Performances + Events
Entrepreneurial Musicianship
Providing students and alumni with individual advising and career coaching, courses focused on professional skills within the Conservatory curriculum, pathways to gain professional experience through hands-on learning, and opportunities to fund and incubate new creative work. NEC is committed to ensuring every student and graduate has the tools to build a life in — and beyond — music.
Advising
Every NEC student and alum has access to free advising from conservatory-trained professionals with experience at every size and level of arts organization. These one-on-one advising sessions can address such topics as writing bios, resumes and grant proposals, and conceiving long-term projects, career direction, and artistic goals.
Schedule an Advising AppointmentThe Entrepreneurial Musicianship Program
Explore NEC’s academic catalog to learn more about the Entrepreneurial Musicianship program and EM course offerings.
Academic CatalogCategory Three
Header Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Grants and Awards
EM offers up to $30,000 in grants and funding for innovative projects and professional development opportunities. The grants provide financial support for unique ideas and collaborations, travel to professional opportunities outside of Boston, advising and career coaching for new graduates, and for students and alumni to develop the business side of their musicianship.
With the support of these grants, internships, and specialized training, NEC graduates go on to perform with world-renowned orchestras, establish private teaching studios, launch arts nonprofits, compose for film and video games, and produce for leading tech companies.
Learn more about past grant recipients and projects:
EM Grants provide up to $1,500 for students to enact their unique ideas and collaborations. Our grants fund innovative and impactful projects and help students develop skills critical to their success: communicating a vision, creating a production plan, developing a marketing strategy, and balancing budgets. The competitive application process is modeled on real-world grants, and students are coached through every step, from first draft to final pitch, by the EM Team.
Apply HereThe Entrepreneurial Student Travel Fund provides financial assistance for expenses related to travel needs of NEC students as they pursue professional opportunities outside of Boston. Travel grants are provided specifically to students who can show significant participation with the EM program, and support the following activities:
- Travel funding for tours of ensembles
- Travel funding for national/international conferences, festivals, and professional training
- Travel to fund original research projects
- Travel and lodging funding for professional auditions
The 2024 EM Alumni Award, sponsored by the Entrepreneurial Musicianship and Alumni Engagement teams, provides funding and support for the aspiring projects of NEC alumni. Granted annually to NEC graduates, the award includes a $1,000 stipend as well as project consulting from the Entrepreneurial Musicianship team.
Apply HereThe EM Spark Award invites graduating students to take deliberate steps toward their career goals. Co-sponsored by the President’s Office and Alumni Engagement, the award includes a $1,000 stipend and individual project advising and career coaching with the EM Team.
Apply HereInternships and Fellowships
The EM Department offers unique field experiences exclusively for NEC students to gain hands-on learning on campus and at Boston-area arts organizations. All field experiences are paid, and some offer professional performance experience. The following are examples of current EM internships and fellowships.
The Development and Community Outreach Intern will be responsible for supporting the development team at the North End Music and Performing Arts Center (NEMPAC), a 501(c)(3) community music school and performing arts center empowering artists of all ages and abilities.
The intern will assist with fundraising administration, prospect research, solicitations, and donor stewardship, with a special focus on development efforts at outreach events, helping to broaden and cultivate new audiences and solicit donations. There will also be opportunities to engage in broader administrative duties at the front desk.
Apply HereThe Arts Administration Intern will gain hands-on experience in building a replicable public
relations strategy for Boston Music Project (BMP), a growing nonprofit with a focus on musical excellence and creative youth development. BMP is committed to ensuring the long-term social and musical success of our cities’ less advantaged urban youth by nurturing individual expression, celebrating unique cultures, and developing life skills through quality education and performance.
Interns will assist the executive director and program manager with day-to-day operations while learning about the various components of managing a school-based arts nonprofit, including marketing/communications, press releases, and social media management.
Apply HereAs an EM Nova fellow, you will be a part of a team tasked with putting on two concerts on NEC’s Bowers Stage. EM Nova fellows will program the concerts, organize and audition artists, handle event operations, and promote and market the event, all with guidance from the EM Department. Each fellow will gain experience in event management, event services, arts administration, marketing, and strategic communications.
Apply Here
Other Boston-Area Internships
Students may earn credit for completing internships at one of Boston’s many arts nonprofit organizations. Work side-by-side with a working arts professional, providing hands-on contributions to a real organization while earning elective credit. Online resources for finding available internships include:
- Bridge – EM’s online opportunity board
- Boston-specific websites such as HireCulture that post available internships
Most arts internships are unpaid, but unpaid internships that meet certain qualifications are eligible for one (1) elective credit. If you are interested in an external internship and would like help applying, schedule an appointment with the EM team.
Gigs and Jobs
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo.
Bridge
Search thousands of jobs and opportunities from around the world, tailored to you: orchestra jobs, teaching positions, festivals, competitions, arts administration roles, arts grants, and much more. Bridge only posts arts opportunities, so you don’t have to waste time searching through non-arts job boards. It also offers custom job searches based on the location, type of opportunity, and/or musical instrument or area that matters most to you. Browse the board, or turn on notifications — we’ll email you every time a new job is posted that fits your specific interests.
Music Referral Service
The Music Referral Service (MRS) provides exceptional musicians for all types of events, occasions, and private instruction. The MRS connects available and talented NEC students and alumni with local clients in need of musicians. Our instrumental and vocal musicians are classical, jazz, pop, and folk pros.
Organizations Looking for NEC Interns and Musicians
If you are interested in hosting an NEC student for an internship, we suggest you post your opportunity to the Bridge Opportunity Board. The most successful job descriptions include a list of intended learning outcomes for the student; projected work responsibilities; and an outline of where, how, and with whom a student will work.
NEC understands that some organizations do not have brick-and-mortar offices; however, NEC does require that at least 50% of working hours are supervised in person, and that all supervised hours are completed at a non-residential location, such as the organization’s offices, at NEC, or at a coffee shop. As an internship is meant to be a learning experience, an intern’s job description must not be a responsibility that a host organization would otherwise pay an employee to do. Once an internship is agreed upon, both intern and host must sign a contract that includes job description details and which qualifies the intern as a volunteer.
During the internship, interns must log their hours on the provided schedule and their supervisor must sign off. Both supervisor and intern must also complete mid-semester and final evaluations, to be provided by NEC’s EM Department. Questions? Email EM.
Internships for NEC students must comply with Federal internship guidelines from the U.S. Department of Labor
Entrepreneurial Musicianship Guidebook
The EM guidebook is designed to help students develop and reach their unique artistic and career goals.
Explore Guidebook
