On Wednesday, I conducted this interview with my mentor:
Q: What should I know about you before I start working here?
A: This question didn’t makes sense because Emily has already been working here.
Q: What is your job title?
A: Executive Director
Q: What are your main duties and responsibilities?
A: My responsibilities include the overall financial and budget design and execution, overseeing administration, overseeing curriculum development design, human resources decisions, pay rates, fundraising actions, partnership development, and facilities
Q: Why did you create this organization?
A: I was asked to design a UCSD Singing 1 class. It was very successful and I taught it for six years. I wanted to recommend an outlet for the ametuar musicians when the class ended. That’s why Villa Musica is dedicated to adult learning and emerging professionals, not only child education.
Q: What skills and training are necessary for your position?
A: Some skills that are important is multitasking, being flexible, being able to think on your feet, being a good performer, being an entrepreneur and having music education training.
Q: How did you acquire these skills? Through school? On the job?
A: I learned these skills when getting four degrees in music, when I changed countries from Australia to America, and I learned a lot on the job from previous mistakes a failures.
Q: Do you consider a career in this area satisfying? In what ways?
A: Yes, this career is very satisfying for me. I really love performing, teaching, and administration. I am a reliable singer, available and on time, and a gifted teacher as well. This job really puts all of these together.
Q: Is there anything you wish you'd realized about the world of work when you were my age?
A: Yes. Number one would be that I wished I known how to price my services for gigs and teaching. It’s important not to under or over price and when to not or do something for free. I also would had liked to have business skills and how to present myself.
Q: What is a typical workday like?
A: I don’t have a typical workday. I am an innovator, so maintaining a status quo would not be satisfying for me. I like chaos, and make my own schedule around certain structured tasks that need to be completed.
Q: How is this organization structured?
A: This organization is a non-profit, 501c3 organization. At the top of the organization, there is the Board of Directors and I, who are in charge of each other. Then there is another tier that has our grant writer, graphic designer, administration team, and community partnership director, who works with the faculty members, some of which work with the Board of Directors. We all work together to keep this organization running.
Q: What is the purpose of this organization?
A: The guiding force of this organization is our mission, which is to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to explore the joy and lifelong value of music through education, performance and community engagement.
Q: What does it take to be successful in this field?
A: To be successful, you need to be resilient, resourceful, and disciplined. It’s important to take time to master skills and teaching. You also must believe that what you’re doing is important. You should give yourself a goal, a use-by date. So that if you’re not successful in music by an age or year, you can try something else because music is a really hard area to go into.
Q: What other advice do you have about working here?
A: Be flexible, self-directed, open to experiences you might not be prepared for, and be feisty. The only way you can get what you want is to be pushy and take what you need.
Q: How important is getting along with other people in your career?
A: It is less important than I originally thought. I can’t be nice to everyone here because I am their boss, but I do choose these people specifically because their beliefs match the organization’s, so that makes them easy to get along with.
Q: What other personality traits, skills, or knowledge are important here?
A: It is important to be a creative thinker, which is easy for musicians because we are trained to think this way. It is also important to be a visionary, so that when working in an environment you can see beyond to what it should and could be like.
Q: What should I know about you before I start working here?
A: This question didn’t makes sense because Emily has already been working here.
Q: What is your job title?
A: Executive Director
Q: What are your main duties and responsibilities?
A: My responsibilities include the overall financial and budget design and execution, overseeing administration, overseeing curriculum development design, human resources decisions, pay rates, fundraising actions, partnership development, and facilities
Q: Why did you create this organization?
A: I was asked to design a UCSD Singing 1 class. It was very successful and I taught it for six years. I wanted to recommend an outlet for the ametuar musicians when the class ended. That’s why Villa Musica is dedicated to adult learning and emerging professionals, not only child education.
Q: What skills and training are necessary for your position?
A: Some skills that are important is multitasking, being flexible, being able to think on your feet, being a good performer, being an entrepreneur and having music education training.
Q: How did you acquire these skills? Through school? On the job?
A: I learned these skills when getting four degrees in music, when I changed countries from Australia to America, and I learned a lot on the job from previous mistakes a failures.
Q: Do you consider a career in this area satisfying? In what ways?
A: Yes, this career is very satisfying for me. I really love performing, teaching, and administration. I am a reliable singer, available and on time, and a gifted teacher as well. This job really puts all of these together.
Q: Is there anything you wish you'd realized about the world of work when you were my age?
A: Yes. Number one would be that I wished I known how to price my services for gigs and teaching. It’s important not to under or over price and when to not or do something for free. I also would had liked to have business skills and how to present myself.
Q: What is a typical workday like?
A: I don’t have a typical workday. I am an innovator, so maintaining a status quo would not be satisfying for me. I like chaos, and make my own schedule around certain structured tasks that need to be completed.
Q: How is this organization structured?
A: This organization is a non-profit, 501c3 organization. At the top of the organization, there is the Board of Directors and I, who are in charge of each other. Then there is another tier that has our grant writer, graphic designer, administration team, and community partnership director, who works with the faculty members, some of which work with the Board of Directors. We all work together to keep this organization running.
Q: What is the purpose of this organization?
A: The guiding force of this organization is our mission, which is to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to explore the joy and lifelong value of music through education, performance and community engagement.
Q: What does it take to be successful in this field?
A: To be successful, you need to be resilient, resourceful, and disciplined. It’s important to take time to master skills and teaching. You also must believe that what you’re doing is important. You should give yourself a goal, a use-by date. So that if you’re not successful in music by an age or year, you can try something else because music is a really hard area to go into.
Q: What other advice do you have about working here?
A: Be flexible, self-directed, open to experiences you might not be prepared for, and be feisty. The only way you can get what you want is to be pushy and take what you need.
Q: How important is getting along with other people in your career?
A: It is less important than I originally thought. I can’t be nice to everyone here because I am their boss, but I do choose these people specifically because their beliefs match the organization’s, so that makes them easy to get along with.
Q: What other personality traits, skills, or knowledge are important here?
A: It is important to be a creative thinker, which is easy for musicians because we are trained to think this way. It is also important to be a visionary, so that when working in an environment you can see beyond to what it should and could be like.