Université de Montréal Launches Professional Development Agency for Students Entering the Music Industry
The Faculty of Music kicked off the initiative in January and has since generated over 200 professional opportunities for students who want to “shape their professional path and adapt to the ever-evolving realities of the music environment.”
The Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Music has launched a professional development agency to help students who want to work in the music industry.
The agency is designed to prepare students who want to “shape their professional path and adapt to the ever-evolving realities of the music environment."
Described as “a natural extension of the Faculty’s educational mission,” the agency’s programming goes beyond musical skill, focusing on career management, entrepreneurship, developing partnerships with cultural organizations and supporting student participation in auditions and competitions.
Focusing on tangible opportunities, the agency will host “specialized workshops and conferences” dedicated to the multiple elements of a long-standing music career. The ultimate goal is to help students create “concrete bridges between university education and the professional world.”
Between January and May, university says the agency generated over 200 professional opportunities for students, including: paid musical performances, institutional and corporate events, concert preludes, cultural mediation activities and additional networking opportunities.
In five months, multiple partnerships have been initiated within the province’s music scene, namely the Festival de Lanaudière, the Orchestre Métropolitain and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. In addition, they’ve coordinated with various healthcare organizations to secure opportunities, which they say helps students “diversify the contexts” in which their skills can be used.
Nathalie Fernando, dean of the university’s Faculty of Music, explains that the agency “represents a concrete investment” in student success.
“The Faculty of Music has always had the mission of training high-level artists,” she continues. “Today, we also have the responsibility to give them the means to build a sustainable career, understand their professional environment, and seize the many opportunities available to them.”
The agency is led by Rasha Masalkhi, who works within the university’s Faculty of Music and has first-hand experience in the industry as a violinist.
“Our goal is to create sustainable links between university education and the professional world,” she says. “Each project allows students to gain experience, develop their network and their confidence, while showcasing the talent of our community to new audiences.”
The Université de Montréal is reportedly the largest Francophone higher education institution in music in North America. Notable alumni include composer Éric Champagne, classical pianist Richard Raymond, soprano vocalist Layla Claire and mezzo-soprano singer Julie Boulianne. It’s one of two post-grad divisions in Quebec, alongside Conservatoire de musique de Québec.
