TRAINING GROUND
Through an application and interview process, the Festival will select early-career professionals who are keen to undertake hands-on training in a paid apprenticeship opportunity.
The apprentices will ‘own’ and deliver the presentation of the Festival, overseen by experienced music and event industry professionals. This capability-building will be prioritised for and filled by district-based locals with an authentic effort to attract cultural and ethnic diversity. Best-practice mentoring techniques and associated duty-of-care will be evident.
Applicants must be residents of Central Otago, meet the legal requirements to work in New Zealand, and for some roles be at least 18 years of age. These paid contract roles will suit interested workers with authentic appreciation for NZ arts who are keen to develop quality professional skills that will look good on CVs and future job applications.
Complete an Expression of Interest and submit to Janey@WhakatipuMusicFestival.co.nz
Apprentices must be fully-available and committed for the duration and of the role. Applications for dual roles are welcome.
Apprentice roles and Application Deadlines
Competencies sought:
- Appreciation for NZ arts and sound knowledge of the needs of classical musicians
- Impeccable attention to detail
- Able to multi-task and prioritise competing activities to meet deadlines
- Scheduling and logistical dissemination
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Exceptional organisational skills
- Ability to take instruction and work as a team member
- Professional self-starter with a growth mindset
Activities and responsibilities:
- Work to the requirements of Artistic Liaison mentor(s), actioning all items in a timely and accurate manner
- Organise all artist travel (professional and young artists) including local ground transportation ex airport and for festival activities
- Coordinate all artist housing, proactively liaising and communicating with venues
- Create and disseminate individual itineraries to artists (professional, YA and community)
- Co-ordinate specific artist performance and rehearsal requirements (eg technical, piano access, music stands, etc.) including ensemble performance configurations
- Co-ordinate community outreach requirements (eg workshops, venue access, technical requirements)
- Obtain artist bios and photos for all artists including community ensembles for festival promotions
- Manage artist comp ticket requests
- Support artists and sensitively manage their needs to enable them to perform at their best
10 Feb – 26 April, 11 weeks
@20 hours/week plus Festival week @40 hours
Fee = $7000 based on 233 hours @ $30/hour
Competencies sought:
- Appreciation for NZ arts and classical music in particular
- Demonstrates effective working knowledge of wordpress, mailchimp, and social media tools
- Impeccable attention to detail
- Able to multi-task and prioritise competing activities to meet deadlines
- Excellent communication skills, written and verbal; demonstrates strong writing skills
- Exceptional organisational skills
- Ability to take instruction and work as a team member
- Professional self-starter with a growth mindset
Activities and responsibilities:
- Work to the requirements of Marketing and Comms mentor, actioning all items in a timely and accurate manner
- Co-ordinate the distribution of promotional content and distribution of materials
- Co-ordinates all advertising materials, ensuring accuracy and on time delivery
- Addresses and resolves any problems that may arise with promotional content or distribution of materials
- Writes and prepares copy for promotional and event communications; proofreads all material
- Manages media schedules and prepares artists for media engagements
- Coordinates and provides content for 3rd party communication exchanges
- Contributes content to festival blog
- Working to a communications calendar, provides daily presence on social media
- Manage media comp ticket requests
- Co-ordinates all event communication assets including photography, video and broadcast, social, web, media, blog, etc..
10 Feb – 26 April, 11 weeks
@20 hours/week plus Festival week @40 hours
Fee = $7000 based on 233 hours @ $30/hour
Competencies sought:
- Appreciation for NZ arts and working knowledge of live music (preferably classical)
- Impeccable attention to detail
- Able to multi-task and prioritise competing activities to meet deadlines
- Scheduling and logistical dissemination
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Exceptional organisational skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Ability to take instruction and work as a team member
- Professional self-starter with a growth mindset
Activities and responsibilities:
- Work to the requirements of Back of House and Stage Manager mentor, actioning all items in a timely and accurate manner
- Create runsheets for the Memorial Centre festival events including all rehearsals, performances, piano tuning, etc.. continually update and amend as needed to incorporate changes or additional information
- Safely assist pack in/out, installation and testing of equipment
- Test and troubleshoot equipment regularly
- Design and implement stage configurations for various ensembles
- Set all stage configurations for venue rehearsals and performances, taking into consideration musicians’ needs (stand lighting, music stands, piano lid, etc…)
- Coordinate back-of-house operations before and during performances including heating and light, use of stage doors, bell and announcement system, PA or other stage equipment
- Advise Film/Broadcast crew of any repertoire performance order changes
- Remind artists call-times and usher them from dressing room to stage door, assisting with entrances and exits
Assume event prep from 18 Mar – 18 Apr= 40 hours
Event 18-21 April includes pack in/out @ 10-14 hours/day =80 hours
Fee to Apprentice = $3,600 based on $30/hour
BOX OFFICE AND FRONT OF HOUSE EVENT STAFF x 2 – MENTOR JANEY LABES I Application deadline 7 February
Competencies sought:
- Appreciation for NZ arts
- Impeccable attention to detail
- Able to multi-task and prioritise competing activities to meet deadlines
- Scheduling and logistical dissemination
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills with a customer service mindset
- Ability to manage and account for cash and sales transactions with impeccable integrity
- Ability to take instruction and work as a team member
- Professional self-starter with a growth mindset
Activities and responsibilities:
- Work to the requirements of Ticketing and Front of House mentor, actioning all items in a timely and accurate manner
- Participate in a venue induction
- Conduct pre-show FOH personnel briefing sessions ensuring all FOH staff are well-informed of event details, Health and Safety responsibilities and evacuation procedures
- Engage volunteer community group to assist with FOH deliverables, including bar service.
- Manage volunteers during pack in/out, programme sales and usher duties
- Ensuring all FOH areas including restrooms are clean and provisioned for the public’s enjoyment
- Assume and act in the role of Fire Warden during the event at the main theatre
- Address and resolve any public accessibility needs including disability seating
- Manage the sale of programme books
- Facilitate the distribution of comp tickets
Front of House Event Staff
Assume event prep from 22 March = 18 hours
Event 18-21 April includes pack in/out =32 hours
Fee to Apprentice = $1,500 based on $30/hour
Box office Event Staff
Assume event prep inc comp tix and sales schedule management from 22 Feb = 25 hours
Event 18-21 April = 25 hours
Fee to Apprentice = $1500 based on $30/hour
Competencies sought:
- Appreciation for NZ arts
- Impeccable attention to detail
- Able to multi-task and prioritise competing activities to meet deadlines
- Scheduling and logistical dissemination
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills with a customer service mindset
- Ability to manage and account for cash and sales transactions with impeccable integrity
- Ability to take instruction and work as a team member
- Professional self-starter with a growth mindset
Activities and responsibilities:
- Work to the requirements of Hospitality Manager mentor, actioning all items in a timely and accurate manner
- Work in the capacity of supervisor for 2 receptions
- Manage volunteer during pack in/out, bar prep/service
- Serve team refreshments 18-21 April
Assume event prep from 22 Mar = 8 hours
2 Receptions 1 June = 10 hours
Event 18-21 April includes pack in/out =32 hours
Fee to Apprentice = $1,500 based on $30/hour
AV Technician (2)
Sound and Lighting Technician (1)
Competencies sought:
- Appreciation for NZ arts and a working familiarity or curiosity with classical music
- Practical experience with technology equipment
- Ability to work under pressure and stay calm when things go wrong
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Ability to take instruction and work as a team member
- Professional self-starter with a growth mindset
Activities and responsibilities :
- Work to the requirements of Technical Production mentor, actioning all items in a timely and accurate manner
- Safely assist pack in, installation and testing of equipment
- Test and troubleshoot equipment regularly
Specific for AV Technicians:
- Accurately populate video holding screens with content provided by the festival’s artistic and development teams
- Shoot and record all performances and public talks in the festival venue to the festival’s specifications
- Upload approved festival livestream videos (‘top and tailed’ into individual works) onto the Trust’s youtube channel, ensuring its branding and content integrity
- Create and deliver videos of performances in a format agreed by festival within 48 hours of the event
Specific duties for Sound and Lighting Technician:
- Create running sheet for all performance sound and lighting requirements
- Deliver sound and lighting requirements for all Festival performances
AV Apprentice #1 1-23 April
Assume event prep 1 week @ 24 hours
Event 18-21 April includes pack in/out @ 10-14 hours/day = 60 hours
Post-event 1 day @ 8 hours = 8 hours
Fee to Apprentice = $2,760 based on $30/hour
AV Apprentice #2 18-21 April
Assume pack in support 16-17 April @ 8 hours
Event 18-21 April 10 hours/day = 40 hours
Fee to Apprentice #2 = $1,440 based on $30/hour
Sound & Lighting Apprentice 1-23 April
Assume event prep 1 week @ 24 hours
Event 18-21 April includes pack in/out @ 10-14 hours/day = 60 hours
Post-event 1 day @ 8 hours = 8 hours
Fee to Apprentice = $2,760 based on $30/hour
Competencies sought:
- Appreciation for NZ arts and a working knowledge of classical music
- Practical experience with sound equipment
- Superb ear for sound
- Ability to work under pressure and stay calm when things go wrong
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Ability to take instruction and work as a team member
- Professional self-starter with a growth mindset
Activities and responsibilities:
- Work to the requirements of Audio Engineer mentor, actioning all items in a timely and accurate manner
- Coordinate with RNZC and festival technical production manager ensuring pre-event requirements are met
- Safely assist RNZC’s pack in, installation and testing of equipment
- Record all performances and public talks in the festival venue to specifications/ run the live lighting and audio needs
- Test and troubleshoot equipment regularly
Assume event prep and rehs from 1 April @ 16 hours
Event 18-21 includes pack in/out @ 10 hours/day = 44 hours
Fee to Apprentice = $1,800 based on $30/hour
Competencies sought:
- Appreciation for NZ arts and sensitivity for the needs of classical musicians
- Provision of own professional-quality camera
- Superb eye for photography and proven skills capturing live events
- Ability to work under pressure and stay calm when things go wrong
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Ability to take instruction and work as a team member
- Professional self-starter with a growth mindset
Activities and responsibilities:
- Work to the requirements of Event Photographer mentor, editing actioning all images in a timely and accurate manner
- Coordinate with Marketing and Comms Manager to provide immediate imagery for the festival’s live feed and web presence
- Test and troubleshoot equipment regularly
- Photograph selected community outreach activities and the artist welcome reception adhering to the photography brief
- Photograph all performances and public talks in the festival venue adhering to the photography brief
Assume training 4 hours prior to event
Assume cover 4 community sessions and reception
14-17 April = 16 hours
Event 18-21 April = 30 hours
Fee to Apprentice = $1,380 based on $30/hour