Paige helped to plan a concert– then the pandemic hit.
As part of her Performing Arts Management degree curriculum, Paige took an Arts Management Practicum class in the spring semester of 2020. This course allowed her to apply the knowledge she had gained over the course of her education at the University of Hartford in a hands-on manner.
The Performing Arts Management class involved teams of students working with various local organizations within the industry. Paige and her partner Alex were able to assist the Connecticut Doctors’ Orchestra (CDO), a musical ensemble comprised of health care and medical science professionals, plan its annual concert benefiting a health-related charity.
Paige and Alex met and communicated regularly with CDO co-founder and cellist Karen Blank to discuss logistics and necessary tasks to plan the concert, which was slated to take place on April 26, 2020 at the University of Hartford.
One of the students’ first major tasks was to determine the organization which would receive the proceeds of the concert. After researching several organizations, the team decided on the American Heart Association.
Together, Paige and Alex worked efficiently as a team. The two divided tasks according to the strengths of each: Alex did much of the graphic design for promotional materials, while Paige was primarily responsible for the communications aspects, crafting statements to be distributed to media outlets and posting information on the CDO’s social media accounts.
Following the social media plan schedule Paige had created, the concert was announced to the public via the CDO’s social media on March 8. Five days later, Paige and Alex left school for their spring break.
They soon found out they would not return for the remainder of the semester.
With universities across the country switching to virtual learning and prohibiting on-campus events, the concert could not go on as planned. The team did briefly consider finding an alternative venue, but as news of the pandemic unfolded it was clear that cancelling the concert was necessary for the safety of all.
While this cancellation was disappointing, Paige and Alex did not get discouraged and let their hard work go to waste. After communicating with Dr. Blank to see how their talents could still be utilized for the rest of the semester, the team promptly shifted gears.
Alex provided helpful information and the different versions of the new logo he had designed for the orchestra to utilize in the future. Paige gathered relevant stories to share on social media. These included the doctors’ experiences on the front lines of the pandemic, as well as favorite past times they were partaking in while in quarantine.
The orchestra was extremely appreciative of the students’ efforts throughout the semester, especially when they demonstrated flexibility when the plans were abruptly disrupted.
This continuous communication, organization, effective teamwork, and willingness to adapt is precisely what is needed in the performing arts industry that is constantly evolving and has undergone significant changes in the past year as a result of the pandemic.