This past spring, a couple members on our executive board attended Music Biz 2019. This event will be held in Nashville for the foreseeable future and provides an opportunity to meet likeminded students as well as industry professionals. It's simply an opportunity you can't afford to pass up if you're serious about working in the recording industry!
Here are a few tips and lessons learned from our first year attending the conference:
First discuss with your professors the possibility of taking finals early if you have any schedule conflicts.
As a student, we can't imagine staying at the JW Marriott, so plan ahead and book an Air BnB with other students who will be shooting down to Nashville!
Start saving money for the conference now! Also, if you are going to buy plane tickets, it would be wise to purchase them this winter instead of waiting until Spring.
Practice interviewing with the Klein College Career Center before you attend the conference. Research your company, have your own questions to ask, do your due diligence.
Remember to actually sign up for interviews. Some of the best in the business will be there searching for entry level candidates and interns. Spotify, Amazon Music, Warner Music Group, and more... again, do your due diligence! There are opportunities with major record labels, streaming businesses, talent management, and more.
Before or after your interviews, leave a copy of your resume with all of the hiring companies. Many people have landed internships by simply doing this, according to Evelyn Dichter who oversees Membership Management with Music Biz Association.
Don't have enough money for the conference ticket? Reach out to the conference organizers to assist with any volunteer needs! Jared Giovan from TUMusicBiz volunteered last year as the photographer's assistant, with access to the official after party!
Don't have money for the conference or plane ticket? Pull a Patrick Mulhearn and create a GoFundMe to get yourself to Nashville. Pat is a Memphis University student studying the music industry who crowdsourced his way to Music Biz 2019.
Speaking of other universities, use the conference as an opportunity to network with and build relationships with music industry students from University of Miami, Belmont University, Monmouth University, and more. You never know how you might be able to help one another or work together in the future! Students from Monmouth and Miami linked this year and are now promoting rising artists together. In 2019 there were 200+ undergraduate and graduate students to meet and network with.
Back to due diligence. Ask the event's organizers for a list of the attendees before attending. Cold-email people from the companies you would like to learn about. Last year we did this and learned first hand from a Spotify VP and Data Scientist, as well as a VP at Warner Bros Records. You might only get 5 replies out of some 25 emails, but of these you can
Use the "Sched" interactive calendar as much as possible to find color-coded event's schedule. The calendar features descriptions behind attendees, events, and featured speakers, of which there are MANY!
It might feel like a marathon after a day's worth of events, but get out to the cocktail parties, and the mixers. These events are a perfect opportunity to come as you are and meet like-minded students as well as your future employer. Jimmy Seykot form TUMusicBiz got connected to a senior-level employee for his future internship at a mixer!
Remember to have fun! Try the famous hot chicken, hang out on Broadway, and explore Nashville with other students.