Ever wondered what goes on behind-the-scenes? Who organises the publicity for an event? How to coordinate and manage a rehearsal schedule? This might be the opportunity for you.
As part of any Performance module at Royal Holloway Department of Music, you can interview for a position on the Concert Management & Artist Personnel Programme.
This is a staff-led programme in which students can apply for positions in one of four teams; Digital Programme Production Team; Publicity & Promotion Team; Quartet-in-Residence Liaison Team; New Music Artist Personnel Team. Mentored by Performance Manager Nathan James Dearden, twelve successful applicants will be placed into a team based on their strengths and interests as shown in their application and interview. Each team will consist of four successful applicants.
This special opportunity can be used as an alternative for participation in any other staff-led music ensemble such as an orchestra or choir and will count towards your participation remit in your Performance-based undergraduate module. Alternatively if you have a thirst for this field of arts administration or would like to explore a behind-the-scenes view of music, please complete this short application (link embedded).
Take a look at our teams and the sorts of responisibilites and inidividual roles they hold throughout their time on the programme:
What will each team member be responsible for?
- Liaison: To liaise with the Concert Office and Performance Manager on upcoming events that will require programme(s), what the programme and/or concert order will be, liaise with artist(s) as to any programme change/alteration/nuances.
- Research: In-depth research on given programme. DO NOT use Wikipedia or a simple Google Search (merely use this method perhaps as a starting point). Perhaps take a look at existing programmes or set up a meeting with a scholar or member of the faculty in a given specialised field (i.e. a concert containing the works of Claude Debussy? Maybe contact a specialist in 20th or 21st-century British music).
- Writing: Explore all writings styles and hone in on a style that is suitable for such concerts that Royal Holloway host. As much as we encourage a flair and originality in your prose, aim for a consistency or compromise in all your writing. We are writing under one team after all. Explore how other programme writers weave their narratives and factual information together whilst remaining primarily within a 350-word limit (per musical work).
- Production: How will it look? The College has a template programme for all of our events. You will receive a deadline to submit your programme notes usually 2-3 working days prior to the event. This will be outlined in advance. The Performance Manager will format the submitted text into the template are produce an allocated amount for the event.
Additional and collective responsibilites
- Organize either a 30-minute or hour fortnightly meeting to discuss allocation of roles and the process. Feel free to invite the Performance Manager, or supply themwith detailed notes and/or minutes from the meeting outlining outcomes.
- Do not forget you are representing a larger team and the university itself, utmost professionalism is ESSENTIAL. Contact details and personal information are not to be distributed.Notify Performance Manager as soon as possible of any changes of preferred contact details.
- Give as much notice as possible if you are unable to partake in a scheduled project.
- Be available for and attend any training or meetings that you may be required to attend.
- Attend concerts! This may seem an obvious one, but do attend both internal and external concerts and explore the world of concert-going.
Please note this list is by no means exhaustive and may be subject to change and reissued. Also, there may be matters that YOU discover are vital to this role, so feel free to add any yourself.
What roles are on offer in this team?
- Liaison: To liaise with the Concert Office and Performance Manager(s) on upcoming events that will require publicity, poster(s), what the programme and/or concert theme will be, perhaps liaise with artist(s) as to any concert change/alteration/nuances. Familiarise yourself with the WHOLE International Concert Series and ALL the events we are offering this year. You are the voices to spread the word (!) All our events are online (royalholloway.ac.uk/music/events) and featured on social media.
- Print-based Publicity: Print-based publicity will now be created in advance and can be collected from the Concert Office. Print-based publicity should be distributed both on-campus and in the local community. Liaise with the Outreach and Admissions Officer, Dr Tim Summers, to see what connections we have with local schools or colleges to build promotion of our events there.
- Social Media: How will it look? Is your targeted audience likely to see poster around campus, or would they rather a social media update for an upcoming concert? Is it a university ensemble or an external artist(s)? Do not forget we our essentially representing a brand, consistency and professionalism is ESSENTIAL. How are we using social media? Shall we use more social media platforms? Snapchat? Pinterest? Instagram? Instagram? Post updates on our concert series? Is there anything already in place we can better utilize? Use social media wisely and creatively, start a poll or interview an upcoming artist? Run a photography or quotation competition? There is a huge number of events to talk about. We should be posting at least 4-5 times a week. Discuss what resources we can pull together that would be interesting for our audiences (for example, retweeting a central London organisation such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, or sharing a topical article from a reputable new source). These sorts of communications are best for when there is lull in events.
- Digital Content Creator: To work in connection with the Social Media Representatives to create visual/moving image content for all social media platforms. This may include teaser trailers, interviews with guest artists, audience reactions to events, music reel promotion, etc. All created content must fall within College branding guidelines.
Additional and collective responsibilites
- Roll-out: Once it is signed off by the Performance Manager by the given deadline (usually by 12pm two weeks before the event), you can now produce your ‘Promotion Package’ and send it ‘Live’ usually two days after it has been signed off (via the Concert Office's assistance and mentoring).
- Organize either a 30-minute hour fortnightly meeting to discuss allocation of roles and the process. Feel free to invite the Performance Manager, or supply themwith detailed notes and/or minutes from the meeting outlining outcomes.
- Do not forget you are representing a larger team and the university itself, utmost professionalism is ESSENTIAL. Contact details and personal information are not to be distributed.Notify Performance Manager as soon as possible of any changes of preferred contact details.
- Give as much notice as possible if you are unable to partake in a scheduled project.
- Be available for and attend any training or meetings that you may be required to attend.
- Attend concerts! This may seem an obvious one, but do attend both internal and external concerts and explore the world of concert-going.
Please note this list is by no means exhaustive and may be subject to change and reissued. Also, there may be matters that YOU discover are vital to this role, so feel free to add any yourself.
What roles are on offer in this team?
- Communications Officer: To liaise between the Concert Office and Performance Manager(s) and a representative of ensemble on upcoming events that will require assistance, what the programme and/or type of event (i.e. workshop, streamed concert, etc.) will be, liaise with artist(s) as to any concert change/alteration/nuances. ONE individual will have direct contact with an ensemble / ensemble leader / important contact.
- Workshop and Session Coordinator: To liaise with Communications Officer to ensure correct set-up of rehearsal and performance spaces. You may be required to meet-and-greet external artists invited to the College to lead sessions.
- Logistics Support: This role is the most multi-faceted, in that the individual will provide additional support to the team and will float between each role.
Additional and collective responsibilites
- Event Production: Are programmes or publicity required for the event? What venue and/or rehearsal space is required? Are there personnel matters you have to assist with? Will the event be live or pre-recorded? Please ask the Performance Manager for details prior to contacting the ensemble directly, as perhaps these details have already been confirmed.
- Stage Management: What space will you require? Are porters required to move any equipment back- and-forth concert venue? Is a page-turner required? Any instrument tuning or instrumental maintenance needed? Please ask the Performance Manager for details prior to contacting the ensemble directly, as perhaps these details have already been confirmed.
- Organize either a 30-minute hour fortnightly meeting to discuss allocation of roles and the process. Feel free to invite the Performance Manager, or supply themwith detailed notes and/or minutes from the meeting outlining outcomes.
- Do not forget you are representing a larger team and the university itself, utmost professionalism is ESSENTIAL. Contact details and personal information are not to be distributed.Notify Performance Manager as soon as possible of any changes of preferred contact details.
- Give as much notice as possible if you are unable to partake in a scheduled project.
- Be available for and attend any training or meetings that you may be required to attend.
- Attend concerts! This may seem an obvious one, but do attend both internal and external concerts and explore the world of concert-going
Please note this list is by no means exhaustive and may be subject to change and reissued. Also, there may be matters that YOU discover are vital to this role, so feel free to add any yourself.
What roles are on offer in this team?
- Communications Officer: To liaise between the Concert Office and Performance Manager(s) and a representative of ensemble on upcoming events that will require assistance, what the programme and/or type of event (i.e. workshop, streamed concert, etc.) will be, liaise with artist(s) as to any concert change/alteration/nuances. ONE individual will have direct contact with an ensemble / ensemble leader / important contact (e.g. Course Convenor of a module).
- New Music Collective / New Voices Consort Liaison: To liaise with Communications Officer to ensure correct set-up of rehearsal and performance spaces and to maintain a register of attendance for each ensemble for record.
- Academic Workshop Liaison: To liaise with Communications Officer to ensure correct set-up of rehearsal and performance spaces. You may be required to meet-and-greet external artists invited to the College to lead composition workshops.
- Logistics Support: This role is the most multi-faceted, in that the individual will provide additional support to the team and will float between each role.
Additional and collective responsibilites
- Event Production: Are programmes or publicity required for the event? What venue and/or rehearsal space is required? Are there personnel matters you have to assist with? Will the event be live or pre-recorded? Please ask the Performance Manager for details prior to contacting the ensemble directly, as perhaps these details have already been confirmed.
- Stage Management: What space will you require? Are porters required to move any equipment back- and-forth concert venue? Is a page-turner required? Any instrument tuning or instrumental maintenance needed? Please ask the Performance Manager for details prior to contacting the ensemble directly, as perhaps these details have already been confirmed.
- Organize either a 30-minute hour fortnightly meeting to discuss allocation of roles and the process. Feel free to invite the Performance Manager, or supply themwith detailed notes and/or minutes from the meeting outlining outcomes.
- Do not forget you are representing a larger team and the university itself, utmost professionalism is ESSENTIAL. Contact details and personal information are not to be distributed.Notify Performance Manager as soon as possible of any changes of preferred contact details.
- Give as much notice as possible if you are unable to partake in a scheduled project.
- Be available for and attend any training or meetings that you may be required to attend.
- Attend concerts! This may seem an obvious one, but do attend both internal and external concerts and explore the world of concert-going
Please note this list is by no means exhaustive and may be subject to change and reissued. Also, there may be matters that YOU discover are vital to this role, so feel free to add any yourself.
Many of the successful applicants who have participated in this programme have gone on to work in arts administration having graduated, working at institutions such as the Royal Opera House, Southbank Centre, Winchester College and many more. It is a great addition to your CV!
To apply for this opportunity, please complete this short application form (link embedded).
Applications close at 5.00pm on Tuesday, 26 September 2023 and interviews will take place on Wednesday, 27 September 2023. You will be contacted in the coming days to allocate an interview time.
Please contact nathanjames.dearden@rhul.ac.uk with any queries.