Class of 2005
Director of Operations and Education
South Dakota Symphony Orchestra
Sioux Falls, S.D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sarah Burman-Schollmeyer \u201905 spends every day thinking about music. In her role at the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, she manages much of what happens behind the curtain \u2014 arranging schedules and auditions, leading educational programs, and ensuring that every rehearsal and concert starts and ends on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The job is an ideal fit for Sarah, who loves music but wasn\u2019t attracted to the traditional opportunities for performers or music teachers. As a high school student, she applied to Valpo because its concentration in music business offered a different path. When she enrolled, Sarah pushed herself to make the most of the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was something I threw myself into,\u201d she says. \u201cMy first year, I was in community band, orchestra, and Chorale all at the same time. It was always fun being a music major because I was never bored, and I had some amazing opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When she wasn\u2019t performing, Sarah found a job on campus recording recitals and concerts, which allowed her to get hands-on experience with the equipment and hear nearly every performance on campus. She also joined MESA, the Music Enterprise Student Association, and helped produce its Battle of the Bands events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s really what got me interested in the production side of music,\u201d she recalls. \u201cI wanted to learn more about the behind-the-scenes details: \u2018How does this work? Who puts this on? Who\u2019s in charge of each piece of it?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each year, Sarah served on the Battle of the Bands production committee, working to create the flow of the evening and assembling the required equipment. In addition to the hands-on experience, Battle of the Bands also introduced Sarah to Valpo alumni in the music industry, who serve as judges for the competition. One of them helped her get an internship at the production company where he worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The experience turned out to be an important test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOn the first day, I arrived at the location, and he handed me a wrench and said, \u2018Put this truss together,\u2019\u201d Sarah recalls. \u201cI\u2019m grateful that they put their faith in me. They did that because the supervisor knew that I had the background from Battle of the Bands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sarah brought that experience back to campus, and by senior year, she was leading the event\u2019s production team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat was when I realized that I was really good at this and that this is what I wanted to do,\u201d she says. \u201cThat experience directly translates to the work I do today. At the Symphony, I\u2019m the one making the schedule, organizing all the equipment the musicians need, and renting any additional instruments. That\u2019s exactly what I started doing with Battle of the Bands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since graduation, Sarah has worked in a number of production roles with organizations including the New World Symphony and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. She says that Valpo\u2019s well-rounded program prepared her well for this career: studying music history helps her to lead educational programs, and performance experience allows her to deeply understand the needs of the musicians she works with. Of course, Sarah also learned how to manage the pressure of a production environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStarting a new job in the orchestra world, you have to jump into the deep end of the pool and you have to swim immediately or you will sink. There\u2019s no time to just float about nicely,\u201d she says. \u201cAfter my time at Valpo, I felt well prepared to jump into the pool. Sometimes it was a little shocking, but I was always well-prepared.\u201c<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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