Theresia Academy, a training scheme for professional development skills

Ready for the Theresia Academy? Our capacity building programme, a series of seminars implemented as part of the EU funded EMPOWER project, is off to its second run and we are looking forward to it.

In today’s music industry, and especially in the freelance-heavy HIP world, musicians face numerous challenges. In response, we launched this comprehensive training initiative in 2022 with the aim of enhancing our ability to foster the development of the young talents who join our orchestra. We strongly believe that for emerging musicians to flourish, progress, and acquire the indispensable skills needed for a successful professional career, it is imperative to not only provide valuable opportunities for studying and performing music in both orchestral and chamber settings but also to provide training in communication, well-being, and management.

A glimpse into the new catalogue unveils a wealth of offerings, incorporating 14 seminars that cover excellence in artistic performance, organizational proficiency, economic and managerial acumen, digital and technological expertise, personal growth and well-being, and a special focus on ecological transition.

Participants provided positive feedback after the inaugural year of implementing this training scheme, which is led by experts associated with ICONS, the foundation overseeing and supporting Theresia. We have leveraged all the feedback received in order to improve our offerings and now present a series of courses designed for both online and in-person engagement, featuring practical tutorials and opportunities for meaningful dialogue with teachers. The improved training modules now include additional learning aids to better suit the different learning styles or our students. We provide full support to the learning experience through interviews and coaching, accompanying our students in building a complete professional profile and choosing choosing the courses that align best with their individual needs.

In short, we tried to put ourselves as much as possible in the shoes of a young musician at the start of their career, and this is what we have in store for them: a digital learning environment that allows musicians to learn at their own pace, with individual learning paths designed in response to individual needs, and there’s lots of room for one-to-ones with tutors during dedicated sessions within small groups.

Musical knowledge

The lectures focusing on musical competence and knowledge span from deepening “Specific aspects of organology of the classical period” and “How to read the ancient literary musical sources” to an in-depth analysis of Traetta’s Rex Salomon, and the influence of the Neapolitan opera on the Classical Instrumental Style. The teachers in this module are musicologists Simone Laghi, Vanni Moretto and Guido Olivieri.

Organizational, economic and managerial skills

These modules will focus on developing organizational, economic and managerial skills and includes personalised coaching on musical business ideas: for example, how to develop a creative project, or how to go about setting up your own ensemble. find performing opportunities and develop your artistic ideas. Creating a budget can be daunting: this economic management module will get you on your way with the help of Business Strategist Claudia Crippa.

Digital skills and communication

Communicating about what we do is essential to find new performance opportunities, to network and to widen our collaborations:  how can you differentiate your online presence in a way that is true to yourself and your style? The communication workshops offer hands-on tips and tricks, whether you want to improve on the management of your social media presence, increase your follower and fan-base, or share your experiences in a visual or narrative form on a blog. Communication experts Charlotte Michi, Oyku Dogan and journalist Emilia Campagna can get you going.

Well-being

What about physical and mental wellness? It is often neglected in favour of multiple commitments, but only with a fit body and mind the challenges of a demanding career in terms of physical commitment, travel, and tension can be met. Training is provided in postural techniques and Gyrokinesis© classes specifically designed for musicians.  There’s also a class exploring the relation between emotional intelligence and individual performance, which can evolve into a personalized coaching track if desired.  Human Resources specialist and professional coach Alessandra Calzarossa and soprano and Gyrokinesis trainer Laura Catrani are teaching in the well-being module.

Ecological transition

Speaking of travel, this can be an issue in terms of carbon footprint: in our times we need to ask ourselves how we can adopt behaviours that are as sustainable as possible, but might not well know how to bring these into a professional context. With ICONS’ Corporate and Social Responsibility Manager Veronica Meneghello, we have developed a module specifically designed to explore environmental awareness and encourage behavioural change.

In short, we tried to put ourselves as much as possible in the shoes of a young musician embarking on their career, and the Theresia Academy is our dedicated answer tailored to their professional development

With this wealth of content, we are confident to empower our musicians with the skills and tools necessary for a freelance musician of today by leaving a positive impact on the shaping of their careers. Ready to get started? Follow us on our channels for more news or head over to the training section on our website.