NAMM President’s Innovation Award recipient Alex Alberti attended his first NAMM Show in Anaheim this past January, where he was able to learn about and connect with the industry firsthand. We followed up with Alberti, a UNC Greensboro student and current director of Instrumental Music at Longleaf School of the Arts in Raleigh, NC., to discuss his experience at The NAMM Show. Read our Q&A with him:
Q: What is the value of attending the show as a college music student?
Alex: Currently, I am pursuing a Master's degree in Music Education, as well as a certificate in Nonprofit Management. Attending The NAMM show, namely the GenNext and Nonprofit Management Institute education sessions, were a perfect marriage of my academic programs. I received relevant information that seamlessly helped me understand how I could blend my passion for music education and apply it to a variety of industry settings in the nonprofit world.
Q: What is the importance of networking at The NAMM Show?
Alex: The NAMM GenNext experience was an incredibly motivating, empowering, and inspiring activity as a young professional in the music industry. As a music educator, I made connections that I believe will last for a lifetime that will propel me into a more successful future. Networking with my peers allowed me to gather more ideas about the trajectory of my career and gain valuable relationships that were cultivated at the show through shared professional experiences in music and relevant academic sessions.
Q: Describe how attending education sessions at the show helped steer you in the right direction career-wise.
Alex: While I love teaching music at the K-12 level, the education sessions helped me understand the vast possibilities that exist in the music industry for music educators outside of the classroom. I better understood how to market myself, connect with future employers, and develop relationships to advance music education in the larger community.
Q: Was there anything that you learned at the show that you didn’t expect to? What were highlights for you?
Alex: While working as a GenNext intern, I received a first-hand look at the passion and energy it takes to put on an international event, like NAMM. I loved learning about concert programming, sound, design, and planning. This culminated in one of my favorite experiences: A Cappella @ NAMM. I was responsible for managing the performing artists at the event and working with NAMM show staff to assure a smooth performance for each ensemble.
The NAMM President’s Innovation Award honors college students who demonstrate excellence in the field of music and who are interested in pursuing a career in the music industry. Learn more.