Interning for a Virtual Festival

A little background on me, I grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb just north of Chicago. I go to school in Rochester, New York, at the Eastman School of Music––where I have one year left toward my bachelor’s degree in voice. In addition to my traditional music studies, I am quite interested in new classical music and the non-profit arts world.

Early in spring 2021, I was looking for an opportunity to stretch my leadership muscle during the summer. But for many arts organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic meant great uncertainty for their summer activities and they were not hiring. Fortunately, I came across Fifth House Ensemble which planned to hold their summer program virtually. I interviewed for the position of Artistic Intern for the Fresh Inc Festival and was hired.

Even though the festival’s participants, faculty, and staff were spread across the United States and the world, we were able to connect in virtual spaces. During the two week festival, I was in constant awe of the fantastic performances, insightful online workshops and panels, and meaningful conversations taking place on Discord and Zoom.

On a personal level, I was surprised by just how much I learned sitting in on the workshops. The knowledge I gained from them is invaluable. To anyone pursuing a career in music, I recommend checking out the Fresh Inc Festival’s Digital Edition.

From my interview until the final week of my internship, the whole team at Fifth House Ensemble was welcoming and collaborative. It was such a joy to help support the 2021 Fresh Inc Festival and bear witness to professional and artistic development of the participants. I am thankful for the music, learning, and relationships that came out of this year’s online festival.

Thank you for all of your hard work, Ella! We can’t wait to see what you do next.