{"id":3409,"date":"2026-09-29T03:59:04","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T19:59:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.emeraldstonephotographyblog.com\/blog\/?p=3409"},"modified":"2026-09-29T03:59:04","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T19:59:04","slug":"what-opportunities-are-there-for-students-interested-in-music-and-performing-arts-at-asu-4ec6-8515ee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.emeraldstonephotographyblog.com\/blog\/2026\/09\/29\/what-opportunities-are-there-for-students-interested-in-music-and-performing-arts-at-asu-4ec6-8515ee\/","title":{"rendered":"What opportunities are there for students interested in music and performing arts at ASU?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey everyone! I\u2019m Alex, and if you\u2019re reading this, chances are you either\u2019re a student at Arizona State University (ASU) digging into music and performing arts, or maybe you\u2019re someone who wants to know what ASU\u2019s doing to support those fields\u2014plus, I\u2019ve got a little insider tea since I work as a vendor with their performing arts departments. Let me break down what opportunities exist for students here, straight from the perspective of someone who\u2019s in the mix regularly, no stuffy admin speak. ASU<\/a><\/p>\n

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First off, let\u2019s get real: ASU doesn\u2019t treat music and performing arts like some afterthought or a \u201cnice-to-have\u201d for their campus. I\u2019ve been supplying gear, tech, and supplies to their Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts for three years now, and I\u2019ve watched their performing arts programs blow up\u2014way more than just the traditional theater or music degrees. Let\u2019s start with the obvious stuff: their degree programs, because that\u2019s the base. If you\u2019re an undergrad or grad student, their Bachelor of Music has tracks in everything from commercial music (super hot right now, like songwriting and producing for TikTok, Spotify, not just symphonies) to music therapy, which is a whole other ball game. Their theater program? They do everything from classic plays to immersive site-specific stuff\u2014last semester, I helped supply sound gear for their production of Hamilton<\/em> (yep, that one) at the Gammage Memorial Auditorium, which is their big, iconic campus venue. But here\u2019s the thing most students don\u2019t always hear: the Herberger Institute has these \u201cpathway\u201d programs that aren\u2019t just sitting in classrooms. They\u2019re built for hands-on work, and as a vendor, I see how that translates to real opportunities.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s talk about internships first, because that\u2019s a huge one for students who don\u2019t want to just get a degree and then scramble. ASU doesn\u2019t just pair you with any random internship\u2014they tie it directly to their industry partners, and guess who\u2019s one of those partners? Me, my team, and my company. Last year, we took three ASU music tech interns, two theater stage management interns, and one dance production intern. The music tech kid was helping us test new wireless mics for live events; the stage management intern was helping coordinate set builds for our client shows; the dance intern was assisting with choreography tech. The best part? Half of those interns got full-time offers when they graduated. That\u2019s not a fluke\u2014ASU\u2019s got a whole network of over 200 performing arts industry partners, and they actually follow up with them to make sure internships are meaningful, not just coffee runs. I make a point to tell their internship coordinator every year what we actually need: people who can troubleshoot audio, work backstage in fast-paced environments, handle lighting tech. And they send us students who\u2019ve already been trained in those skills, not just book smart people. That\u2019s a win for everyone.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the student-run groups, because not everyone wants to do a traditional degree path. I\u2019ve helped fund or supply gear to like a dozen student performing arts clubs on campus. There\u2019s the ASU A Cappella groups\u2014they have like five different ones, from pop to jazz to classical. Last semester, I supplied them with portable mixers and microphones for their campus tours and local shows. They even performed at a vendor event my company hosted last fall\u2014super talented kids, and a lot of them are using those groups to build their own brand, posting covers on YouTube and TikTok. Then there\u2019s the ASU improv troupe, which does weekly shows at a tiny venue off-campus, and the Black Music Student Collective, which centers African American music and culture\u2014they\u2019ve had local artists come collaborate with them, and I helped print promotional materials for their recent showcase. Oh, and don\u2019t sleep on the dance groups! They have everything from hip hop to ballet, and they perform at campus events like Convocation and Sun Devil Welcome. What\u2019s cool about these groups is that they\u2019re not just for fun\u2014they lead to professional opportunities too. One dance member from last year is now working as a choreographer for a local music festival, all because she met people at a showcase that my company helped sponsor.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s get into the tech side, because that\u2019s where a lot of underrated opportunities are. ASU\u2019s performing arts programs don\u2019t just teach you how to play an instrument or act\u2014they teach you how to use the gear that makes performances happen. Their School of Music, Dance and Theatre has this huge tech lab that\u2019s open to all students, not just majors. I\u2019ve dropped off audio gear there a hundred times, and I\u2019ve seen students of all majors (even engineering and business kids) using it to build their own sound systems, edit music for student films, and design lighting for small shows. They also have these \u201ctech workshops\u201d every month\u2014last month, I led one on wireless mic troubleshooting for students, and there were 40 people there, not just music majors. That\u2019s stuff you can\u2019t learn in a textbook; it\u2019s hands-on, and it translates directly to jobs. For example, a theater tech student I worked with last year now works at a major concert venue in Phoenix, running sound for national acts. He told me his ASU tech lab experience was the reason he got the job\u2014he\u2019d already built and troubleshooted so many systems before graduating.<\/p>\n

Wait, what about off-campus opportunities? ASU isn\u2019t just a Phoenix campus\u2014they have locations all over the state, and they partner with regional arts organizations too. I\u2019ve helped ASU host a performing arts showcase at the Phoenix Symphony Hall, and students from ASU were playing in the orchestra, acting in plays, even running the tech for the event. They also have study abroad programs in music and performing arts\u2014last I checked, they have a semester in London where students can train with West End performers, and a program in Brazil for music students to work with local samba schools. But here\u2019s the vendor secret: a lot of those study abroad programs also work with local suppliers, so when ASU brings gear or materials over, they have students helping coordinate that, which is another networking opportunity. And for students who want to stay local, Phoenix has a booming arts scene\u2014from indie music venues to professional theater companies, and ASU students are regularly hired for gigs there. I\u2019ve hired three ASU grads for freelance work at my company, all of whom got their start through connections at campus events.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s talk about the little things that make ASU stand out, because a lot of schools skip these. They have these micro-grants for student performing arts projects\u2014last year, a group of theater students got a $5,000 grant to put on a production of a new play about mental health. My company supplied them with sets, costumes, and lighting gear for half price, and they performed it at a local community center for free, plus streamed it online. That\u2019s not something every school offers\u2014most would make them fundraise or pay out of pocket. They also have performance spaces that are accessible to students, not just professional shows. The Nelson Fine Arts Center has a black box theater that students can book for $20 a night, and the Gammage Auditorium (that big iconic one I mentioned earlier) has a student matinee program where local schools can bring kids to see shows, and ASU students can volunteer as ushers or backstage help\u2014way more hands-on experience than just watching a show.<\/p>\n

Wait, but let\u2019s be real\u2014no post is all sunshine. I know a lot of students worry about funding, but ASU has work-study opportunities specifically for performing arts students. A friend of mine works in the costume shop at ASU, getting paid to sew costumes for shows, and that\u2019s his work-study. It\u2019s not just making coffee or filing papers\u2014it\u2019s actual, relevant experience. And as a vendor, I can tell you that ASU is good about connecting students to jobs that pay, not just internships that are unpaid. A lot of the student tech positions I post on their job board are paid $15-$20 an hour, which is huge for college kids.<\/p>\n

Now, if you\u2019re a student reading this, what\u2019s the next step? Don\u2019t just scroll and think \u201coh, that\u2019s nice.\u201d Hit up the Herberger Institute\u2019s website (yes, it\u2019s real, no links needed\u2014just search Herberger Institute ASU) and sign up for their monthly events. Go to a student a cappella show, stop by their tech lab, attend one of those workshops. And if you\u2019re interested in working in the industry side of things (like gear, tech, event production), reach out\u2014wait, that\u2019s me, right? I\u2019ve partnered with ASU for years, and I\u2019m always looking for motivated students to connect with about internships, freelance work, or even just learning about the field. Whether you\u2019re a music major, theater major, dance major, or even just a student who loves performing arts and wants to get involved, there\u2019s a spot for you here at ASU. Don\u2019t sleep on the opportunities that are right in front of you\u2014they\u2019re there, and they lead to real careers.<\/p>\n

Wait, let me make sure I didn\u2019t leave anything out. Oh! The Sun Devil Athletics performance programs\u2014they have a marching band, a dance team, a pep band, all of which are open to students from any major, not just music or kinesiology. I supplied the marching band with new drumline gear last year, and they do shows at every home football game, plus national competitions. That\u2019s another way to get experience, perform, and be part of a huge campus community.<\/p>\n

And for the students who want to do something more experimental? ASU has the ASU Digital Culture Center, which works with performing arts students to blend technology\u2014like virtual reality dance, or interactive music installations. I helped supply gear for a VR dance project last semester, where students created a dance performance that could be experienced through a VR headset. That\u2019s the future of performing arts, and ASU is right there on the cutting edge.<\/p>\n

Look, I\u2019ve been in this industry for 10 years, and I\u2019ve worked with a lot of universities. ASU is different because they don\u2019t treat performing arts as a siloed program. They integrate it with tech, business, community outreach, even athletics. That means students get a well-rounded experience, not just being a musician or actor. And as a supplier, I can say that the students who come through ASU are some of the most prepared I\u2019ve seen\u2014they show up, they know their stuff, and they\u2019re ready to work.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re a student at ASU interested in music and performing arts, or you\u2019re a prospective student, don\u2019t hesitate to connect with me to chat about internships, work opportunities, or just how to get involved on campus. There\u2019s no pressure\u2014just a real conversation about how to turn that passion into something tangible.<\/p>\n

Outdoor Fiber Optic<\/a> References: Arizona State University Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, ASU School of Music Dance and Theatre, Phoenix Arts Commission, ASU Digital Culture Center.<\/p>\n

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Guangdong Shengtang Optical Cable Communication Equipment Co., Ltd.<\/a>
As one of the most professional asu manufacturers and suppliers in China, we’re featured by quality products and good price. Please rest assured to buy bulk durable asu in stock here from our factory. Customized orders are welcome.
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WebSite: https:\/\/www.gdstcable.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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