Blind Lemon JeffersonTexas Music Office Internship Program
The Texas Music Office offers internships every four months to four students. Since opening in January 1990, 197 students from 20 colleges successfully completed the TMO's internship program.
Dates and Deadlines
Spring: Jan. 15 - May 3; Deadline: November 20
Summer: June 1 -
August 31; Deadline: May 1
Fall: September 1- December 20; Deadline August
15
To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to:
Casey Monahan,
Director
Texas Music Office, Governor's Office
P.O. Box 13246
Austin,
TX 78711
(512) 463-6666
Fax (512) 463-4114.
You may also e-mail
your resume and cover letter to: music@governor.state.tx.us.
Your cover letter should include an explanation of why you want to intern at the TMO, and why you are qualified to do so.
Please call or email if you have
any questions.
**TMO fellowships often qualify for college credit with instructor approval**
Program Description
The fellowship program of the Texas Music Office (TMO) in the Office
of the Governor offers college students the opportunity to develop a working knowledge
of the music industry. The TMO seeks students with excellent communication skills
who want to learn how the music industry works, and who want to contribute to
the TMO's research, publishing and marketing efforts.
TMO fellowship
recipients are required to work at least 10 (and as many as 30) hours each week
researching and marketing Texas music businesses, events and talent. Responsibilities
include: interviewing Texas music businesses owners; developing business statements
based on these interviews; inputting information into the TMO's databases
using FileMaker Pro 5.0 software; responding to information requests from industry
professionals and the general public; and researching Texas music on the web.
Interns also assist TMO staff with administrative duties approximately 35 percent
of the time. TMO fellowships are on a volunteer basis; interns do not receive
any financial, housing, or transportation compensation or assistance.
The Texas Music Office is the information clearinghouse for the Texas music industry,
and is the sister office to the Texas Film Commission. Annual TMO publications
include the online Texas Music Industry Directory, the Texas Music Events Calendar,
the Texas Recording and Production Guide, the Texas Music Education Primer, the
Texas Music International Tip Sheet, the Texas Talent Register, and the Texas
Music Bibliography. Fellowship recipients work closely with the TMO staff in assisting
with these publications, and your work is credited in perpetuity on the TMO website
EnjoyTexasMusic.com.
Getting started in the Texas music business
isn't easy. TMO fellowships are an excellent way to become aware of important
professional contacts who make music their business.
To apply, mail or
fax your resume and cover letter by above semester deadline to:
Casey Monahan,
Director
Texas Music Office, Governor's Office
P.O. Box 13246
Austin,
TX 78711
(512) 463-6666
Fax (512) 463-4114.
You may also e-mail
your resume and cover letter to: music@governor.state.tx.us.
Please call or email if you have any questions.
TMO internship graduates
Interns usually works 20 hours
each week at the TMO.
Since the program began, TMO interns have volunteered
a total of more than 68,000 hours
assisting Texas music industry professionals.
|
Ruth Aguirre (2007) | Armando
Hernandez (1990) |
James R. Norton (1991) |
.jpg)
Spring
2008 TMO fellowship interns (from left to right): April Arellano, Jack Yang and
Mariel De La Garza (not pictured: Lauren Carlson)
Colleges participating in TMO internship program
Austin Community College (5)
Baylor University
Berklee College of Music (2)
Boston College
Elizabethtown
College
Huston-Tillotson College (2)
New York University
Southwestern
University (6)
St. Edward's University (5)
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University at Kingsville
Texas State University - San Marcos
(11)
Tulane University
Universita Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Milan, Italy
University of Alabama
University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
University of
Texas at Arlington
University of Texas at Austin (149)
Universityof
the Incarnate Word
Vanderbilt University (2)
TMO interns were majors in the following fields of study:
| Advertising (7) |
International Business (3) |
Places that TMO interns have worked:
TMO internship graduates have gone on to such diverse endeavors as rhythm guitarist for Lauryn Hill to Director of Interactive Publicity and Promotions for a major Hollywood film production company.
Here are a few places where former TMO interns work:
- All Access Today
- ASCAP
- The Armstrong Community Music School
- BMG Music Publishing
- Broadcast.com/Yahoo
- Brook Mays Music
- Central Intelligence Agency
- College of Fine Arts at University of Texas
- Davis McLarty Agency
- Deloitte & Touche
- Harry Ransom Center
- Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in Houston
- Human Garden Agency (New Zealand)
- J. Walter Thompson Advertising in Detroit
- LaForce & Stevens in New York, NY
- Late Night With David Letterman
- The Law Firm (NBC, Los Angeles)
- Lincoln Center (New York)
- Loophole Management
- MCA Records (Los Angeles)
- McGarrah / Jessee Advertising
- Milina Barry PR
- Marsha Milam Music Productions
- MIX 94.7 Morning Show
- Music in Motion, Inc.
- Navarre Corporation
- New Line Cinema
- New West Records
- Paramount Recording Studio
- Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
- Repossession Records
- South by Southwest Music and Media Conference
- Texas Department of Agriculture
- Texas Legislative Council
- Trace Elements/Shrub Music
- Universal Music and Video Distribution
- UT Golf Club in Steiner Ranch
- UT-Austin Performing Arts Center
- Warner Music Group
- Zenith Bank (Ghana)
Others went on to pursue graduate degrees from the following
colleges:
Boston College, Texas Woman's University, UT-Austin School
of Law, UT Sports Management, Loyola University, New York University School of
Law, University of Dallas Graduate School of Management, University of Houston
Law Center, Carnegie Mellon, Indiana University, and Hofstra University School
of Law.
Read what former TMO interns write about the most helpful things they learned during their internships:
Research and data entry skills. I can find out anything using directory assistance and now online. Also was educated on all the resources there are for people interested in getting involved in the music industry in Texas. - Wendy Rutherford
How to do internet research and track leads via the internet. - Brook Lester
Put yourself in the shoes of the person you are dealing with. - Paul Ellul
I definitely learned how to feel completely comfortable while talking to complete and total strangers because of all the phone calls I had to make. I think this is a great skill; while on Warped Tour I didn't think twice about striking up conversations with several musicians who avoided the press like a plague. I even managed to interview a few of those musicians. - Stacey Faulkner
It helped to have to make tons of cold calls to update the artist files; I lost a lot of insecurities and became more confident on the phone. - Ashleigh Retzloff
I learned that keeping lists is crucial for individuals dealing in the music business. Texas is not known to be the music capital of the world like New York or LA, so it is important to keep all information dealing with music organized so that musicians have references and contacts to work with. TMO taught me to be organized and to BE the reference for music lovers. - Rishi Goswami
Casey's Golden Rule....it applies to everything...all types of work and even non-work relationships. The small details really can make a difference in showing how much you care (and this always gets favorable responses in interviews too!). - Megan Peters
I learned a lot of things - to always keep up with current events in the industry; conduct research thoroughly and, of course, act professionally. From Casey I also learned about good posture and how to shake a hand like a real Texan should! The phone skills training was fun, too! - Lisa Levine
I learned about Music Therapy, which I had never heard of before. Also, I am able to provide information for my husband who is pursuing a career as a singer/songwriter, about management, promotion, etc. - Shea Ingram
The most important thing I learned was to put myself in the shoes of other people in general and in the music industry specifically. - Doug Day
Since leaving the TMO, I've become extremely attentive to details in documents. I also have a greater amount of appreciation for music that I never listened to in the past. - Wale Junaid
One thing that most of the jobs I
have applied to require is strong phone skills. At the TMO I was a little shy
at first on the phone calling so many different types of people in the music industry.
After being there for a while it got easier, and I got better at it. I just finished
a project at EnviroMedia where I had to call more than 100 minority publications
for their advertising rates and information. Having already become comfortable
on the phone at the TMO, this assignment went really smoothly for me. Also, in
my interviews, a lot of employers are happy to know I have so much experience
on the phone communicating with a wide range of people.
- Jill Kreindler
How best to best deal with people, not only in the music industry but in general. - Kristin Webb
The importance of communication skills. The experience I gained at the TMO of speaking to music businesses and acts will be extremely important a career within the music industry. - Louisa Rainbird
Casey taught me to speak to the needs or wants of the person who you are talking to, and to be considerate to their situation. Very helpful in booking shows. Also, I learned how to use the resources that the TMO offers. - Lauren Gurigolo
Learning to think critically and resourcefully truly began during my TMO internship. Researching and using the internet and phone book resources heightened my abilities greatly and continue to elevate my proficiencies. - Rachel Luck
Overall general knowledge of the Texas music industry - Christina Saavedra
Better multi-tasking skills; telephone etiquette; database research. - Madhurita Sengupta
How to use the phone effectively. I really learned the importance of networking and the complicated nature of the music industry. Because of my TMO internship I became very interested in the aspects of copyright within the industry, which led to my graduate work. (Plus, it was easier to delve into the copyright conundrum with my aforementioned knowledge.) - Sydney Veeder
I got to see how many different types of jobs
there are in the music industry. - Anna Bobkowska
The most helpful thing
that I learned as a TMO Intern was how to pick up the phone and talk to someone
I didn't know, while trying to make them understand how I could help them. I would
advise current and future TMO interns to go to the most networking events that
they can and to take advantage of the many networking opportunities available
during the internship. You never know where your next internship or job offer
will come from - Anastasia Fawcett
I actually just got hired as the full-time
Assistant Buyer for the UT Golf Club in Steiner Ranch. It's not music business
related, but all of the discipline that I learned while at the music office helped
so much -- I would say this was the most important thing I took from the internship,
and one of the most important things that can be taken from any internship. -
Kelly Gillmore
I work at the Capstone 90.7, the radio station for the
University of Alabama. I was a playlist DJ for a year, I have had my own specialty
show "Rock 'n' Roll Tide for two years, and next year I will be music director.
My TMO internship was the best experience of my life. I learned amazing things
about the music industry, the industry that I want to work in. But at the same
time, I learned a lot of lessons about life in general. I think about Casey's
most important rule, to treat others as you would yourself, everyday. I also made
friendships that will last the rest of my life. - Jenny Smith
I felt
like whenever I did extra side projects with Casey I learned the most information
about the music industry. Anytime you are helping Casey or Steve individually
with a project take the opportunity to ask questions and inhance your music industry
knowledge. They're a great resource! Stay current with music industry news! Also,
working in the music industry seems to be a tough niche to get into so don't get
discouraged if a music industry job doesn't fall in your lap. Keep trying and
stay passionate about it. I thought my internship expreience was great...probably
because I worked during the semester of SXSW - Alexis Allo
I think the most
helpful thing I learned during my internship was more that I adopted a new way
of thinking, than an actual lesson. I find myself daily recognizing the need to
put myself in other people's shoes. It's something that everyone is taught to
do, but the internship put me in a position where I needed to practice this every
day, and it has now become second nature. Intern everywhere you possibly can,
and keep your options open. You can learn so many things by simply volunteering
at The Music Office for a day or attending a free concert and starting a conversation
with the sound guy. Immerse yourself in every possible aspect of the music business,
and opportunities will present themself to you. - Christina Brehm
2007 Fall TMO interns (left to right): Kash Sarkaria, Christy Cox and Mayleen Granato
(Not pictured: Divya Reddi)
(left to right) standing: Brent Greubel, Fabian Vela
seated: Olivia Holland, Ruth Aguirre
standing: Harold King
seated (left to right): Chelsey Green, Allison Ullrich
(not pictured: Christina Brehm)
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