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Three dynamic women who have staked out successful careers in the music industry will inspire your female students to explore new career pathways.Female role models help get this career on the radar of women and girls because they’re able to see someone who looks like them on the job. The video reveals the personal experiences and insights of successful women working in this field. Music and related industries employ millions of people. Increasing numbers of women are establishing rewarding careers in the traditionally male-dominated music field. |
Career Options for Women -- Music:
This 24-minute video features profiles of three women with successful careers in music:
- Sandra Schultz, a sound engineer and technician who records and mixes for music producers
- Shelley Park, a guitar builder who produces between 12 and 20 instruments per year
- Alice Bernier, an electronic music composer who works out of her own high-tech studio
Additional information from co-workers and supervisors supplements each job profile.
Meet the role models featured in the Music video:
Sandra: Sound Engineer
One of the first requirements to do Sandra Schultz's job as a sound engineer is that you have to really like music. A sound engineer listens to music all day, over and over and over again. Sandra plays a bit of guitar herself, but is more content "behind the glass", helping to fulfill the dreams of other musicians with her maze of cables and high tech gear.
“It's a lot of fun. Everyone is into the music. They come to you with their dream and hold it out there for you, and you have to be very careful that you don't ‘drop’ it or ‘step’ on it. You are holding their passion.”
Recording and mixing sound is a blend of Sandra's creative and technical abilities. You have to be versatile in this business in order to stay busy however, especially when you're just starting out. Sandra also does contract work as a technician. Becoming an in-demand producer or sound engineer takes a lot of dedication. Sandra s come a long way since she first discovered sound engineering as a volunteer on a university television show. After hundreds and hundreds of volunteer hours and training sessions, she now gets paid for her expertise.
Sandra works on a freelance basis. Quite often she is asked to work on projects on a very short notice. Sometimes she receives phone calls from producers, asking her to work out of town. She will have to pack her bags, leave that night and be ready to start a session the next morning. Depending on a project, Sandra may work up to 18 hours a day straight. After that, there is no guarantee that she will work at all. That's why it is so important to network and be aware of opportunities in the field.
Shelley: Guitar Maker
Custom guitar maker Shelley Park says that you can build two guitars exactly the same way and they'll still sound different. Why? Because of the wood used to make them. Shelley makes specialized gypsy jazz guitars. She got into building guitars as a result of her love of playing the instrument. Shelley took a college course in guitar making and has been making beautiful music, and guitars, ever since.
Shelley shares a workspace with two others and has all the tools required to get the job done. The sound of a busy shop is music to her ears. Shelley owns her own company. From purchasing wood and assembling guitars to shipping her product and taking care of all related business matters, Shelley does it all by herself!
“Wood is amazing! I will be happy as long as I work with wood. Every type of wood has its own personality and I get to work with some of the most beautiful and exotic materials in the world.”
Many of Shelley's clients found out about her work on the Internet. It's ironic that originally Shelley did not take the idea of having a website seriously, but her friend convinced her to get one. It turned out to be a valuable promotional and communication tool.
Shelley works full-time and builds between 12 and 20 guitars a year. Client satisfaction means a great deal to her: when the client is happy, she is happy.
Alice: Electronic Music Composer
Nowadays, you can carry an entire orchestra in a small black box, along with every other sound you can imagine. Electronic Music Composer Alice Bernier's studio isn't much bigger, but her sounds are! Even the most sophisticated instruments in the world are only as good as the people operating them. Alice's finger brings her cyber-musicians to life on CD and the Internet.
Alice would love to see a place where all kids could access the high-tech toys used in her field. When she's not at the keys creating music, Alice is promoting her album. She is working on bringing her music to Europe. Being shy isn't the right mix for Alice's job, so she overcame this aspect of her personality. There was no choice. You have to talk to sell. Thanks to modern technology, she has friends and contacts worldwide.
Alice has been determined to pursue a career in music since she was 12 when she started a rock band in her parents' basement. After working in the music industry professionally, she decided to start her own company. She is now working hard to create music, spending at least 12 hours a day, 7 days a week in her studio.
Video details:
Run time: 24 minutes total, including three segments of approximately 8 minutes each.
Format: DVD. Closed-captioned.
Year: 2006
Note: Videos are interspersed with Canadian salary and labor statistics, which are similar to the numbers in the United States.
Policies: There is a no-return policy on these videos.
Grade level: Middle School, High School, Two-Year College, Four-Year University
