concert training

[Jon T]

Hey, I'm leaving school next year and I want to go into the concert/touring industry. Just wondering if there are any courses that sepcialise in this?....what universitys do this? Should I stay away from the theatre courses and go with the live technology courses? . When I finish school is it worth me contacting places like "VLPS" or "STAR-RIGGING" to see if they will take me on as a trainee??

 

 

Any advice would be greatfully apreciated

 

many thanx

jon

[S.M]

Where are you based?

[Thirdtap]

There used to be a trainee scheme run with the City and Guilds 236 or 181 course.

You could do one year course, four days a week at college and one at a placement. Or there was a three year YTS type scheme as well which I don't know much about.

[Jon T]

I am based in Newbury, Berkshire....about 15mins from Reading!

 

jon

[peter]

What about the Corn Exchange? I have a friend who took a year out there and worked as a cassie. He picked up a lot of technical knowledge. Don't think they do a formal training scheme though.

 

Edit: Just re-read your post - the Corn Exchange is more theatre based. If you're looking to work in the events side of things, its perhaps best to go a general technical course, but try and focus your placements on the events side of things. In general, if you learn the basics - patching a dimmer, rigging a lantern, setting up a PA - then you can transfer the skills easily between areas.

 

Something someone once said to me was 'dont be too specific with your ideas'. I'd say that 80% of freelancers do a mixture of areas - Corporate, Rock and Roll, Theatre, etc. At the end of the day, if you go into a job centre saying "I want to be a road sweeper" and there arent any road sweeper jobs that day, you'll leave unhappy. If you go into a job centre, asking for a job in a public service area, you're much more likely to come out employed.

[Jon T]

Yeh.......I am working at another local theatre at moment patching, rigging, operating etc. I am doin work experience through school with the corn exchange before the summer. Should be fun

 

cheers

jon