29-04:00" title="Monday, August 2, 2021 - 14:29">Mon, 08/02/2021 - 14:29</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>On December 2, pianist and educator Ethan Dong gave a career talk titled “The Expected and Unexpected Life in Music.” Dong recounted his career path, highlighting the many different jobs he took on to supplement his work in music: He sold T1 cables door to door for a communications company, washed dishes, and became a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. He described how, even though many students desire a life in music, it is OK to take on temporary work in an unrelated field. He emphasized the importance of staying busy, rather than waiting for a string of ideal jobs to appear. </p> <p>“Don’t sit and wait," he said. "Continue to do what you love, but also take on a side job to help you through the transitional period in your life. Be honest with yourself, and be sincere with others in the work that you do.”</p> <p>Eventually Dong decided to focus exclusively on music. He posted more than 2,000 flyers around his neighborhood and started teaching music lessons, ear training classes, and music theory courses in his garage. He went on to found Opus119, a music school that serves nearly 500 students in Irvine, California.</p> <p>At the end of his talk, Dong left these words of advice: “If there is something that you deeply believe in, love, and want to do, then it is possible. Stay true to yourself.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Pianist and educator emphasizes honesty, sincerity, and determination.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2014-12-10T12:00:00Z">Wed, 12/10/2014 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Conservatory Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3714">Conservatory Professional Development</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=29541">Piano</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/pace" hreflang="und">Pedagogy, Advocacy, and Community Engagement</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/keyboard-studies" hreflang="und">Keyboard Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy Conservatory Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>