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The Phillips Collection's Summer Internship program is open to full-time undergraduate students, full-time graduate students, and recent graduates. The purpose of the internship program is to offer students and recent graduates meaningful work, educational experiences, and real-life practice in their fields of academic study and/or interest.

 

The summer music intern will assist in a variety of projects that support season planning, editorial preparation, and operational infrastructure for the upcoming concert seasons. The intern will help refine the 2026-27 season and build early preliminary information for 2027-28. Phillips Music does not hold concerts during the summer, thus as a result, the responsibilities of this internship differ from an in-season/academic-year role. 

 

The music intern will work with the Director of Music in a variety of capacities, including writing about our concerts and performers, and educating the general public about the music program and our concerts at the Phillips. They will be introduced to activities integral to presenting a professional concert series, such as working with artist managers and agents, renting equipment, hiring and managing contractors, and working with world-class performers. 

 

The music intern will also have the opportunity to propose a project that they work towards with guidance and input from Phillips Music staff. Mentorship will include opportunities to contribute to the blog and digital exhibitions, and they will have opportunities to work with other staff members at the Phillips. 

 

Overview of Department: The Sunday Concerts series at The Phillips Collection is one of the longest running music series in Washington, DC. Originally managed by Duncan Phillips’s assistant, Elmira Bier, who served as the first Director of Music at The Phillips Collection, the series has run for over 80 years.

Traditional and new music has always lived in balance in programs performed at The Phillips Collection, and Sunday Concerts artists are encouraged to think creatively about their programming. Now a renowned space for international chamber music, the Sunday Concerts series is expanding beyond the four walls of the Music Room to embrace live-streaming, bringing intimacy and connection of our unique space and its performers worldwide.

Duration: Internships tend to run ten to fifteen continuous weeks at 12-20 hours per week. Internship length and schedule may vary depending on the needs of the department. This internship will run from Monday, June 1- Friday, August 14, 2026. This is a hybrid position, with interns expected to work at least two days a week onsite. 

 

Academic Credit: Depending on the nature of the internship and approval of the student's college or university, academic credit may be granted for internships. Student applicants should consult their academic advisor for additional information.

 

Please submit a résumé, letter of interest, letter of recommendation, and complete transcripts.

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Responsibilities

  • Help process and arrange materials from past music seasons.
  • Contribute to digitization projects that include audio and video materials, correspondence, concert programs, and other materials.
  • Support the fine-tuning of programs for the 2026-27 season: confirm repertoire details, instrumentation, timing, and basic production needs.
  • Research artists and repertoire
  • Draft program notes and collect artist bios for upcoming season programs
  • Build early-stage preliminary information for potential 2027-28 programming: artist bios, repertoire ideas, and planning notes.
  • Track artist/program ideas, contact info, deadlines, contracts.
  • Other duties as assigned.

 

Qualifications

  • Open to junior and senior undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates. 
  • Candidates from a Music graduate degree program preferred.
  • Excellent writing and editing skills.
  • Strong organization and attention to detail.
  • Candidates who have academic or practical experience in musicology, journalism, and/or writing are ideal.
  • Candidates with experience or aptitude for processing, arrangement, description, cataloguing, and/or digitization are preferred but not required.
  • Familiarity with these software programs: Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Office Suite preferred but not required.

 

The Phillips Collection is an equal opportunity employer and administers all employment decisions and personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic disposition or carrier status, marital status, veteran status, personal appearance, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, or any other category protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.