Hartt's Music and Performing Arts Management Students Collaborate with Area Businesses

“Learn by doing” was played out in real time during an Arts Management Practicum spring semester course, offered within the music and performing arts management program. Led by Hartt’s Mehmet Dede, students were paired with area businesses through an internship format, where over the course of 10 weeks, students engaged in unique and collaborative experiences.

The organizations that participated in the practicum included Marionette Management, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Real Art Ways, Pioneer Management, TheatreWorks, and UHart’s Office of Marketing and Communication. Some of the students had never had an internship before, so these experiences helped elevate their resumes as well as broaden their future opportunities.

The main goal of the program was to provide students with an opportunity to work with and for a professional organization and engage them in real-life scenarios. Students practiced important skills such as organization (time management, scheduling, overall project goals), working collaboratively, building upon their communication skills, and boosting their confidence and leadership. The student responsibilities ranged from event/activity promotion, developing and implementing marketing campaigns, market research and donor maintenance, artist communication, drafting contracts, to on-site event production and promotion. At the culmination of the project, students presented an overview of their work, including sharing their findings and offering their insights and personal reflections on the experience. 

The practicum provided many of the students an opportunity to engage with top leaders within the organizations. Aiden Dultz ’26 was paired with TheatreWorks, and in addition to conducting a budget analysis, he organized a focus group with fellow classmate Emily McGuire. The focus group included a wide range of demographics, including students, ticket buyers, as well as patrons and donors. “I was pretty surprised that Jeff [managing director] gave us the freedom to do all this” says Aiden. 

Community engagement and collaboration were common themes in many of the projects. Music management and vocal performance major Michael Love ’26 offered many reflections on the project. Paired with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Love worked on the promotional campaign for Fire Shut Up In My Bones. “It gave me a chance to blend my passion for music with community engagement and storytelling” says Love. He also states that “what I enjoyed most was learning how to bridge creative storytelling with cultural advocacy—especially through the lens of highlighting underrepresented voices on classical music. This experience affirmed that my skills in creative direction, marketing, and artist collaboration are essential to the kind of work I hope to continue after graduation.” 

Katrina (Kat) Lacombe ’26 and Stephen Isherwood ’26 were paired with Marionette Management, and worked closely with their founder, Jessica Martin. Lacombe says it was “an incredibly rewarding experience for both of us. We especially enjoyed assisting in the launch campaign for Stephen Kellogg’s upcoming album and tour announcement—from developing graphics for each of the 35 shows, to brainstorming exclusive merch, managing rights registrations, and organizing key tour data.” Their experience provided a real-world look at the day-to-day responsibilities of a boutique artist management company and the level of detail that goes into a successful release of an established artist’s album and tour.

Many of the students found that experiences deepened their understanding of the world of arts management and affirmed their career ambitions. Lacombe has dreams of pursuing a career in music publishing and live event production, while Isherwood is seeking a career in artist management and touring. “This hands-on experience allowed us to deepen our understanding of artist support and operations. It also helped each of us refine our individual career goals” says Lacombe. “We’re both grateful for the opportunity to work so closely with Jessica and an established artist like Stephen Kellogg on such a meaningful campaign.”

Michael Love also echoes the positive experience that his fellow classmates had. “One thing I’ve learned from this experience is that when you see something you want, the only thing that can truly hold you back is your own hesitation. Life is about showing up, doing the work, and believing you belong in the spaces you dream of.”