When music majors are close to graduation, they must make the transition from student to professional. Some students choose to go straight on to graduate school, continuing musical training and making connections for their professional future. Some students will begin auditioning with hopes of getting more training and stage opportunities with Young Artist Programs, while others will be overwhelmed at the endless possibilities that “adulting” presents.
Business school seniors and graduates are encouraged to apply for unpaid internships to pave the way for future jobs. Similar opportunities exist within the music industry, and more are developing with diminished budgets and in smaller venues. Students considering a career in opera have time on their side as the voice continues to mature. So, an internship for a season is an opportunity to make connections by working on the other side of the audition table.
Every small opera company needs help and every established company has entry-level jobs. Whether you are monitoring auditions or assisting in the office, an internship provides interesting work in the field you dream of succeeding in. By interning for an artistic director of an opera company or assisting an agent, you can display more skills on a day-to-day basis than they would ever see from you in a short audition.
For example, if you sing an audition for a company that knows you have reliably showed up on time every day for three months and reorganized their computer files, the relationship of trust has been established and they are ready to be wowed by your talent. You will feel more comfortable taking artistic chances and revealing your artistic merits when you have already established a working relationship. Who wouldn’t want to offer a performance contract to the talented singer that has already proven their dependability?
The university where I teach offers a music industry major, which is a music performance track with a required minor, music business/industry courses, and a semester-long internship. Students are guided in putting together their résumé and portfolios, but they must apply for internships on their own, which allows them to look for a desired location and the type of company where they would like professional experience. As students complete various internships at places including Nashville, Universal Studios, and various companies in New York City, I have seen them “get it together” and focus on career choices. Most of these interns walk down their graduation aisle with job offers or graduate school scholarships.
Advice from the Interns
Some students that dream of opera careers have chosen to go to New York for their internships, and I asked them to share some of their hard-earned intern wisdom, including the housing challenge (Airbnb, Gypsy Housing, and short-term sublets kept a roof over the heads of these interns), finances (modest stipends and metro cards are typical), and what their work load included. Soprano Carol Anne Osborne has recently completed an internship with American Opera Projects in Brooklyn. I asked her about the type of internship she chose, moving to NYC, finances, etc., and she shared the following:
“I interned full-time for a small, but established opera company that develops, produces, and premieres new operas. I was interested in meeting composers and seeing the work that went into new productions. I interviewed and was offered the internship with a modest stipend and an unlimited metro card. Because the company is so small, I was able to get a taste of everything from daily receptionist duties, budget building, contract writing, video editing, marketing, and data entry. The company gave me my first professional opera credit by hiring me to sing a performance in the second month of my internship. I worked with the entire board of the company as well as the singers, conductors, composers, managers, and the staff at several venues including the National Opera Center of OPERA America. My company would like me to stay on as an intern and they’ve also spoken about the possibility of another performance gig. Because I am planning to audition for graduate schools, the people I’ve met have offered sincere interest in ‘what’s next’ for me and they would like me to keep them informed.
“I definitely recommend interning for an opera company. Look for companies that are growing and who are active. Don’t shy away from a smaller company, because that company may be the next big thing. Look at the current employers and see if they are diverse knowledgeably and personally, because that is how you will learn the most. There is a huge need for interns because there are so many facets of the company and all the employees wear multiple hats. They are looking for people to share responsibilities, and the training is invaluable. Even if a company doesn’t advertise internships, get in touch with someone from the company and send in your materials. Show them they’re getting a steal by hiring you.”
Another student, soprano Connor Murphy-White, interned at Carnegie Hall and is now in her second year of a master’s degree. I asked her how her opportunities as an intern prepared her for graduate school.
“I was a full-time intern for Distinguished Concerts International New York. My duties included receptionist work with a split focus working as a secretary dealing with the [cloud-based software] Salesforce and concerts projects. During production weeks, I acted as the assistant production manager, where I oversaw concert logistics, photos, and archival files and I served as the artist liaison to VIPs. I met conductors, singers, and composers, including Sir Karl Jenkins. As an intern, I was able to build professional contacts and watch how the ‘pros’ handle themselves in rehearsals without having the added pressure of performing. I developed a great working relationship with the Carnegie Hall manager. He told me to contact him if I ever needed work in the city.
“Currently, I am the opera assistant at UNM where I handle rehearsals and VIPs. Recently, I had to iron a guest recital artist’s dress minutes before a program. Due to the skills I learned while at DCINY, I keep guests as calm as possible while ‘fixing’ the issues. I think it’s important to be versatile as a singer . . . not just in the singing aspects or vocal repertoire. Knowing aspects such as production, orchestra, logistics, etc., builds appreciation and makes you more marketable.”
Soprano Hannah Damron entered her internship at Carnegie Hall with a goal, and she succeeded.
“I told my internship supervisor up front that artist management was ultimately what I wanted to do, so they were willing to help me network and meet the right people. I orchestrated a round of auditions, corresponded with all the management agencies invited, and executed the auditions personally so I could meet all the managers face to face. I went up to each one, introduced myself, told them I was in the city to be an artist manager, and asked if I could send them my résumé. No one told me no and four companies offered me interviews.
“I landed the job of my dreams on the last day of my internship as an artist manager with Musica Grande Artists, owned by Samuele Liadi. If I hadn’t attended those auditions and met all of these people in a professional atmosphere, I’d still be looking for a job from the outside in, so to speak. It’s much easier to get face time when you’re on the inside circuit, and an internship can do that for you.”
Interns Get Results
Whether a professional internship helps you qualify for an assistantship in graduate school or gets your foot in the door for a career-building job, you can improve your skills and readiness for the opera world by working in the industry. You might stumble upon an aspect of the music business where you can make an impact and a buck. Or you might meet the conductor who gives you your first big break. There are not enough opera contracts for all of the graduating voice majors in the world, so I hope the experiences of the interns shared above will give you pause for thought about some industry intern options as you work your way to your personal success.
