Fellow, YourClassical

Position Information:

Start Date: January 8, 2024 – November 29, 2024
Hours: 40 hours per week
Location: St. Paul, MN
Pay: $18/hour - $23/hour (salary will be based on individual's education and/or relevant experience)

Fellow, YourClassical:

Do you love classical music and want to help more audiences discover its beauty? We’re seeking two fellows to join our first ever YourClassical Fellowship cohort! This experience will help you gain hands-on experience in radio hosting, production, audience insight and multimedia storytelling within public media. Additionally, we aim to help you build a network with other professionals in the industry. Our goal is to identify and inspire the next generation of public broadcasters in the field of classical music. Don’t miss out on the chance to build your professional portfolio alongside talented classical hosts and producers in public media.

Key Learning Goals:

The goal of this fellowship is to provide immersive learning and real-world experience through impactful projects. By the end of your fellowship, you will be able to:

Develop on-air hosting skills and produce original programming. This includes refining vocal delivery, presentation style, and sharing personal perspectives to connect with diverse public radio listeners.
Project Management, and hands-on production experience with an emphasis on advanced techniques through remote recordings, live event management, and advanced audio/video techniques.
Hone your unique on-air style and voice, allowing you to find your niche and contribute to your own show ideas.
Propose and develop an original show concept or project focused on engaging underserved communities through content relevant to their interests and tastes.

The Experience:

This hands-on experience will help you strengthen your skills by learning the basic mechanics around broadcasting, production, interviewing, and multimedia content creation.

On-air shift
Warm-up techniques
How to research and prepare for the music shift
Understanding traffic and programming log
Hardware and software training (Pro Tools, Dalet, Axia mixing console, various microphones)
Production – the fellow will gain:
Hands-on training with audio equipment and production software
A deeper understanding of audio software capabilities, such as editing speech without changing intent, layering multiple audio tracks, volume graphing, and digital effects.
Interviews, capturing live sound in the field
Art of storytelling with audio and music
Live broadcast production
Digital
Basics of digital
Develop writing skills for print
Art of storytelling with photos and video
Research links related to the story
Learn how to interpret website traffic data

As the YourClassical Fellow, you will regularly attend classical department meetings. A supervisor will be assigned to manage your overall experience and will provide day-to-day assignments and guidance. You will be immersed within the team and be given the opportunity to learn from established media professionals at the top of their field. In addition to a regular work schedule, as part of the training, you may be asked to work evenings or weekends. For the best experience, we are asking you to be present in person for the duration of this fellowship. Our office is in St. Paul, MN.

Final Project:

By the end of this fellowship, you will have developed tangible skills that will be applied toward your final project. You will work alongside your supervisor to propose and develop an audio/digital or video project that can help reach underserved audiences. Examples include, but are not limited to, a series of programs that spotlight a composer or musician, an ongoing five-minute package, or a show that addresses a certain need or fills a void in classical music.

Benefits:

Eligible to accrue sick time off.
Eligible for health insurance as required under the ACA.
Eligible to participate in the APMG retirement plan.

Programming:

Participate in robust on-boarding experience.
Professional development: on-the-job training, workforce readiness training, formal performance review feedback sessions, etc.
Participate in brown bag sessions to gain broader perspective of the organization.

Required Qualifications:

Completed bachelor’s degree or at least two years professional relevant work experience in the fields of music, broadcast, or communications.
Additionally, minimum two years’ experience in the fields of music, broadcast, or communications.
Passion for music with an emphasis on classical music discovery.
Interest in public broadcasting, its possibilities, and its future.
Commitment to creating something bold and innovative.
Passion for telling distinctive stories and amplifying community voices.
Strong communication, writing, research, and organizational skills.
Computer proficiency.
Demonstrated dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Self-motivation and proven ability to work efficiently and meet deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications:

Some practical radio experience; use of mixing board, microphones, CDs/computer playback media.
Some knowledge of classical music.
Any knowledge of non-English languages.
Cross-platform experience (twitch/Instagram/various social media).

Next Step in the Application:

In addition to your skills and knowledge, we want to get to know you in the application process. Please include a cover letter (of no more than 1 page) with answers to the following:

What interests you about this fellowship?
What professional skills would you like to add to your toolbox in the months and years to come to grow in your career field?

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
Physical Demands:
Required to move about in an office environment and sit for extended periods of time.
Required to move about in the community.
Frequent use of hands for data entry/keystrokes and simple grasping.
Working Conditions:
Moderate noise level.
Occasional exposure to prevalent weather conditions.