Students pursuing a career in’ music’ can now look to the GRAMMY University Network to help get a foot in the industry door, go public with their talent and collaborate with their peers.
GRAMMY U offers students a chance to network with professionals in the music field while still engaging in academics. GRAMMY U Executive Director Theresa Jenkins said this gives the students a more realistic view of how their careers will affect them on a daily basis once they land a salaried job.
‘We’re letting students be student members while they’re in school, and our hope is for them to eventually be (Recording Academy) members, as they already know who we are,’ Jenkins said. ‘We provide programs so they can develop relationships with (people in the industry) now, rather than waiting until after they graduate.’
The Recording Academy, the not-for-profit organization that created GRAMMY U, decided to section off its 18,000-member group to include a special association just for aspiring musical students. The academy has 12 chapters across the nation, each comprised of musicians, singers, producers, technological professionals, engineers, songwriters and others with a stake in the music business.
The student offshoot association draws greater recognition for music programs in universities and high schools, leading to higher-quality classes for a more solid foundation to begin a music career.
‘It helps to interact with people (in the business). Sometimes sitting in the classroom with a teacher just teaching doesn’t get you prepared enough,’ Jenkins said.
Music senior Jeff Penalber heard about GRAMMY U at a promotional booth last year, and thinks this gives prospects a unique break.
‘There’s so (much) underground music in Houston, and it seems like not a lot of people know about it,’ Penalber said. ‘You wouldn’t be able to get (this) opportunity unless you were like a groupie or a stage tech.’
GRAMMY U members share many benefits with Recording Academy members, but they pay an annual fee of $25 rather than $100. The reason Penalber did not sign up last year is because of the fee, but once he gets past his ‘procrastination,’ he is determined to join.
‘I’m going to jump on that as soon as I can,’ Penalber said. ‘I’d rather work in recording studios and meet artists. You get to go to concerts and backstage and see what they do.’
Jenkins said the three-year-old organization is trying to reach more people every day.
‘It’s kind of just viral, and this year we’re really just focusing on Houston with getting the word out,’ Jenkins said. ‘In early October, we’re launching Grammy365, a social networking site for members only, where they can talk to people in the industry who are in a totally different location.’
Benefits include networking opportunities and discounts from big-name companies such as Warehouse Music, Billboard, XM Satellite Radio, Rolling Stone and institutions like Graceland, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum and more.
‘We’ve had lots of success stories with students who got jobs using that networking right out of college, instead of starting (networking) right then,’ Jenkins said.
The closest chapter, in Austin, Texas, hosted an event called GRAMMY U Kick Off 2009 in Houston last Thursday at the Hard Rock Caf’eacute;, featuring musical guest Michael ‘5000’ Watts.
