Students interested in alternative careers in music will have an opportunity to meet some local movers and shakers on Sunday, March 11 at 2 pm at Oak Park Public Library, 834 Lake Street. A composer, music store operator, publicist, and record label executive are among the music professionals who will speak at “Behind The Music: Careers in Music Beyond Performing and Teaching.” This free program is designed to help music-minded students in junior high, high school, and college explore music-related careers. “Behind The Music” is cosponsored by the Oak Park chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, an international music fraternity for women.

Meet a variety of professionals working in the Chicago area in some of the newest fields of music. “Behind the Music” speakers include:
•    Clint Billington, Record Label Executive, Victory Records
•    Lee Kesselman, Composer and Music Publisher, Kesselman Press
•    Dale Lonis, Executive Director, Elgin Symphony
•    Heidi Lukas, Director of Operations, Chicago  Symphony Orchestra
•    Laura Pearson, Music Store Operator and Instrument Repair, Luscombe Music
•    Victoria Storm, MM, MT-BC, Music Therapist, Oak Park Music Therapy
•    Heather West, Indie rock Publicist, Western Publicity

To educate students about the types of musical career paths available today, Sigma Alpha Iota invited non-traditional professionals working in music to participate on the March 11 “Behind The Music” panel.  Each speaker will give a brief sketch of their musical career and then the panel will take questions.  Marty McIntyre, president of the Oak Park Chapter, will moderate.  

“Sigma Alpha Iota is a fraternity made up of professional performers, teachers, other music professionals, and amateur musicians,” says Marty McIntyre. “But recently, we’ve seen a rise in professional programs at universities being tailored to the work behind the scenes in music.  New fields, from music therapy to music production and arts administration, have broadened the interest of students and helped professionalize the music industry.”

In addition to meeting the professionals, “Behind The Music” attendees can gather information from music schools in the Midwest and beyond. Website resources and books that may be useful in planning music study and careers will also be available.  A short reception will follow the program.

Find more events happening at Oak Park Public Library at http://oppl.org/events/calendar [1].