<p>I'll be a sophomore this fall, and I realized very recently how perfect working as an A & R Representative would be for me. I'm hoping to become a Music Industry major at the University of Southern California or somewhere similar. (Preferably in the LA or New York area, since that's really where the industry is.)</p>
<p>My freshman year was a bit below average to average. This year and the following years are going to be extremely better. I'm hoping to get some work experience or internships in the industry--do things like that exist for high school students? My sophomore schedule is already locked in, but I think junior year I'd like to take two single semester marketing courses, "Personal Financing" and "Sports, Fashion and Entertainment Marketing." Would that be helpful? The course descriptions sound promising. I also have a decent background in choral music and theatre, both of which I will be continuing during these next years in high school.</p>
<p>I am currently involved in the BP. Nordstrom Fashion Board and I'm the Inclusive Ministry Advocate for the Oregon Lutheran Youth Organization (OLYO) Board (I honestly don't expect anyone to have heard of either of these..)</p>
<p>Is there any way I could get ahead of the game as far as internships and such? I feel like I've got a good amount of extracurricular, but not much of it is relevant to the music industry.</p>
<p>Horsey, I’ve asked the mods move this to the music major forum. There’s not a tremendous amount on CC regarding this of program but you may find the perspective of some of the music knowledgeable folks a bit more helpful than the general forums.</p>
<p>My reading is that your focus is more of the marketing/promotional aspects than the technology/production paths. </p>
<p>The marketing/personal finance courses will be good background. If you are interested in audition driven BM programs, then you’ll need insights into that process. I would urge continued participation in music. Investigate local opportunities for internships. So much of this is developing a network.</p>
<p>Take the most rigorous classes you can and stick with taking 5 academic areas every year. Since many classes are in both music and business, you will be expected to compete with other business majors, so math skills should be strong. Many music business programs require you to be a music major, so having proficiency in music theory and keyboarding will help.</p>
<ol>
<li>Keep your grades high</li>
<li>Take Piano (or Guitar or Bass or Strings or Horn or Drums or any instrument) Lessons</li>
<li>Go to a local CC and take music theory 1 and 2</li>
<li>Get out there and be in music, you are a little young now, but in a year or two be prepared and go find some young bands to manage, get familiar with a studio setting, examples of performance contracts and get some good references.</li>
</ol>
<p>Son is a popular music performance major at USC and I have attended a couple music industry courses and they were outstanding. I would emphasize the 4th item on derekallens recommendation. In reading the outcomes of the music industry or cinema or other USC entertainment program related boards on cc, the people who seem to have the strongest chance of admission are those who were involved in thier interest in a meaningful way while still in high school and have some special or unusual experiences that set them apart. Something where they took initiative to create opportunities and experiences outside of school. This also helps you identify what you really want to do and what you are really good at. I didn’t and most 17 year olds don’t know what they want to be when they apply to college, but if you want to be in a high end unique program, that special experience can be a big benefit.</p>
<p>Local labels, studios, bands, venues are all great access points. But don’t be surprised if you start at copy and errand boy. For right now, at your age, I woudn’t make your job prospects the main concern. I would worry about getting some experience and some knowledge in different aspects of music. When you are a junior and you apply at a local studio and you already know what pro tools is, how a compressor works and can play an instrument, it makes you look good. Or when you are a senior, and you apply to a booking manager and you have good grades, you know what a performance rider is and you can discuss the local scene, then that to makes you look good. </p>
<p>With all this nonsense, I’m just saying be prepared for anything.</p>
<p>Do a bit of research on the industry. I recommend starting with a book like “All You Need to Know About the Music Business” by Donald Passman and then continuing on to “This Business of Music” by Krasilovsky, Shemel, Gross and Feinstein. Both should be available from a decent library, or certainly through inter-library loan. Available for under $20, the latter is worth owning if you work in the industry in any capacity.</p>