icould - Careers Advice, Choices & Ideas

Classical music events have been part of my life ever since I was a teenager. Going to concerts back then was something I enjoyed, but I never imagined that one day I’d be working in the industry.

Listening to music is essential

Choosing to study music at ‘A level’ was a last-minute decision; I still didn’t realise it could lead to an exciting career. My studies proved to be a valuable foundation of knowledge, but my passion for the subject only came alive as I listened to as much music as possible. This is still true several years later. Actually hearing the music and developing my opinions of performances and pieces is what keeps my interest fresh and my awareness keen. I attend concerts as frequently as possible and listen to new recordings whenever I can. In the same way that a student of literature must read as many books as she can, for a musician of any kind there is no substitute for listening to music.

Passion is all

I applied to study music at Oxford University and started my course in October 2001. Before that I had to pass a series of challenging interviews. I was confident but soon learnt that I had a long way to go – I began to feel like I didn’t know anything at all about the subject. Something must have worked because I was offered a place, but I put this down to them seeing my passion for the subject and certainly not my knowledge of musical facts and figures!

Networking is key

Whilst there, I sought opportunities to obtain real experience by working voluntarily in professional musical environments for short periods of time. The first of these was the Cheltenham Music Festival in July 2002: a summer celebration of classical music over almost three weeks. I’d hardly heard of it before I saw a poster in the music department inviting applications for students interested in working there. This unpaid work was a useful step between studies and career. I gained real insight into how the industry works and was mentored by employees of the festival. I’m still in touch now with the contacts I made.

Work experience is invaluable

Cheltenham inspired me to approach other organisations; those that don’t just put up posters advertising the chance to get a foot in the door. I sent twenty letters to orchestras, venues and festivals: only three replied and one of those was to decline. The two who accepted me were Classic FM and the London Symphony Orchestra. I worked for both for a week each and loved every minute – it was so exciting to be part of such prestigious institutions. Not only were they unpaid, I had to fund my stay in London for the week with my own money but it’s been a priceless investment.

Perseverance pays

My first job was at the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in Autumn 2004, just after graduation, as PA to the Managing Director and Orchestra Librarian. The interview focused almost entirely on my work experience – the student clubs and interests filled my CV but my prospective employers were more interested in one week of good experience than three years of debating or whatever else. Those things are good and useful but in my experience there needs to be some other spark to catch an employer’s eye.

I now work – since October 2008 – as an Artist Administrator for an agency that manages classical musicians. My daily tasks are never the same but cover every aspect of the career of a solo musician. The workload is heavy and moves very fast, but it is thrilling and every day is different. Truth be told I prefer being ‘behind the scenes’ rather than being the one performing – it’s so rewarding to work on an event, see everything come together and enjoy the musical experience on the day.

David Hooson
Artist Administrator

David now works as an Artist Administrator at HarrisonParrott Ltd, where it is his job to put in the hard work so that the artist’s life can stay stress-free!