Charlotte’s robust arts community provides numerous opportunities for students to supplement their musical studies with career-related jobs and internships.
Paid Employment (Off-Campus)
Many of our music majors work as music professionals while still in college, including paid employment as performers in churches, clinicians at high schools, and private instructors in music stores. Our students are also in demand as freelance performers. In the Spring 2018 semester alone, music majors were contracted by Opera Carolina to sing with Andrea Bocelli and Kristin Chenoweth, paid for a performance with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, and paid to perform alongside other local professionals at Central Piedmont Community College.
Paid Employment (On-Campus)
A number of our music majors work as Robinson Hall Technicians. These are paying jobs within Robinson Hall for the Performing Arts (and the adjacent Rowe Recital Hall) that provide professional experience on the technical side of the performing arts, including running lights and sound during performances.
Paid Internships (Off-Campus)
Our Department of Music is currently working with a number of performing arts organizations in Charlotte to create professional internships for which the students are paid. We currently offer two paid-internships with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.
Paid Internships (On-Campus)
The University Professional Internship Program (UPIP) is an on-campus program that provides paid internships in professional roles. Our UPIP interns typically serve as ensemble managers and music librarians, which are great ways to learn more about potential career paths while adding value to the Department of Music.
For-Credit Internships
Thanks to partnerships with local arts organizations, music majors can create their own internship opportunities. Recent students have enrolled in for-credit internships with the Bechtler Ensemble, Blue Ridge String Instrument Company, the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestras, Live Nation, Opera Carolina, and Steinway Piano Gallery-Charlotte.
Past professional interns
Project Harmony Intern, Charlotte Symphony
Project Harmony TA, Charlotte Symphony
"In my internship, my primary duties are to assist with coaching students, grades 2nd through 5th, on music theory, stringed instruments, and other musical concepts. I teach students how to properly hold the instrument and the bow, along with teaching notes and rhythms. I also set up before students arrive, and clean up after they leave. I enjoy seeing the students eager to learn about music as well as their specific instrument. Along with that, I enjoy watching their progression and growth as young musicians, and witnessing the genuine excitement of it all!"
Project Harmon Intern, Charlotte Symphony
Ian Gragg, BA in Music' 20
Education Intern, Charlotte Symphony
"The primary duties of my internship include assisting in the engagement of musicians for education services, the management of the education events calendar, and the collection of assessment and evaluation data. I also manage the Instruments for Kids donation program, attend on-site management of education and CSO events, and assists in the planning and administration of the Lollipops pre-concert festivals. I assist in the management of grant requirements for education programs and assists in program promotion and documentation (social media, photography, etc.)
What I enjoy most about at my internship is having the opportunity to gain professional experience using the Selenium testing suite for web applications and Python to automate various tasks, while saving time and improving workflow. My main focus has been improving student attendance software for Project Harmony, an after-school intensive program serving families who face challenges and seek to provide greater opportunities for their children, Project Harmony provides free instruments, ensemble music training, and homework help to Charlotte area students. I’ve helped to accurately maintain their database, and come up with solutions to implement as Project Harmony's size grows in the future."
