The National Music Museum Internship Program

The Internship Program at the National Music Museum (NMM) on the campus of The University of South Dakota (USD) offers a unique learning experience within a museum setting that includes broad-based collections of more than 15,000 American, European, and ethnographic musical instruments from around the world, dating from the 16th century to the present. The NMM also includes a specialized research library, one of the nation's most outstanding collections of musical instrument trade literature, various archives, a sound recording collection, and a conservation laboratory.

Within this setting, the NMM Internship Program provides substantive opportunities for students to gain practical museum experience, while helping them to develop new or expanded uses for their academic and/or professional interests.

The NMM Internship Program offers a hands-on introduction to the museum profession in a way that cannot be duplicated in the classroom, online, or by reading books. These experiences often result in the development of graduate theses or dissertations, help students define their career goals, and bring an understanding of professional ethics and practices in museums as workplace environments.

The NMM currently offers two different types of internships: 1) Arne B. Larson Internships for the Study of American Bands, Band Music, and Related Musical Instruments, and 2) Curatorial Internships. Four internships are offered annually--two in each of these categories.

Vermillion, the home of The University of South Dakota and the National Music Museum, is a typical small Midwestern town of 10,000 people, located on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River valley, where the Lewis & Clark Expedition camped in August 1804 on its way west to the Pacific. Almost everything is within walking distance. Residents, students, and visitors alike delight in the clean, fresh air, marvel at the splendid sunsets, walk safely at night along tree-lined streets, and interact in the friendly, informal way typical of life on the Great Plains.

The Arne B. Larson Band Internship program, which specifically focuses on the study of American bands, band music, American music, and related musical instruments, provides a practical, hands-on opportunity for students interested not only in music history and performance, but also in the development of the design and construction of musical instruments, the history of the musical instrument industry, and the development of American bands.

This unique internship program honors the lifetime dedication to bands and band music in America, of Arne B. Larson (b. Hanska, Minnesota, 1904-d. Vermillion, 1988), whose collections of music (in particular, the Golden Age of Bands Music Collection, 1860-1920), and 2,500 musical instruments, form the nucleus of the NMM's world-class holdings.

Level of Responsibility:  Reports to Associate Director/Senior Curator of Musical Instruments, consults with Collections Manager, Curatorial Staff, Photographer, Conservator, Curatorial Assistants

Focus Project:

Applicants are encouraged to contact the NMM prior to submitting an application, to discuss the potential focus of the internship project (a list of potential focus projects is available upon request). Individual applicants may be asked for additional information and/or to participate in an interview.

Time Commitment:

Although the scheduling of the Arne B. Larson Internships is flexible throughout the calendar year, the NMM requires a minimum time commitment of 13-14 weeks from the successful applicant. Interns are required to work full-time (approximately 37 hours per week). Occasional weekend work may be assigned.

Academic Credit:

The Arne B. Larson Internship may be undertaken to fulfill an academic requirement from another institution, with prior approval from the NMM.

Housing:

Housing is the responsibility of the intern, either in USD dormitories or in the private sector.

Former Arne B. Larson Interns and Titles of Their Projects:

• Sarah Becker (Trinity University and University of Edinburgh). Project: "Cataloging and Reassessing the National Music Museum's Collections of American and European Banjos and Mandolins" (2015)
• Kayla Josephson (University of South Dakota). Project: "Cataloging the 'Sax Six' Music Library and Archive at the NMM" (2013)
• Cody Knott (University of South Dakota). Project: "Cataloging the Holton-Elkhorn Band Library at the NMM" (2012)
• Chelsea Loucks (University of South Dakota). Project: "A Checklist of U.S. Band Images in the Archives of the National Music Museum" (2014)
• Brody Krogman (University of South Dakota). Project: "Cataloging and Reassessing the National Music Museum's Collection of American and European Mellophones" (2015)
• Emily Mason (University of South Dakota). Project: "Database of French Horn Models Manufactured by the Frank Holton Company" (2013)
• Byron Pillow (Texas A&M Univesity, Corpus Christi). Project: "Frank Holton's Trombone Production: Creation of a Timeline, Photographic Checklist, and Digital Archive" (2014)
• Aleeh K. Schwoerer (Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin). Project: "J. C. Deagan Inc.: Towards the Construction of an Historical Timeline and Checklist of Deagan Instruments at the National Music Museum" (2014)
• Nolan Vallier (Iowa State University, Ames). Project: "Cataloging and Researching Trombone Production by the Holton Company from the Early 20th Century Through W.W. II" (2012)

Essential Function:  Assist with routine curatorial activities at the NMM, including tasks such as, but not limited to, the following (depending upon intern's previous experience and interests).

Inventory Management:

• Assist the Collections Manager with the inventory of musical instruments and other artifacts
• Assist with the preparation of objects for storage
• Assist with the transport of objects between the museum and off-site storage facilities
• Assist the museum Photographer with photography of artifacts for inventory/identification purposes
• Assist with cleaning and monitoring of artifacts and display cases on exhibit
• Assist with input of data into various databases, spreadsheets, and/or word-processing inventory lists

Archival Management:

• Sort and organize material from selected NMM Archives
• Catalog archival materials
• Conduct research concerning archival materials
• Digitize materials as necessary
• Store materials in appropriate archival packaging
• Prepare written descriptions and finding aids for portions of the NMM's Archives

Accessioning:

• Assist the Senior Curator with the accessioning process for donated artifacts (sort, organize, catalog, store, and prepare gift inventories of archival material donated to the NMM)
• Assist with the process of researching selected objects and materials for possible deaccessioning

Marketing and Social Media:

• Participate in various NMM marketing and social media activities

Gallery Development/Special Exhibitions/Loans:

• Assist Curatorial staff in the selection and processing of instruments for exhibition or external loans

Educational Programming:

• Help develop lending materials that can be sent to schools and/or other groups that are unable to visit the NMM for tours
• Assist with development of summer workshops for children in grades 1-3 and 4-6
• Assist Curator of Education with public tours

Cataloging:

• Complete a unique project, appropriate for the time available, with the approval of and under supervision of NMM Curatorial staff *
• Create detailed, original cataloging for each object, including measurements
• Research object and dating
• Research object's provenance
• Assist NMM Photographer with recommendations for photographic documentation of object
• Record and report conservation needs
• Prepare inventories and/or checklists for publication on NMM website

* Other projects as assigned

Examples of some potential cataloging/research projects are listed below. The specific group of instruments and/or accessories chosen will relate to the intern's interests, as well as the NMM's needs. Some groups of instruments that may be chosen include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Portions of the Paul and Jean Christian Collection (various types of instruments)
• Brass or woodwind mouthpiece collections
• Harmonica collection
• Mallet percussion instruments
• Bass drum collection
• Timpani collection
• Trombone collection
• Alto horn, tenor horn, or baritone horn collections
• Tuba collection
• Sousaphone collection
• Mandolins and other plucked strings
• Various groups of ethnographic and/or folk instruments
• Instruments by a particular manufacturer, such as York, Selmer, Leblanc, etc.
• Specific groups of American and/or European brass, woodwind, or percussion instruments in the NMM's collections
• Brass, woodwind, or percussion parts and accessories collections
• Phonograph collection

Level of Responsibility:  Reports to Associate Director/Senior Curator of Musical Instruments, consults with Collections Manager, Curatorial Staff, Photographer, Conservator, Curatorial Assistants

General Qualification Requirements for Curatorial Internships:

• A strong interest in museum work
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to comprehend, follow, and complete detailed oral and/or written instructions
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Good motor coordination and ability to handle museum objects in a safe manner
• Self-motivated, able to work independently
• Background and interest in the study of the history of American bands, band music, and related musical instruments
• Excellent typing skills
• Ability to work with IBM-compatible personal computers
• Fluency with Microsoft Office Professional software

Time Commitment:

Although the scheduling of Curatorial Internships are flexible throughout the calendar year, the NMM requires a minimum time commitment of 14-16 weeks from the successful applicant. Interns are required to work full-time (approximately 37 hours per week). Occasional weekend work may be assigned.

Housing:

Housing is the responsibility of the intern, either in USD dormitories or in the private sector.

Academic Credit:

Curatorial Internships may be undertaken to fulfill an academic requirement from another institution, with prior approval from the NMM.

Former Curatorial Interns

• Whitley Falor (University of South Dakota). Primary focus: research and preparation of temporary exhibit, "Banding Together: The American Soldiers' Musical Arsenal," as well as preparation of archival finding aids (2015)
• Hannah Grantham (University of North Texas). Primary focus: reimagining, researching, and rewriting object exhibition labels, as well as assisting with storage of archival items and rare books (2015)
• Chesley Loucks (University of South Dakota). Primary focus: research and preparation of temporary exhibit, "Banding Together: The American Soldiers' Musical Arsenal" (2015)

Complete the internship application (available online in PDF format) and return it with a cover letter; three (3) confidential letters of recommendation from people who can assess the applicant's background, skills, and capabilities for either the Arne B. Larson Internship or Curatorial Internship program; a resumé; an essay of at least 500 words describing the candidate's interest in the NMM's Internship program; a discussion of a proposed focus project (for Arne B. Larson Internship applicants only); specific skills that would contribute to the internship experience; career goals; and, academic transcripts (for applicants currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, an academic program).