With the pilot scheme at an end, and two successful concerts under their belts, we asked our first ever Turner Sims Future Producers about how they found the experience.
Coordinated by Turner Sims with the University of Southampton Department of Music, our programme offered a unique opportunity for students to produce and present professional music activities at the concert hall.
Students from the University of Southampton Music Department were offered the chance to apply, and our three successful participants have since enjoyed support, mentoring and guidance from industry professionals as they acquire hands-on experience in all aspects of music promotion.
Lauren, Nissa and Lorna’s hard work culminated in two concerts in February: Unwinding – An Afternoon with Maz O’Connor, a folk-flavoured teatime special with support from acapella group Polly Gone Wrong, and Unwinding – Students Past and Present, a free lunchtime concert featuring the stunning talents of Music graduate Kitty O’Neal with her project March, and Music student Talia Pearce with music from their debut EP Lavender.
Seeing everyone so happy with what we’d put together was a proud moment…“
Lauren Jolliffe
Lauren
Since starting work on the Future Producers Scheme in November last year, it’s safe to say I’ve learnt a lot about what is needed to produce and run a successful concert. Working alongside my two friends Lorna and Nissa, the whole experience was made a lot less daunting and together we created two events that brought together an audience of music-lovers (and those who turned up for the free cake!).
The unpredictable nature of managing events was quickly brought to light, due to both Maz and Polly Gone Wrong suffering delays on their journey down to Southampton. This definitely highlighted the need for quick decision-making when it comes to management, and luckily, we were able to catch up on timings and ensure Polly Gone Wrong were sound checked and ready to grace the stage on time.
As soon as the concert began all stress subsided, and it was clear the audience loved what we had put together for them. Staffing the merchandise table after the show, both Maz and Polly Gone Wrong received glowing feedback from our audience. Seeing everyone so happy with what we’d put together was a proud moment and made all the stress of getting everything together in time worth it. Thank you to all those involved for giving us the opportunity of working on the Future Producers Scheme!
I feel far more prepared for a career in the industry than I did before…“
Nissa Pandya
Nissa
Being part of the first Future Producers scheme at Turner Sims has been so rewarding. While the two events we produced came with a fair amount of stress, the final product of Unwinding couldn’t have gone better! Despite some tricky weather and travel complications, Polly Gone Wrong stunned the audience with an entirely unique set before they enjoyed their free tea and cake. Maz O’Connor delighted us with an ethereal performance from the heart, even encouraging the audience to sing along. I feel far more prepared for a career in the industry than I did before, as the experience taught us things you don’t learn in a lecture hall. Thank you to Kevin, Jo, Jilly, and the UoS Music Department for helping to make these events unforgettable!
The support we received from everyone really enhanced time on the scheme…“
Lorna Beckett
Lorna
Being a part of the first Turner Sims Future Producers Scheme has been a glorious, one-of-a-kind experience. As MA International Music Management students, Nissa, Lauren and I jumped at the opportunity to curate and project-manage two events at Turner Sims. This scheme has given us invaluable experience that we can add to our CVs to use in good stead once we graduate and enter the world of work (eep!). It felt kind of like dipping our toes into events management, as opposed to jumping in at the deep end after our degree is over.
Everyone involved, from the Turner Sims and Music Department staff to the artists themselves, were super helpful and a joy to work with. The support we received from everyone really enhanced time on the scheme and we couldn’t appreciate it more! Thank you again for this opportunity, it is one we won’t easily forget.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.