1. When and why did you intern with Vox Camerata?
I interned in end 2016-start 2017 for Musica Intimae: Evensongs 2017. I was looking for an opportunity to learn more about marketing and communications as I had no prior experience but was interested in exploring marketing and communications as a possible career path. Since I joined to sing for the annual concert Musica Intimae and have always had a passion for the arts, I approached one of the committee members Estelle to ask if there’s anyway I could help out with marketing and communications for Vox Camerata.
The other career option I was considering at that point in time was arts management, so to intern for Vox Camerata for one of their biggest annual events was the perfect fit.
2. What was the most meaningful part about being with Vox Camerata?
The most meaningful part would be to realise that the arts is for everyone and that there is a place for everyone in the arts. Coming from a background where I was previously in a choir that participated in national and regional competitions, I must say that I could not imagine what a community choir would be like when I was used to singing competitively with peers of similar backgrounds.
The people I interacted with at Vox Camerata were always warm and welcoming, and it was a humbling experience to witness how music can truly bond people from all walks of life, from people who have never sung their whole lives to others who were professionally trained.
3. How did this internship at Vox Camerata help you deepen your understanding of the arts industry in Singapore?
This internship helped me realise that there are a lack of avenues for people with no prior arts experience to pick up and engage in a new art form. For example, there is an assumption in Singapore that we need some years of choral or singing experience in order to join a choir, and that the door will be closed forever once we miss the “window” in school. I see similar situations with certain forms of dance, or even the visual arts. It can be intimidating to pick up a new art form at an older age, especially when you’re likely to be surrounded by people with years of experience behind them!
Working with Vox Camerata showed me that there is no such thing as a closed door, and it would greatly benefit the arts industry if there were more open and welcoming platforms to engage people with no prior experience. Not everyone has the privilege to enjoy the arts or consider it as an option for a career. Hence, it is crucial that individuals who are keen to explore new art forms are still given the opportunity to do so in a space where they are welcome, and that’s where Vox Camerata provides for its members.
4. How did this internship help you in your current career?
I currently have been working full time for around 1.5 years in the communications industry. Interning with Vox Camerata was the exposure I needed to affirm my interest in the communications sector, plus the experience played a part in securing my first paid internship at a Public Relations agency.
Even as a full-timer, my job scopes as an intern at Vox are still tasks that I sometimes perform today. I believe the basics of marketing and communications that I learnt during my internship will always be helpful as I progress further in my career!
5. If you could describe your experience with a song, what would it be?
Hairspray’s “You Can’t Stop The Beat”!
