London hosts its first Music Career Day

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: CORY CROSSMAN
London's first Music Career Day happened on Nov. 17 and was a way to show those aspiring to work in the music industry that they can make their dreams into a reality.

Many students believe that it is difficult to pursue a career in music as they think there are not very many job opportunities.

What these students do not know is that the music industry is similar to an iceberg. Only 10 per cent of it is above the water, while 90 per cent of the music industry is behind the scenes just as an iceberg is below the water.

The London Economic Development Corporation has found a way to amplify the 90 per cent of unseen music careers and show students that a career in music is possible.

The goal of London Music Office's Music Career Day is to highlight job opportunities and bring together London students to discover how to create a career in the music industry.

The career day focuses on high school students, but is open to post-secondary students and beyond. Admission is free and it will take place at Wolf Performance Hall in London on November 17th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The itinerary includes presentations, interactive pieces, interview panels, performances, and more. It is an opportunity to learn about different careers in music and drill down on specific topics about the industry.

Cory Crossman is the music industry development officer in London. When he was a student, he wanted his future career to be either playing hockey or in the music industry. Even though he was told that these options were not realistic, he was able to pursue a successful career in music.

“The goal is starting the conversation earlier and having kids talk to their parents and guidance counsellors about careers in music” Crossman said.

Crossman does not want kids to have the same experience he had. He wants them to know that there are options and a career in music is doable. The music industry is growing and is seen as an economic advantage for Ontario. More than 20,000 jobs are created from live music alone and a majority of those are unseen. 

“This can be a plan. There are ways to get involved and work in the industry,” Crossman added.

Some of the careers that students will learn more about include music publishing and synchronization, royalties, tracking, song placement in television, and more.

The idea for this came initially from a music career day in Seattle. They hosted an incredible event and Crossman realized that it would be beneficial to London. Although this is the first music career day, there's already been a lot of and plan on running it annually.

“We have already hit our target of 100 people and we are surpassing it now. I think it is going to be an important piece to grow the sector here,” Crossman said.

The plan is to step back and review after the day is complete and highlight opportunities for growth. 

For more details and registration, visit ledc.com/events.