Alumni profiles

What did you do after graduating from Manchester?

I went straight to the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) to study on their Postgraduate Vocal Studies course for two years and then on to their opera course for two years (Royal Academy Opera). I've just come to the end of my first year of opera school, I have one year left at RAO before I head out into the big wide world!

What is your current post?

I'm a self-employed singer and am lucky enough to be doing lots of recitals, as well as oratorio and opera work. I recently performed as the alto soloist in Bach's St Matthew Passion with Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra in Poland and I'll be going back to work with them again later this year and in 2013. In recent months my accompanist, William Vann, and I have performed at the Wigmore Hall and at The Forge in Camden. I have also played a number of operatic roles recently, but the role I'm learning at the moment is Cherubino for British Youth Opera's production of Le nozze di Figaro this summer at the Peacock Theatre.

What does your work involve?

Apart from the obvious, my work involves learning languages, particularly German, French and Italian, memorising vast quantities of recitative, and hopping on and off RyanAir flights like there's no tomorrow! It's all really important to stay fit doing this job as I'm forever playing trouser roles and leaping about onstage. It's essential to be fit and healthy in order to have the stamina and energy to get through a full-length opera and still be able to do it again the following night!

What do you like most about your job?

It's wonderful how you can change someone's day by performing for them. I love hearing that I've moved someone in an audience, or that they might go home and tell their family how much they enjoyed my performance. Music is the one language we can all understand, and if I can get through to just one person in an audience, it's worth it. I think I have the best job in the world and often have to pinch myself at the thought that I'm now earning money doing the thing I love! It still feels pretty unbelievable.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

I had a wonderful time at Manchester, both as a MusB student and just as someone living in a brilliant city. Living in Manchester prepared me for London life, which is MAD! But my time as a student was instrumental in helping to develop me as a musician and to build my confidence as a performer. The music industry is really tough, and I think I learnt a lot during my three years in Manchester about how to deal with setbacks and carry on with my head held high! I must thank David Fanning and Barry Cooper in particular for always being so supportive and encouraging of my singing and of my other studies. The one person in Manchester I owe the most to is my singing teacher, Sara Parry, who transformed my voice and my attitude towards my voice, giving me the confidence to audition for RAM, something I never even considered before starting lessons with Sara.

The shows we put on at Manchester were especially important and helpful to me: Candide and Sunday in the Park with George were two of the most wonderful shows I've ever been involved in and they gave me a taste of how rewarding it can be to put your heart and soul into a production. These shows also prepared me for the difficulties ahead, such as competition for roles, time-management (writing a dissertation and learning an opera!), and also just generally looking after myself during a particularly busy time. It's so easy to get run down, but I feel that I was aware of this before I moved to London, which made it easier to cope in very busy times at RAM.

I can't speak highly enough of The University of Manchester. I had a wonderful time, met some extremely inspirational people and developed the confidence and drive to chase my dream. I'm so happy with my life now and there are some exciting things lined up over the next couple of years. Fingers crossed it stays this way!

Winner, Song prize, 2011 Ferrier Competition

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

I freelanced in Manchester for two years. This included working as a Lay Clerk at Manchester Cathedral, singing and directing for the BBC Daily Service Singers, giving solo recitals and performing as a soloist in oratorios, conducting the University Chorus, and beginning to work further afield, in London and in Birmingham. I then moved on to study as a postgraduate at the Royal Academy of Music in London – two years on the Postgraduate Vocal Studies course, and a further two years with Royal Academy Opera. I've just graduated.

What is your current post?

I'm now working as a freelance singer, in opera, concert and recital. I'm currently working with Music Theatre Wales on a production of Turnage's opera Greek, and I've just done a series of concerts with the Academy of Ancient Music. Forthcoming engagements include my debut at English National Opera, concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra and BBC Symphony Orchestra, and recitals at the Wigmore Hall with Julius Drake, Malcolm Martineau and Graham Johnson.

What do you like most about your job?

Too many things to name just one, but I suppose the most important and enjoyable thing is that I get to perform amazing music for a living. I am very privileged to work in a variety of different genres (opera, song, oratorio etc) and that means there is tremendous variety in my work. It's demanding, but it is what I love.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

So many things! My course exposed me to an incredibly wide range of music, which really opened my eyes (and ears) to what was out there. I had A LOT of performance opportunities, which was a big bonus. Perhaps most importantly, the department provided me with a safe, supportive environment where I felt I had the space to spread my musical wings and really work out where I was heading musically. Invaluable.

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

After I finished at the University I spent a further year at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) to complete my GRNCM and then spent 2 years at the Royal Academy, graduating in 2010 with an MA. During my time there, I led several orchestras at the Academy, was accepted onto the London Symphony Orchestra String Scheme and started freelancing with the major symphony orchestras in London. I was also on trial for a tutti violin job with Manchester Camerata.

What is your current post?

I’ve been a member of Manchester Camerata for the past three years and also do lots of freelance playing work with orchestras in London, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, and often play with the Scottish Ensemble. I’m also a member of the London-based mixed wind and strings chamber group, the Berkeley Ensemble. I’ve recently been getting more involved in the education side of things: I have given workshops in schools across the north-east of England with the Berkeley Ensemble and took part in a project in a high school in Hackney with the LSO Discovery education department.

What does your work involve?

Although I have a job with Manchester Camerata, this is not a full time post and I spend much of the rest of my time working as a freelance player in various symphony and chamber orchestras. I also spend much of my free time practising up-coming repertoire and occasionally play concertos with amateur orchestras. Education work is increasingly becoming an essential part of the life of a professional musician and I have four private violin students and regularly take part in projects with education departments within orchestras.

What do you like most about your work?

Every day is different and life is never dull, although I do spend a huge amount of time (and money) on trains! I get to see some amazing places on tours – the highlands and islands of Scotland with the Scottish Ensemble and South East China with the Berkeley Ensemble being a couple of particular highlights. I’m constantly meeting new and interesting musicians from all over the world, which is incredibly inspiring.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current work?

The University of Manchester was a brilliant preparation for life as a freelance musician. Whilst in Manchester I played in the Symphony, Sinfonietta and New Music Ensemble and also played a concerto with the Sinfonietta in my final year. I also got involved in lots of one-off playing projects and got to know a massive amount of core repertoire in my time there. The limited rehearsal time for many concerts was a fantastic preparation for the profession, where we regularly have to put on a concert with only a 3-hour rehearsal beforehand. Learning how to prioritise and juggle lots of things at once was a very valuable lesson, and it was great practice having to give of my best, even when I was absolutely exhausted (and maybe a bit hungover…) I loved my time at the University and was surrounded by supportive people, both staff and fellow students, who helped me to get the most out of myself.

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

I went to the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) to study for a PGDip and then MMus.

What is your current post?

I am a self-employed freelance violinist currently working with orchestras in and around the North West (recent engagements include Manchester Camerata, Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic) and elsewhere (CBSO, Ulster Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia). I also teach the violin privately and lead/co-lead education workshops for the Camerata and for Artis.

What does your work involve?

Playing in orchestras (usually a tutti player), instrumental teaching, leading/co-leading education and outreach projects in schools and elsewhere within the community.

What do you like most about your work?

The music, and the quality of it, always striving to make something good. I like the variety as well and enjoy meeting and working with lots of different people and – in a workshop/teaching setting – trying to encourage them to be creative. I love collaborating with people.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current work?

All of it! I'm constantly using what I learnt at university and I'm almost certain I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing if I hadn't had such a great experience there. I think an understanding of harmony and structure are really important when performing and teaching so studying harmony, analysis and composition for example were all very helpful. The course meant that a lot of us developed a real interest in music's context and, again, that's something that I still think about a lot. I had fantastic violin teachers throughout my time there, which made an enormous difference and I benefited hugely from the opportunities to take part in and to watch regular performances. I also learnt a great deal from running the music society in my second year and still have to use a lot of those skills today. That, combined with the Arts Admin course, have helped enormously with any organisation and marketing that I have to do.

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

I did a PGDip in violin at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) and then an MA in String Quartet Performance at Sheffield University.

What is your current post?

I am a self-employed violinist, doing a mixture of playing. I am the second violinist in the Rivoli String Quartet, which performs for universities, music societies, and so on, and I also work as a freelance player, in which capacity I have played with orchestras such as the Manchester Camerata, Sinfonia Viva and the Northern Chamber Orchestra, as well as with various chamber and contemporary ensembles. I am a violin and viola tutor for the Leeds-based Yorkshire Young Musicians, and also teach privately, both in Manchester and Chorley.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current work?

The Music Department felt like a very supportive environment in which you would be encouraged to follow whatever path most interested you. For me, despite the obviously academic basis to a university degree, that path included a wide variety of chamber, orchestral and contemporary performance opportunities. Being in the department when the Lindsays were resident was a huge influence on me (as would being there now with the fantastic Quatuor Danel). Hearing so many truly inspirational performances convinced me that playing string quartets was the thing I most wanted to do in the world. Aside from their own concerts, the Lindsays were responsible for putting me in a quartet with three others who also thought quartet playing was one of the best things ever, and for that I am extremely grateful!

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

Having completed my final undergraduate year at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), I then studied on the Postgraduate Conducting course at the Royal College of Music in London.

What is your current post?

I am currently working as Assistant Conductor to Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé, and Music Director of the Hallé Youth Orchestra, as well as developing my career outside the Hallé with other professional orchestras.

What does your work involve?

There are three strands to my job: I assist Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé's guest conductors; I direct all of the musical activities of the Hallé Youth Orchestra; and I conduct a large number of concerts with the Hallé itself.

What do you like most about your job?

This job is offering me an unparalleled opportunity to build a relationship with a world-class professional orchestra over several years. In addition, I consistently feel that Sir Mark and the Hallé's management team have my long-term career interests at heart: I'm extremely lucky to have their support.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

My first concert as a conductor took place in the university music department, so clearly I owe a lot to my time at Manchester. I had never even considered trying my hand at conducting before starting my course, but the opportunities for student conductors at the university really inspired me to give it a go.

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

I went to study Indian classical music for a month with Ravi Shankar at his home in California, then headed to the Lucerne Festival to study with Pierre Boulez.

What is your current post?

I'm a freelance composer and conductor. At the moment I'm writing a piece for the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) to be premiered in January 2012 as part of their Panufnik scheme. My recent 20-minute work Ave Maris Stella for brass, singers and dancers with choreographer Kerry Nicholls (commissioned by Purbeck Art Weeks Festival) is being featured at the Southbank centre this August as part of the Festival of Britain, then taking in the Lucerne Chamber Festival on a tour of Switzerland in October. Other commissions in the last year have included pieces for the Lancashire Sinfonietta (for whom I've been Young Composer in Residence), the RNCM Symphony Orchestra, a workshop performance by the BBC Singers and a BBC Radio 3 commission for Catherine Mackintosh (viola d'amore) and Christopher Bucknall (harpsichord). I'm lucky that almost all of these pieces have now been published by Peters Edition.

With my conducting hat on recent opportunities have included masterclasses with the LSO and Valery Gergiev, Tonhalle Orchestra and David Zinman, auditioning for an apprenticeship with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducting the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra in the Solti Competition, and working with the Barbican Young Orchestra, Liverpool Mozart Orchestra, Tallis Chamber Orchestra, LSO Strings, and the International Contemporary Ensemble in New York.

My other main involvement is actually in India, where, following some teaching I did aged 17 in Kerala, I have since founded and developed a charity, The WAM Foundation, sending other young musicians from the UK to help inspire the teachers and students in schools of Western classical music in Delhi, Mumbai Bangalore, Kolkata, Kochi, Pune and Trivandrum.

What does your work involve?

It depends a lot on the nature of the commission, but likely includes a period of getting to know the ensemble or soloist in question – hearing them rehearse, asking questions or just socialising informally – followed by a period of assimilating ideas, planning the structure and producing sketches or short score, then a dash to finish the complete score and edit the parts etc. before the deadline. Of course I also go to a huge number of concerts and opera, theatre and dance productions, and undertake a certain amount of networking and administration in order to create further opportunities.

What do you like most about your job?

I love the fact that I am composing for real people, live musicians, who bring their own personality and craftsmanship to my material and on whom I can potentially also make an impact.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

For me the most formative aspect of my time in Manchester was the interaction with my fellow musicians in conducting the orchestras and new music ensemble – it taught me a great deal about the art of both conducting and composing, and in fact about music in general. Academically the most inspiring input I had was from Professor David Fanning on the 20th Century Symphony module – a seriously stimulating lecture series which has extended my exploration into this repertoire since.

Lecturer in Electroacoustic Music, Liverpool Hope University

What did you do after graduating from Manchester?

After completing all three music degrees at Manchester I went straight into my first academic post at Liverpool Hope University as a lecturer in music.

What is your current post?

I am currently a full time lecturer in music teaching music technology and electroacoustic music.

What does your work involve?

I teach practical classes on how to use hardware and software for creative musical outputs. I lecture on the context and history of electroacoustic music. Part of my job involves my own compositional research, which I began during my time at Manchester.

What do you like most about your job?

Importantly, my job allows me to compose and to research my field of electroacoustic music. As an early-career researcher, my job gives me access to vital literature and music resources, an active research community and provides a space where I can continue being creative. Being in touch with current practices and technology within my field is very important to me and I value my job for providing an environment where I feel comfortable to explore and develop my ideas with students, academics and the public.

As an active composer I enjoy the part of my job that involves travelling. Whilst at Manchester and now in my new job, I travelled to six countries on three continents to participate in performances of my music and given research papers at conferences. Networking, learning about different cultures and gaining feedback are extremely worthwhile and enjoyable experiences that come hand-in-hand with my job!

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

The facilities for electroacoustic music at Manchester were key to my success during my degree. I had access to an unrivalled studio space that cultivated my craft and facilitated my creativity. In addition to these fantastic resources I also benefited from the strong composer community that provided a sounding board for many of my ideas, music and aspirations. The standard of the music and research from this community was incredibly high and instilled within me a meticulous desire for quality. The training with MANTIS (Manchester Theatre in Sound) was also particularly helpful in technical experience along with learning concert organisation and setup with the 56-loudspeaker MANTIS diffusion system.

Lecturer in music technology, Hong Kong Baptist University.

What did you do after graduating from Manchester?

I took two part-time lecturing positions at two higher education institutions in Hong Kong and Macau.

What is your current post?

Besides composing music for theatre, concert band and electro-acoustic communities, I work as a recording engineer for a contemporary music festival in Thailand. I teach music technology at a University in Hong Kong and teach the clarinet for children in primary and secondary schools.

What does your work involve?

Introducing sonic arts, contemporary music and the latest audio technologies is central to my daily routine. It involves technical work such as debugging software and budgeting new equipment for schools and students, as well as translating some highly scholastic and technical concepts into layman terms. Travelling also constitutes a major part of my work. When doing some technical work in concert halls and similar venues, sometimes I do not have detailed information about the technical and acoustics characteristics of the hall and recording systems, therefore, I have developed skills to 'expect the unexpected'!

What do you like most about your job?

I am lucky enough to work at every level of the education sector, whilst my freelancing duties bridge my professional life in academia with artists from various other fields. All of these are rewarding experiences, as I can talk in different tones and languages everyday, composing music and sound for different peer groups every month. My brain keeps refreshing as a result and these are points of stimuli for my creative career.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

The well-rounded electro-acoustic music program helped me a lot in the long run. I can learn things from highly intellectual music discourse to highly technical tasks like cable coiling. The skills and knowledge I picked up in Manchester can be applied in many fields, and they are not limited to the 'ivory tower'. The highly liberal (although focused) and practical approach is simply a rare phenomenon thanks to the visions of David Berezan and Ricardo Climent. As my past education came across three continents including Asia, North America and Europe, it was not until my studies in Manchester when I knew how to materialize a project from nothing to a fruitful ending. Without the training in Manchester, my students would miss out lots of course content, my theatre friends would miss out lots of musical ideas, and my performer friends would miss out lots of good recordings!

Freelance composer, tutor in composition at the Royal Northern College of Music.

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

I studied for my doctorate in composition part time, allowing me to build up teaching and commissions concurrently over the six years. Therefore, after graduating, there was no major gear shift, and I have continued to work as a freelance composer and tutor in composition at the Royal Northern College of Music.

What is your current post?

I am self-employed as a freelance composer. Recent commissioners include Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008 (Magnetite, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic / Vasily Petrenko), UBS Soundscapes: Pioneers (Solar, London Symphony Orchestra / Nicholas Collon), Wien Modern (Calculus of the Nervous System, Vienna Radio Symphony / James MacMillan) and New Music 20x12 for the London Cultural Olympiad (Zatopek!, Second Movement). I also work as a tutor in composition at the Royal Northern College of Music.

What does your work involve?

Composing, teaching composition and travelling.

What do you like most about your job?

I feel very lucky, because I enjoy all aspects of my jobs. I love the variety: I am always involved in a different project, usually several at the same time and so there is never a dull moment. I get to travel a lot and am always meeting new people. Above all, I am able to spend a lot of time thinking, and this is a real luxury.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

My time at Manchester was very helpful, because it gave me a focus, and time to develop. It allowed me to have critical feedback on my work, which is very important, and to be part of a group of like-minded individuals. I am always keen to learn, and at Manchester, I learnt just as much from attending performances of the music written by my peers as I did from hearing my own works performed. Attending lectures and seminars was especially helpful in widening my knowledge in areas of Music that I would not otherwise have come across.

What did you do after graduating from Manchester?

I started a PGCE in Secondary Music at Queens’ College, University of Cambridge. The course was inspiring but intense, and I had to learn how to juggle the academic component with training to be a teacher. It took me a while to manage the demands of the course but by the end of the year, I was a new person and I was ready to fully embrace my career as a music teacher.

After completing my teacher training, I had the opportunity to represent the Music PGCE course at the ISME World Conference in Bologna. I completed a short article for this on the use of media in the music classroom, and it was then that my interest in music education research surfaced. Last year I completed an MEd at Queens’ College, part-time over two years, whilst working full-time at my school; which was challenging but rewarding, and incredibly enriching. I wish to complete a PhD in Music Education in the future.

What is your current post?

I am currently the Subject Leader for Music at an all boys’ state school in Hertfordshire. My job brings me much happiness – I get to perform, compose, analyse, and listen to music everyday. Being in the classroom is the best part of my day: getting the students to be creative, hearing their opinions, encouraging them as composers and performers, but essentially making music with students of all ages either in the classroom or in extra-curricular ensembles is the main reason why I enjoy my job.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

The Music course at Manchester was an academic foundation for me to build upon, and opened up opportunities that have helped me in my chosen career path. Getting involved with the university’s excellent mentor scheme was definitely beneficial for teaching. There are a variety of concerts in the department, which aided my knowledge of music, particularly twentieth-century music. Opting to do a dissertation in my final year was a useful way for me to develop my writing skills and participating in as many accompanying opportunities helped my keyboard skills. Studying a variety of units, such as harmony, analysis and world music was vital. Despite having little confidence with composition before the course, learning how to compose was very useful for me and I have used activities covered in the composition unit at Manchester in my own teaching.

Being a teacher is such a rewarding vocation requiring dedication, good organisation skills, creativity, a good sense of humour, confidence, and enthusiasm; but ultimately excellent subject knowledge. The undergraduate Music course at The University of Manchester was an ideal way for me to launch my career.

What did you do after graduating from Manchester?

In January 2009 I moved to Kenya to teach music at Starehe Girls' Centre, a position I held until December 2010. In those two years the school choir was crowned national champions, I conducted and played a tuba concerto with the Nairobi Orchestra, played in front of one million people with the National Youth Orchestra of Kenya, and visited all the places you see on Big Cat Diary! The picture is me at Point Lenana on Mount Kenya, 4995 metres above sea level.

What is your current post?

I now teach music at a girls’ school in Johannesburg where I am building a music department from the foundations. I love it!

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

The work ethic, high standards and wonderful enthusiasm and love for music I picked up during five years studying music at Manchester has been a constant source of inspiration since I left; I could fill an entire page talking about the sheer volume of knowledge I learnt from the teachers, lecturers and professors. Perhaps I’ll come back one day.

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

Shortly after graduating I worked as Learning and Participant Intern at Manchester Camerata, which was a six-month, part-time placement providing admin support around the orchestra’s education work. The orchestra’s small administrative team meant it was a fantastic opportunity to gain an insight to all of the different jobs, including education, marketing, concert planning and fundraising. After a month I also started working in the development team, securing money from trusts and foundations to support the education work.

What does your work involve?

While Glyndebourne receives some subsidy to tour productions, the Festival and Education work remains privately funded, with £6–8million needed from memberships, donations and sponsorship each year. My job is to secure money from charitable trusts and foundations to support all aspects of Glyndebourne’s work. In particular, I work closely with the education department, and with any building/capital projects on site. This includes researching potential supporters, making an introduction and engaging them in Glyndebourne’s work, writing funding applications and providing evaluations. Recently I have also been involved in Glyndebourne’s relationship with the Arts Council, working to secure National Portfolio Organisation status for 2012–14.

What do you like most about your job?

Working in Development (and Trusts and Foundations in particular) appeals to me because I get to see all aspects of the organisation’s work, on and off stage. I get to work with inspirational people, including artists, staff, donors and participants of Glyndebourne’s education work. I am often involved in projects from the planning stages and it is great when we are able to see them through to fruition. As these projects can’t take place without private support it is fantastic to feel that my work plays a part in providing such huge benefits to those that experience Glyndebourne’s work.

Arts organisations are increasingly looking for people to work in development, as competition for funding increases. Each organisation provides interesting challenges and there are always opportunities to learn new things and develop skills. Even if you are not interested in a career in development, an understanding of how fundraising works is crucial for people aiming for higher level roles in arts organisations.

And, working in development there is always the odd glass of champagne and canapé to enjoy!

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

The most important aspect for me was being Orchestra Manager for Sinfonietta. This was what got me interested in a career in arts administration and provided me with practical experience in a number of areas, learning how to do a number of things (and, more importantly, how not to do things). This certainly helped make my CV stand out when I applied for my first jobs.

As part of my degree, the Arts Administration module with Caroline Bithell provided a great introduction to the vast array of jobs covered under the umbrella heading ‘arts admin’. The guest speakers shared their diverse experiences of working in the sector and the practical tasks were useful (although I recently found the fundraising proposal I had written for a coursework assignment and I don’t think it would have got me very far!) Following the course, Caroline put me in touch with the education department at the Hallé and the marketing department at London Sinfonietta, resulting in me undertaking short voluntary projects with both.

I also benefited from the Music Department’s partnership with the BBC Philharmonic. Following one of their performances in the Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall, while most people queued to talk to Noseda, I got to speak to their General Manager, Richard Wigley. This led to a meeting at the BBC offices where Richard was kind enough to provide me with a huge amount of guidance and advice.

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

In the final months of my degree, I volunteered for Manchester Jazz Festival. I would go to their offices and help out with marketing, programming and general administration. I also returned in late July to volunteer during the Festival week.

In August 2009 I found myself doing work experience at Glyndebourne Opera. Here, I got a glimpse of what it was like to work for a world-class arts organisation, shadowing employees in Education, Development, Marketing and Box Office, as well as sitting in on rehearsals and watching Dvorák's Rusalka; the most inspiring and exciting performance I've seen to date. I was lucky enough to be invited back to Glyndebourne the following week, this time to be paid to work in the Development Department who needed assistance updating their membership database.

In September 2009, I took up a coveted scholarship place on the 'High Flyers’ Summer Programme' at Manchester Business School. Following this, I moved back home to Hampshire to save money for a six-month round-the-world backpacking trip by working in some pretty demoralising jobs, but I also volunteered at a local arts centre as a Front of House and Box Office Assistant. When I returned from travelling, I worked as an unpaid Marketing Intern for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at their offices in London. During this time, I also spent two weeks volunteering for Serious and the London Jazz Festival as an Artist Liaison officer.

What is your current post?

I am currently working as the Development Services Officer at London's Southbank Centre, a 21 acre site on the River Thames which is home to the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Hayward Gallery.

What does your work involve?

My role is research-based and covers all forms of development at the Southbank Centre, from corporate sponsorship, trusts and foundations fundraising, to individual giving. I work in a supportive role where my projects are wide-ranging, from compiling a list of corporate membership prospects, researching individuals as potential patrons and donors, writing briefing notes for the executive team on guests attending events, to running guest lists at Hayward Gallery private openings. I also have the responsibility of updating signage and donor boards across the site, as well as acting as the main point of contact for the Marketing Department to ensure that all Southbank Centre sponsors and supporters are credited correctly in print and online.

What do you like most about your job?

The best thing about my job is the exposure I have to the arts. Working in a multi-arts venue means that I don't just cover music, but every genre of every art form, from the visual arts and literature, to dance, theatre and even acrobatics. The access to world-class performance is just amazing! There is always something going on and everyday is truly different.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

The core skills in research, writing, attention to detail and organisation have been the most helpful aspects from my time at Manchester. Second to this is the can-do attitude that was instilled from such a vibrant, supportive and busy environment in Manchester's Music department. Working hard and having ambition are qualities that all the staff and the students at Manchester cultivate and share. More specifically, a module in Arts Administration helped me to realise my career options, and the varied academic course options equipped me with the knowledge and understanding of a broad range of musical genres and histories. This knowledge now enables me to hold my own in professional situations: you never know who you might end up talking to, and you'd be surprised how useful a dissertation on women in seventeenth-century music and theatre can be!

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

While in my final year at Manchester I realised I loved working ‘behind the scenes’, having been involved in organising and running lots of ensembles through my years there. I was drawn by the dazzling lights of London so wrote to many of its orchestras asking if they had any vacancies for work experience. Luckily, the English Chamber Orchestra were in need of an extra pair of hands in the run up to Christmas 2005 so I spent a few days there. Following this they asked if I would like to work on their Summer tour in the South of France with a view to a permanent position. I spent just under two years working as the Concerts Assistant and Librarian of the ECO, touring from small Devonshire churches to epic concert halls in South Korea, working on the film Atonement, and running concerts across London. Following that I worked at the BBC Proms as a Concerts Assistant for the 2008 Season. This was an incredible experience delivering 78 concerts and 120 additional events in just 12 weeks (!) at the Royal Albert Hall. My highlight was a performance of Xenakis Pléïdes in the round and watching the confused, delighted and shocked faces of the audience as the piece progressed.

What is your current post?

My current role is Programme Manager: Learning and Participation for Spitalfields Music in the borough of Tower Hamlets. I am, however, about to move to the Bristol area to explore life as a freelance Producer/Projects Manager. My next project will be working with Hugh Turvey the X-Ray Artist.

What does your work involve?

I have always enjoyed creating opportunities for people to discover, engage and create music and my current role allows just that. Through a year-round programme of creative composition, singing and instrumental projects I engage with audiences/participants from four to 90 years old. I am always out in the city running projects in a variety of settings, such as schools, hospitals, centres for the elderly, markets, nurseries and city farms. I am part of the organisation’s programme team, which involves artistic input into the two annual festivals and a year-round learning programme. As well as local participants I meet and work with some of the world’s most exciting early- and contemporary-music specialists. My recent work has focused on family engagement, establishing specific Festival Family Days, year-round stay-and-play sessions, toddlers’ concerts, career development opportunities for early-years’ practitioners and a family ambassador group.

I am most proud of our work on the post-labour ward at the Royal London Hospital, as we recently received a commendation from the Royal Society of Public Health. We worked on the maternity and transitional care wards, helping parents to bond with their newborns and, for infants in long-term care, providing musical activities to support their development. These projects inspired parents and clinical teams to sing with the infants, share indigenous music and write new lullabies in the workshops.

What do you like most about your job?

The creativity! We create original music on every project we deliver, whoever we are working with.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

For my current job, the exposure to the most current and contemporary composers – I had no idea you could play the piano with your elbows before coming to Manchester! This was so exciting and opened up a whole new world of music to me. I now love finding creative ways for others to have that same experience whether it be Bach or Monk that are new to them. The detail we went into for each module has also been valuable: stored research for programming in the festivals and those brainstorming moments; I can still remember so much from my modules on Monteverdi and the American Experimentalists.

More generally, the chance to manage the University Symphony Orchestra gave me some valuable first tools in scheduling, working with professional musicians, reading scores very carefully, sourcing unusual instruments, stage management and most importantly the skill of remaining calm when your fellow students are late again! When setting up what are now The University of Manchester String and Baroque Orchestras, I and my fellow founders were given a lot of encouragement and support by the academic staff, most specifically the opportunity to perform as part of the year’s performance programme in the Cosmo Rodewald Hall. This gave me fantastic experience in running performances as part of a professional organisation. Without this I wouldn’t have had the confidence to make those first steps in contacting the English Chamber Orchestra.

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

I finished my MusM at the beginning of September and then had a few weeks of job applications and interviews before securing my current job and starting work in October.

What does your work involve?

My work involves copy-editing sheet music – OUP specializes in the publication of choral music and educational instrumental titles – and subsequently discussing editorial queries with the composer before supervising the various necessary proof stages involved in preparing a title for press. Copy-editing involves consideration of factors such as suitability for the standard or age group, consistency, accuracy, and notational/harmonic issues. Preparing a title for press can also involve briefing covers, commissioning illustrations, source research, organising CD recordings/proofing CDs, as well as writing sales copy for use on covers or on the web.

What do you like most about your job?

The thing I like most about the job is getting to work so closely with music everyday – it’s always good to have a desk piled high with music scores! I also really enjoy working with the composers and sharing in a dialogue about their music.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

Quite simply, it wouldn’t be possible to be doing my job without my degrees. There are several skills gained from my courses that have prepared me for my job: I use my written/essay skills in text editing (prefaces, composer notes, biographies etc.) and in preparing sales copy; analytical skills are continually employed during the editing process; the discipline of editing and proofing your own work is as important in my job as it was in my studies; the research skills that I developed during my time at Manchester have been useful in source research and in checking the factual accuracy of texts; and general skills such as planning and time management have been helpful preparation for the world of work.

Moreover, I continually draw on the wealth of musical experiences gained during my time at Manchester – concerts I’ve seen, seminars and lectures I’ve attended, and most importantly the wonderfully varied performance and rehearsal opportunities that the university orchestras and my membership of the Hallé choir have given me – to inform my editorial decisions: a good musical knowledge and understanding is vital to my role. As OUP publishes many educational titles, the opportunity to teach the violin and piano (through the university music society) and to participate in the Students’ Associate Scheme (at a primary school) has also been valuable.

Travel Content Writer

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

Immediately after graduating from my MusB degree I had not a clue what to do with myself, so I returned home and began working with my Dad as a property developer. A couple of months later, in September 2009, still unsure of my future, I attended a mini-MBA course at Manchester Business School, which taught me that I didn't want to pursue a corporate career in business consultancy. I then decided that I’d never again have as little responsibility as I did at that moment, so I went travelling for six months, which turned out to be the best thing I’ve ever done. My experiences during those six months, coupled with the writing I did while on the road, led directly into the job I do now.

What does your work involve?

I write articles, blogs and website content about travel and a variety of destinations across the globe. The company I work for is young, fresh and exciting, with big ambitions and a rapid rate of growth. The beauty of my work is its simplicity; I get given a brief about a specific topic or place (which could be a little as a working title), and then have to research and write a piece about it, taking whatever angle and injecting whatever style I like. That’s it.

What do you like most about your job?

For a start, it is a creative job in which I am given space and time to work, and have barely any restrictions upon what I produce. Sometimes this can be challenging, and I frequently have frustrating days that remind me of the endless hours I spent in the library during my final year at Manchester. More often than not, however, it is a blessing, which allows me to think about topics in great detail, and express these thoughts in my individual own way, always broadening my knowledge and developing my personal voice. Perhaps the part of my job I enjoy most, however, is the people I work with; I am very lucky to work in a small office with a group of young, enthusiastic and like-minded people who make every day enjoyable, and have quickly become some of my best friends. Because the company is so small, I can see every single cog in the machine, and thus know exactly how everything works, which, in turn, makes me feel even more involved with everything that happens in the business.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

I believe I can trace many of the skills I employ in my current job directly back to things I learnt in Manchester; my lecturers had a profound effect on the way I think, and the way in which I express these thoughts. In particular, my dissertation tutor, David Fanning, helped sharpen my writing, and my personal tutor, Rebecca Herissone, helped develop my attention to detail (I don't know many people who enjoy talking about grammatical rules as much as I do, surprisingly...), both of which are skills that are vital to my current job. More broadly, the research skills I developed during my degree, as well as the confidence that I gained from regular musical performances, both help me to do what I now do.

The nature of the Music department at the University of Manchester is such that any person involved with it feels like part of a family, and, as such, many of those people have a positive university experience that is unique, differing significantly from many students studying different degrees at different universities. I felt privileged to be part of that, and have found that the way in which I have adjusted to working in a team at MyDestination.com has benefited accordingly. Because my degree demanded so much from its students, both for the course and in extra-curricular activities, my attitude towards work is now diligent and determined, not to mention holistic, which has clearly helped me enter the world of work at an unstable time. I have no qualms with working hard and going the extra mile to complete a job to a level that I am satisfied with, having being instilled with an exceptional set of standards at university in Manchester.

What did you do immediately after graduating from Manchester?

I was selected by the WAM Foundation to spend ten weeks teaching piano and musicianship skills in Delhi India. Then in September 2009 I moved to Sydney, Australia. I worked in a cafe to save for software that would allow me to compose tracks to send to producers, directors and established composers. I soon landed my first professional composing work for screen – writing and arranging music for Australian reality TV shows.

What is your current post?

I work as a freelance composer, orchestrator and copyist in the film, theatre and TV industries and I teach the piano. My recent work as a composer includes writing tracks for UK TV shows Embarrassing Bodies and Next Door Nightmares and working with an Australian haircare company to write music for their corporate video. I am currently writing strings parts for an advertisement for a Portuguese charity. My recent work as an orchestrator includes arranging music for string orchestra for the National Theatre's current production The Kitchen. Previous engagements include arranging cues performed by the Sydney Scoring Orchestra for an Australian film, preparing scores for the film Paul and engraving music for a concert suite from the game 007: Bloodstone performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

What does your work involve?

Writing music, arranging music, preparing scores and teaching. Commercial composition often includes writing music from a brief. I write music using a midi keyboard and synthesized instruments then after it has been approved, and depending on the budget, I can record session musicians for some live tracks. The arranging work I do usually includes working from a piano score/mp3 or a midi file. Then I can either work in Finale or Sibelius to orchestrate and create scores and parts for performance or render an entirely midi based or synthesized track in the style that is needed.

What do you like most about your job?

The excitement. The nature of creating music for media means that there are a lot of quick turn-arounds; this can often mean a lot of late nights but it's always worth it. The people. I have met some fantastic people and I really enjoy working and developing relationships with directors, composers and orchestrators. I feel very proud when I have worked on a well-received project. There is nothing else I would like to do.

What aspects of your time at Manchester do you think now were especially helpful to you in preparation for your current job?

It's truly incredible how useful studying the harmony and counterpoint of Bach is to modern film score writing and arranging. However, the best part of being at Manchester was being surrounded by amazing musicians, lecturers and friends and talking about music. During my time on the course I had the opportunity to write music for several of the productions in the Drama department. This gave me practical experience working with young directors, producers and actors and scoring or improvising to live action. This taught me to be flexible, responsive and was an invaluable time as we all learnt together.