This year JMU experienced something different. Instead of one concert in the fall there were three. So much more goes into this decision than the average student may realize. That is where my job comes into play. As Center Stage Director I work with our middle agent to find out availabilities and prices of artists while surveying the students. This is why the survey is so important because we truly look to JMU’s votes to decide who we can bring. This spring I worked with the Center Stage committee going back and forth over choices on who to bring for this semester. After deliberation about an artists draw on campus, their availability, their prices and how that works with our budget we can finally present a bid to the artist.
With our fingers crossed we wait for them to accept so we can bring to market the event to campus. As the director for Center Stage I organize the ticket sales dates, order and design the tickets, plan listening parties and day of show preparations. There are not many places on campus that a JMU student can receive hands on experience producing and promoting a concert.
Throughout the year I get to watch the process of choosing the artist to actually renting the Convo center, setting up the stage and lighting to finally watching the student body filter in excited for the show. This entire process has taught me so much about the music industry and how to promote a large scale concert. After this year JMU will have had 4 large scale concerts on its campus. Whether you went to Cartel, BoB, Sara Bareilles or you are going to Wiz Khalifa you can walk in realizing that this entire show came about through students.
read about this on upb’s website too!
my feet don't want to go to sleep 