Graduating Class: 2017

What are you up to now?

I am the Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Camerata and Pittsburgh Girls Choir after being the Managing Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus since graduation. I worked for the BPC as their part-time Business Manager while I was at UB.

What led you into arts management?

I have always had a passion for the arts. I played violin through high school, studied photography and creative writing while pursuing my undergraduate degree, and am an avid fan and supporter of live music and theater. I always knew I wanted to do something in the arts, but being on stage or being an artist myself never felt like the right fit. Arts management felt like the perfect way to use a lot of the skills I already have and apply them to the arts. 

Most memorable experience in the Program?

The Berlin summer school program is an amazing memory from the program. I really loved that trip and getting the chance to be immersed in all of the art that Berlin has to offer. I also really enjoyed our Rust Belt Tour where we got to visit Erie, Toledo, Cleveland, and Detroit. 

What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

I wish I could go back and tell myself that I'd be working for a choral music organization full-time one day! Of all the places I thought I'd end up, I didn't expect that. I wish I knew that I didn't have to focus on only a few different areas within the arts community and that it's okay (and really fun!) to branch a little outside of your own artistic comfort zone. 

Advice for current/prospective students?

My biggest advice for students would be to really soak up all of the site visits, trips, and experiential learning that the program offers. These opportunities are incredibly unique and so valuable. So, I would say to get everything you can out of those experiences, ask as many questions as possible, and enjoy them!