At BIMM University Berlin Hamburg we connect you to the music industry – here’s how
As a student at BIMM University Berlin Hamburg you’re not only going to spend your time in lecture rooms and studios – you are also going to have the opportunity to engage with the music industry outside the classroom through a variety of internships and work placements. Through our weekly ‘What’s On’ newsletter, you will have access to a broad range of job opportunities curated by our Careers Team. Additionally, our lecturers also help students engage with the industry through connecting them with labels and agencies. Many of our students have worked at Hamburg’s most popular labels, agencies and recording studios during their studies and, in doing so, have got their foot in the door.
We caught up with Music Business student Max Jargsdorf to talk about his job at Oktober Promotion that focuses on different PR areas like print, online, radio, social media and TV.
Max Jargsdorf
How did you find out about the job?
I found out about the job through our tutor Jörg Tresp who knows the guys at Oktober. He suggested that I should send over an application because he knew they needed a helping hand in their office. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to get some practical experience in the music industry during the summer break.
What is your job at Oktober Promotion and what were your daily tasks?
My job and tasks vary a lot. My primary responsibility is to send out music and news to our media partners. These are print and online magazines, radio stations and sometimes influencers on social media. Everything is promotion for our artists and record labels in our catalogue and such promotion could lead to track/album reviews, articles, interviews, and placements. In terms of radio, we also collect the metadata through label copies of an album or song, which could lead to our artists being given performance opportunities.
On top of all this, I monitor actual air play numbers, written reviews and tour dates of our bands and artists. We are active in the singer songwriter, country, alternative rock, and metal sector, so this means a lot of different contacts, partners, and musical interest within our office!
What do you enjoy most about your job?
It’s fun working there. It’s just a very friendly environment and a good vibe between me and my colleagues. I enjoy the chats about music, especially about upcoming albums as we have them on our radar weeks – sometimes even months before everyone else knows about them. Also, the contact to local industry players like record labels, bookers and, of course, the media partners is super important, and this gives a lot of opportunities, even when it’s just the guest list for a concert in town! The practical learning experiences are also great as every task and procedure is explained to me.
How does this job help you connect with the music industry?
As this is my first job in the music industry, I get first practical experience and contacts. Also, I’m constantly discovering music as we have a lot of newcomers and underground artists on our radar. I also see this as a steppingstone for more to come. The contacts and the big network surrounding this company is one of the most important things for me in my studies. As you know: networking is everything in the music industry!
Want to find out more about your work experience as a BIMM University Berlin Hamburg student and how we connect you with the industry? Read more here.
