Senior Grace Hertz explored interests related to both her English major and music major during a dream internship in New York City last summer.
For two months, Hertz lived in Greenwich Village and worked compiling, editing, and writing playbills for events at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
“It was a life-changing experience,” Hertz said. “It made everything I’m learning in the abstract feel tangible.”
Although Hertz has spent past summers completing several arts internships near her home in Indianapolis, Indiana, working at the Lincoln Center was always her “dream job.” With the help of Hillsdale mentors, Associate Professor of Music Mathew Fuerst and Teacher of Music Debbi Wyse, Hertz completed the application process and earned one of only a few highly sought-after positions.
Although most arts internships at esteemed venues are highly selective, Fuerst said he was not surprised Hertz was accepted.
“In everything she does, she routinely does the best,” Fuerst said. “It wasn’t about whether she was going to get an internship, but which ones she will get and how she will choose one.”
The Lincoln Center in Manhattan is comprised of several significant arts buildings, such as The Juilliard School, the Metropolitan Opera, the theater housing the New York City Ballet, and the Lincoln Center Theater.
Hertz’s internship primarily involved creating the playbills for events, including the Lincoln Center’s renowned summer music festival, Mostly Mozart.
Hertz said playbills are an integral aspect of an audience’s experience with a concert because they provide comments, the texts of songs, historical context, and artist biographies.
“They offer a dual scope of insight into pieces and artists,” she said, “and allow the works to communicate with people so a piece resonates and is meaningful.”
According to Hertz, at past summer internships she was seldom able to view the fruits of her labors, since most of her projects were for orchestras that were out of session in summer.
“This time, I got the complete experience since I would hold the program I helped make and see the performance,” Hertz said. “The arts have always been a part of my life, so it was cool to be the one who helps artists connect with the audience.”
Wyse added that the internship’s fusion of Hertz’s passions prepared her well to pursue future goals.
“The internship was a great blend of arts, music, and writing. It was right down her alley,” Wyse said. “And it broadened her horizons by exposing her to many genres of music. It was important she got away to be in a larger city with a lot of cultural centers, doing work you can’t do here in Hillsdale.”
In addition to receiving free tickets to Mostly Mozart, one of the nation’s largest classical music festivals, Hertz said highlights of the summer included meeting her favorite composer, Jason Robert Brown.
“His music changed the way I look at theater,” she said.
She also watched both the dress rehearsal and live performance of the stage opera “Written on Skin,” which had its American premiere at the Lincoln Center.
Upon graduating next May, Hertz hopes to break into the music administration profession. She said her job search will include applying for another position at the Lincoln Center. According to her, the summer experience affirmed her love for the city and job.
After watching her drive and determination over the last few years, Fuerst said he’s confident Hertz will achieve success in the arts’ limited job field.
“Like anything in the arts, there’s only a few jobs, but whatever happens, she will be successful,” Fuerst said. “It will be fun to continue to watch her.”
