Spring Break is just around the corner, and many are making plans to visit warmer climes – possibly to the south or southwest.
The destination for an Amarillo College trio is the South by Southwest Music Festival, a convergence of artists, fans and music professionals for a unique celebration, discussion and exploration of music – held each March in Austin.
Amy Presley, program director for AC radio station FM90, applied and was accepted to serve as a mentor at the festival, commonly referred to as SXSW. The prestigious mentor program facilitates one-on-one connections between experienced professionals like Presley and solution-seeking attendees.
“It’s the ultimate networking opportunity for music industry hopefuls and professionals, from band managers to recording label executives to musicians,” Presley said. “It gives everyone a chance to meet up and bounce around ideas.”
Joining Presley March 19-22 in Austin will be AC sophomore Jake Day, the student music director for FM90, and Hilary Hulsey, digital content producer for Panhandle PBS.
Hulsey procured press credentials for SXSW and will digitally document the collective AC experience, providing daily updates on social media.
Day was awarded a complimentary badge to attend the festival through CollegeRadio.org, which each fall sponsors College Radio Day nationally.
“Jake will join me at my mentoring sessions,” Presley said, “and he’ll get to go to everything. It’s a great opportunity, a great learning experience; he’ll get to see the entire industry from the inside out.”
Day, who will graduate from AC in May, said he looks forward to seeing performances of some of the bands whose music he has selected over the past year to air on FM90.
“I’m super excited to see the Velvet Starlings, for one,” Day said. “It hasn’t’ been that long since I was pushing to play their music on FM90. This is not only an amazing networking opportunity for me, personally, and a chance to hear awesome music, but it’s a great way to get more recognition for FM90, too.”
-Amarillo College
