Interested in music internships? Your community is a great place to start. See if there are opportunities to help a local symphony orchestra, a festival, or a music organization in your area, and don’t hesitate to email or call them. It never hurts to ask.
If you’re also looking into music projects, check out these music-related passion project ideas for musicians like you.
First, want to improve your chances of landing an internship? Watch Rishab’s video on how he got an internship at MIT in high school.
Music Internships for High School Students
Monster Sessions Internship Program
Monster Sessions is a California-based music organization partnered with local universities, including USC, UCLA, and UCI. It connects technology with music to build tools that help artists develop their skills, aiming to bridge the gap between the music industry and academia. Monster Sessions provides internships (both paid and unpaid) to local college students and high school seniors, and applications are open year-round, so you can apply anytime.
Eligibility:
- Undergraduate student or high school senior
- Must be local to Irvine, California
NYO-USA Apprenticeships
The National Youth Orchestra is one of the most prestigious music programs in the country, and participants describe it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Students get to play alongside well-known musicians, including artists like Hilary Hahn and Alisa Weilerstein.
In the Apprenticeship program, you work as an unpaid intern largely behind the scenes. You can take on a role as a composer, librarian, or orchestra manager, contributing key components to concerts. Applications are due in December.
Eligibility:
- High school students aged 16-19
- US citizen
Earshot Internships
Earshot Jazz is an organization dedicated to preserving and advancing the jazz art form. It produces numerous concerts throughout the year and publishes a monthly magazine, and it offers grant assistance to resident artists, jazz education programs, and more. As a paid intern, you work with the box office and the hospitality team. The internship runs from late September to late October, with applications due August 18th. Confirm current openings and dates on their careers page.
Eligibility:
- High school or undergraduate student
- Reside in Seattle, Washington
Sound Thinking NYC
Sound Thinking NYC is a program of the CUNY Creative Arts Team and the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, in partnership with NY Is Music. It prioritizes underrepresented groups and combines a summer intensive with internship opportunities. Summer Intensive graduates are invited to school-year events and offered paid internships and credited College Now courses in their 11th and 12th grade years.
Eligibility:
- High school student of any grade
- Must attend an NYC public school
The deadline is in early May, and the program is a 4-week intensive. The intensive doesn’t pay a stipend, but it is free to students, with substantial support for food and transportation.
National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship
The NSO Youth Fellowship is an orchestral training program for students who want to pursue orchestral music as a career. This full-scholarship program lets students study with the National Symphony Orchestra or a member musician, observe rehearsals and attend concerts, and take part in chamber music ensembles and master classes. It’s open only to students in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
Eligibility:
- Entering grades 9-12 as of next September (younger musicians in grades 6-8 may be considered on a case-by-case basis).
- Residing in the metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) area: DC; MD (Charles, Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s counties); VA (Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties). Students entering 6th, 7th, and 8th grades must submit an audition recording before being invited to the live audition.
- Seriously considering orchestral music as a career and willing to commit to practicing a minimum of 60-90 minutes per day.
The application includes an online form, a letter of recommendation, and a personal statement. There is also a live audition (typically held in May; confirm the current year’s date), with these requirements:
- One prepared solo piece:
- Must be an etude or solo piece showing contrasting musical elements (varied tempi, dynamics, etc.). No band or orchestra parts. Live auditions are without piano accompaniment.
- A personal statement, recorded as a video or written, answering any three of the following:
- Why are you interested in this program?
- What are your goals for yourself in the next year?
- How do you envision music being a part of your life?
- What do you think a challenge will be in reaching your immediate and long-term goals?
- Tell us about a meaningful musical experience you have had. Why was it meaningful?
- What are your hobbies and interests outside of music?
The video should be under 5 minutes, and a written statement should be under 600 words. There is also a $15 application fee, but if that’s a concern, you can contact them for a fee waiver.
San Diego Symphony High School Ambassadors
The San Diego Symphony’s High School Ambassadors program connects a passion for music with civic engagement to build college and career readiness. Ambassadors attend workshops and guest lectures and work alongside San Diego Symphony staff.
Eligibility:
- Students in grades 9-12; graduating seniors are also eligible
- Eligible to work in the United States
- An interest in music
The application is due April 15th, and interns are paid $16.85 per hour.
College Light Opera Music Administration Internship
The College Light Opera Company is a performing arts theatre in Massachusetts with a high school internship for students planning to pursue a degree in theatre management, design and production, or theatre arts. You can choose from the following tracks:
- Arts Administration, Publicity and Box Office: work with the business staff at the Highfield Theatre box office on ticket sales, marketing, public relations, and house management, and learn the journey from press release to performance.
- Music Administration and Orchestra Management: work with the music staff at the West Falmouth campus and Highfield Theatre on rehearsal preparation, administration, and orchestra setup, and learn the rehearsal-to-performance process from the music department’s perspective.
- Stage Management and Production Assistance: work with the production team on setting up and running rehearsals and performances, and learn the process from a stage-management perspective.
- Scenic Technician, Lighting and Run Crew: work with the set crew on construction, lights, painting, and props, plus the run crew during performances, and learn the journey from concept to execution.
- Costume Technician and Wardrobe Crew: work with the costume crew on construction and alteration, plus the wardrobe crew during performances, and learn the design-to-execution process.
Eligibility:
- High school students
- Planning to pursue a degree in theatre management, design and production, or theatre arts
- Residing in Massachusetts, or able to fund staying in Massachusetts
Applications close in August.
iAM Music Internships
iAM Music is dedicated to sharing music widely through private lessons, scholarships, free instrument rentals, and festivals. This internship is for high schoolers who want hands-on experience. Students receive private lessons and theory classes, and explore the fundamentals of music pedagogy.
Eligibility:
- High schooler
- Some knowledge of music performance, composition, or music theory
Applications are open throughout the year, so you can apply anytime.
Triangle Youth Music Internship Program
The Triangle Youth Music Intern Program gives TYM members the chance to serve as interns from September through May. Each season, 10-12 interns are accepted. Interns work a minimum of 4 hours per month, made up of one monthly meeting plus various assignments.
Eligibility:
- Current TYM members
- Junior or senior in high school
Feeling Lost?
If you feel unsure about the application process, you’re not alone. Applying to prestigious programs can feel stressful.
If you want guidance on landing internships like the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship or NYO-USA, check out Rishab’s video on how to land internships.
Image source: Liberty University
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