Laura recently joined us as our new intern working with our Learning & Participation programme. She took some time out to tell all about what she’s been getting up to in the run up to our Musical Rumpus tour and Women sing East’s Vivaldi extravaganza.
As I sit immersed in finances from the first Women sing East rehearsal, I overhear a little voice reminding me I need to complete my first blog entry as the new Learning & Participation Intern at Spitalfields Music. I smile, nod and try to carry on with what I was doing however, I find myself trying to figure out whether I am new or old… surely I haven’t been here for less than a month? I quickly remember I am in fact new and continue struggling to locate a file I have misplaced.
From the moment they buzzed me in; I have felt welcomed by this fantastic organisation. With a small but varied team, everyone was friendly and inviting. I slightly embarrassingly said when leaving the office on my third day, “I’m going to miss it here” knowing I wouldn’t be returning for 4 days. This statement was genuine; I whole-heartedly enjoyed being in the office and was sad to leave.
During my first week I spent some time getting to know the team. Encouraged to set up one on one meetings with everyone, I got to learn what he or she contributed to Spitalfields Music. I also got to understand how they came to be where they are today. As the job market gets tougher and you are constantly battling between getting a job in something you love and settling for something that pays the bills, it is great to remember that nobody landed where they are without a bit of interning, struggle or worry.
In the past month I have dived head first into all that is Spitalfields Music. As someone who has a history of predominantly working outside the office, I revelled in the opportunity to sit at a desk (this usually works the other way round!). I send introductory emails to Women sing East, made maps for the Musical Rumpus: A Fairy Queen in the Forest tour, booked venues for our Trainee Music Leaders scheme and much more.
As time has progressed, I’ve spent more time out of the office taking my learning of Spitalfields Music, and the area it commits itself too, much further. In my first week I attended the audition workshop at the Brady Centre for the new Trainee Music Leaders scheme and got to voice my opinions of which individuals I thought would be most suitable for the posts. I went to Barking Learning Centre to meet the representative from six Libraries in Barking & Dagenham that we will be touring the magnificent Musical Rumpus: A Fairy Queen in the Forest to next month. I even visited five tour venues on my own which was a great moment for me to feel confident in my knowledge of what is going on. I experienced my first Women sing East rehearsal of the Autumn Term which is a project I shall be taking a leadership role in over the next few months.
On the whole I have had an immersive, enjoyable and exciting first month at Spitalfields Music. Four weeks in I still miss it when I’m not there. This is down to the people, the fantastic work they do and the amazing things I am learning along the way. I love it already and I am only one month in. Who knows what the next five months will hold!
Laura Fensom
Learning & Participation Intern
