Once production students reach their junior or senior year (at the latest), it’s time to be thinking about ways to best-utilize the summer to prepare to step in to the professional world. Personally, I encourage you not to wait that late but opinions vary. Summers are the perfect time to gain more of that on-the-job experience you’ve been craving throughout the regular semester, and there are countless avenues through which you can pursue this experience.
All that said, it’s that time of year where I’ve been getting numerous questions regarding summer / seasonal / on-campus opportunities, so I thought it might be easiest to write up a comprehensive list which can be shared (and updated). Given my personal expertise, this list focuses largely upon opportunities which cater to various art and music organizations. So, if you’re looking for recording studio, music business, or live sound internships this article will be far less useful. My apologies, it’s just that this specific topic needed some fairly specific explanation. For those areas, just swing past my office, or you can always try a little creative Googling. Of course, to all my audio educator and recording industry friends who are reading this, you’re more than welcome to chime in with suggestions in the comments to make this lengthy list more well-rounded.
Some Brief Advice
Before you head out in search of that perfect job / other opportunity you can expect to need at least three basic things. While you might already be prepared, these seem worth mentioning:
- A Resume
- There are lots of great advice out there regarding writing resumes, however I’d urge you to check out How to Get a Job in the Music Industry, Second Edition by Keith Hatschek. Also, the Media Career Guide, Seventh Edition by Seguin and Culver is a great resource, too.
- Samples of your work
- For audio, I can’t recommend SoundCloud enough.
- I’ve had amazing luck with Vimeo. Please don’t use YouTube.
- If you have production or other documents that you want to share, be sure to give Scribd a look.
- At the end of the day, you may want to create a professional place for all your work. I love having my own webpage, but it’s a lot of work. If that sounds like something you’re interested in then I’d consider a WordPress site hosted with a company like a FatCow, as they treat their customers well and are very inexpensive.
- As an alternative, for a very clean and professional landing page, check out About.me which makes it possible to create a professional homepage in a matter of seconds.
- Professionalism
- Please make certain that you have an email address that conveys your professional status, like FirstMiddleLastname@gmail.com. Also, some free business cards from VistaPrint won’t hurt you either (or punch it up with something from Moo!)
Now, without further ado, all those possibilities!
Ohio University On-Campus Opportunities
- PACE Jobs
- There are several great audio-related jobs available in PACE (Program to Aid Career Exploration) with several WOUB staff members and programs. If you’re eligible, just search for “audio” or “production” and you’ll find them. These are great opportunities to add to your reel while getting paid!
- School of Music Recording Engineers
- These students record performances for the School of Music. The jobs are only posted when there are openings and there are usually only 4 on staff including the head engineer. However, this is the type of job that gave me my start, so when positions are available I’d urge you to take advantage. If you’d like more information, I can put you in touch with the appropriate person.
- Audio Engineering Society Student Section
- While not an opportunity for employment, The Audio Engineering Society is a great way for you to get involved with fellow production students. For the most up-to-date information, be certain to Like our Facebook Page.
- Other
- If you found this article and you’re not and Ohio University student, that’s ok too! Your school might not have opportunities that are exactly the same, but if you try looking for the same kinds of jobs in similar places, that will give you a great start!
Summer / Seasonal Opportunities
When it comes to summer or seasonal opportunities, it pays to plan ahead if you want to land a specific placement. I’m personally a huge proponent of The Banff Centre Work Study programs, as well as the University of Stavanger post-baccalaureate program, and the opportunities offered by the Interlochen Center for the Arts. However, there are countless opportunities available depending upon your interests.
Below, I have focused primarily upon art and music organizations who offer internships or other employment opportunities. These links could become outdated quickly, but you can always start searching again via the organization link . I’ve also included below several lists of festivals and summer programs which can be a handy way to start any search.
- Lists of Music Festivals
- Continuing Education Opportunities
- The Banff Centre – (direct link) (organization link)
- The Banff Centre is a great opportunity for students wishing to further both their education and their career though their acclaimed work study program in areas like audio engineering and post production. For more information, please contact me.
- University of Stavanger – (direct link) (organization link)
- A unique post-baccalaureate program, this affords students the opportunity to further their studies outside the USA and their comfort zone tuition free. This highly competitive program accepts applicants each winter, typically though mid-December.
- The Banff Centre – (direct link) (organization link)
- Potential Employment & Internship Opportunities
- Interlochen Center for the Arts – (organization link)
- The Interlochen Center for the Arts has opportunities every year in recording, mastering, live sound, and theatrical sound design. If you are interested please contact me and I can direct you to the right person.
- Tanglewood Music Festival – (direct link) (organization link)
- Aspen Music Festival – (organization link)
- Lake George Music Festival – (direct link) (organization link)
- An MDIA student has been a past participant, so if you would like more information please contact me.
- Lincoln Center – (direct link) (organization link)
- Music at Menlo – (direct link 1) (direct link 2) (organization link)
- Glimmerglass Festival – (direct link) (organization link)
- Napa Valley Festival del Sole – (direct link) (organization link)
- Brevard Music Center – (direct link) (organization link)
- Spoleto Festival USA – (direct link) (organization link)
- Round Top Festival Institute – (direct link) (organization link)
- Marlboro Music – (direct link) (organization link)
- Yellow Barn – (direct link) (organization link)
- Texas Music Festival – (direct link) (organization link)
- La Jolla Music Society – (direct link) (organization link)
- Eastern Music Festival – (direct link) (organization link)
- Atlantic Music Festival – (direct link) (organization link)
- The Santa Fe Opera – (direct link) (organization link)
- Ash Lawn Opera – (direct link) (organization link)
- Grand Teton Music Festival – (direct link) (organization link)
- Interlochen Center for the Arts – (organization link)
Other Employment Resources
If you’re looking for general internships or freelance work, here are a few sites that you should definitely check out.
Hopefully, you’ve found this useful and have made it this far! The process of finding the right opportunity for you can be daunting, however don’t forget that we’re always here to help. If you’d like recommendations on which opportunity might be the best fit, or want to talk all of this out in general, just swing past my office or send me an email.
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