Introducing Sinfonia Students

What is a Sinfonia Student?

Sinfonia Students is our one-year voluntary scheme, offering students valuable experience in arts administration. The scheme is currently open to students in Cambridge and, for the first time in 2015-16, London. Initially built from the orchestra's partnership with the University of Cambridge (as its Orchestra-in-Residence), the scheme has grown over the past two years to now work with students from Anglia Ruskin University, Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal College of Music.

Through this role, Sinfonia Students gain insight into the workings of a professional chamber orchestra as they work alongside the marketing team to promote concerts to the student community via print and digital media. They also receive great rewards and build a relationship with the orchestra with free concert tickets, a full week work experience in the offices, and the opportunity to write posts, such as reviews of concerts, which are published on our blog.

A manageable commitment 

The role of Sinfonia Student is different from a typical arts internship and allows students to work alongside the marketing team throughout an entire season, gaining insight into marketing strategies and techniques as they unfold. From personal experience, it is not always easy to commit to a full-time 3-6 month internship; they can be highly competitive, and costly in travel expenses if you do not already live in the city and the organisation is only able to reimburse a certain amount.

With the Sinfonia Students scheme, we wanted to create a manageable and flexible opportunity, that students could easily commit to while still balancing their studies and free time... 

"The role of Sinfonia Student really is one of flexibility and creativity. I was keen to apply, however I was aware that any commitments I made might be too much; on the contrary, I found that the experience was completely manageable, and yet that I could get as much back as I put in, which is so useful." 

(Carl, Sinfonia Student 2014-15)

A unique opportunity

During the year, Sinfonia Students implement and help to develop marketing strategies built for their university peers and have regular contact with Britten Sinfonia's marketing team. They also develop a relationship with the organisation as they spend a week in the office working with different departments, and have gone on to make professional contacts through events such as our Composers Workshop.

"When applying for the Sinfonia Student position, I had no idea how many new doors would open from this opportunity! Meeting some of the players and conductors has enabled me to make professional connections, and the whole experience has given me skills which I can take to other music administration jobs."  

(Simone, Sinfonia Student 2014-15)

Valuable experience for future jobs

In the competitive world of arts administration jobs, experience in the industry is becoming even more crucial when applying for a first job, and this type of valuable experience is something that being a Sinfonia Student can provide. Not just looking good on a CV, the role provides the opportunity to take on real responsibility and engage with developing marketing ideas that can make a first job application really stand out.

"Being a Sinfonia Student allowed me to acquire valuable work experience. I am now more confident that I can go into a working environment after graduating with the practical skills one may not acquire by solely completing their course of study."  

(Arseniy, Sinfonia Student 2014-15) 

"Being a Sinfonia Student has been particularly helpful: it provided me with experience in several areas relating to the fields in which I wish to work, something which employers value, without being stressful or unreasonably time consuming." 

(David, Sinfonia Student 2014-15)

Great fun

With free concert tickets, opportunities to attend rehearsals and the chance to make new friends, what's not to enjoy? Our Cambridge Sinfonia Students from the 2014-15 season enjoyed their experience so much they have volunteered to mentor the 2015-16 Sinfonia Students, providing additional support and advice as they begin the role.

Applications for Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Cambridge students are open until Friday 16 October. Click here for more information about the role and how to apply.

"If you're considering a career in arts admin or marketing, then this is definitely worthwhile!" 

(Emma, Sinfonia Student 2014-15) 

"This is a student experience with a professional orchestra not to be missed!" 

(Simone, Sinfonia Student 2014-15)

Read Carl's review of At Lunch 4 here.
Read Simone's experience of the 2015 Composers Workshop here.

Karys Orman
Marketing Coordinator

SinfoniaStudents

Britten Sinfonia's Student Ambassador scheme is a great way for students to get involved with a world-class orchestra. The scheme runs in Cambridge and Norwich with students from Anglia Ruskin and Cambridge Universities as well as from the University of East Anglia.


The role allows students to gain an insight into the workings of a professional orchestra through helping to market Britten Sinfonia concerts to their peers and work experience in the office. Two students who have been part of the scheme have shared their experiences below. 


If you would like to become involved and build up your CV in 2012 do get in touch! Email Hannah Perks with why you'd like to work with Britten Sinfonia and a bit about what you think you can offer.

I found the Sinfonia Student Scheme through the Cambridge University Careers service and decided to apply as it seemed like a good opportunity both to gain relevant experience and to make contacts in the arts and music industry.

Becoming a Sinfonia Student is an extremely worthwhile experience, especially for those interested in a career in the arts, but also for those who wish to gain general experience in management, organisation, marketing and so on. The work is not very arduous and can easily be done alongside a university degree. In the main I helped with advertising the Sinfonia concerts to my fellow students through word-of-mouth, leafleting, putting up posters and so on. Every term the Sinfonia Students and the Sinfonia management team (who are all extremely friendly and helpful) met to discuss strategy and fresh marketing ideas. Sinfonia Students are also given the opportunity to steward at the Sinfonia concerts (or to just go to the concerts for free) and a week of work experience is offered to all who take part in the scheme. 

I had a great time as a Sinfonia Student. While providing a very useful service for the Britten Sinfonia, a Sinfonia Student also gains a valuable insight into the world of arts administration and I would highly recommend the experience to anyone – whether a music student or not.

Bea Ramsay

I am really grateful to Britten Sinfonia for the opportunity to work with them, both on a week-long placement, and on a more long term basis as a Sinfonia Student.

Sinfonia Students are mainly involved with marketing and increasing the footprint of the orchestra in Cambridge, especially within the university. I distributed publicity, created events on social networking sites, and followed it up by surveying the student attendance at concerts. I stewarded at many concerts and at several Education Days, where I loved meeting the public and supporting the smooth running of Britten Sinfonia events.

During the work placement, you spend a day in each department of Britten Sinfonia, which really influenced my decisions about which area of the arts I wanted to pursue. For Creative Learning, I wrote programme notes for a combined workshop and concert for children; in Development, I researched strategies to increase individual giving, an area becoming ever more vital in arts funding. I also became familiar with databases through updating artist records and the score library. 

Being a Sinfonia Student is an invaluable opportunity which has started me on my ideal career path; having now completed an Internship in London with English Touring Opera, I am Administrator and Finance Officer for Cambridge Summer Recitals.

Olivia Downs