On March 10, a group of five MTSU students flew from Nashville, Tennessee, to Austin, Texas, for SXSW.
Three are making festival history.
Every year, SXSW recruits a Student Production Crew from university audio production programs. Previously, only Texas students joined the crew. MTSU audio production majors Kendall Burrill, Audrey Lapp and Brooke Colebank are the first out-of-state students to take part in this crucial task.
Because MTSU’s audio production program consists mostly of men, the selection of three women was notable.
“It’s very male dominated,” Burrill said. “There’s been several times I’m one of three girls in my class, or one of two. And so, it was interesting and it was surprising to me that it was three girls that got picked.”
Lapp also noted the novelty of the trip’s all-girl lineup.
“I feel like every class I walk into, I’m either the only girl or there’s, like, maybe a handful,” Lapp said. “So I was really excited when I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s just girls on this trip.’ This is so refreshing.”
After checking into a hotel within walking distance of the festival’s commotion, the group convened with Stephanie Sanders, SXSW’s event staffing manager and expert on all things Austin. SXSW is more than just music — from March 7-15, creators converge on the city for overlapping film and TV, music and comedy festivals, as well as a technology and innovation-focused conference. Sanders recommended events ranging from a clown show at a comedy club to a keynote speech by a former first lady.
“Michelle Obama on Thursday,” Sanders said. “That’s going to be a hot ticket. You’ll want to get there a little early for that.”
She went on to say “a little early” should be an hour to 90 minutes. Sanders escorted the group to Volunteer Central at the Austin Marriott Downtown to pick up badges and volunteer crew t-shirts, then led them on a walking tour of downtown Austin, including some venues where the team would be working, or might enjoy a show.
The tour was helpful for Colebank. Her hectic volunteer schedule places her at three different venues, supporting an eclectic group of international artists.
“I’m just excited to see all the different kinds of music and stuff,” Colebank said. “Because it was very surprising that there’s people from all over the world performing … I think that’ll be cool to see a bunch of different genres.”
Holly Riley, an assistant professor of music business, accompanied the students to Texas. On her first trip to Austin, she’s eager to make the most of the festival.
“I’m looking forward to having a lot of time to discover new stuff and try out things that I don’t necessarily know,” Riley said. “There’s so much good art out there that you find the stuff that you really love, and there’s never enough time to see it all.”
The students at SXSW might not see it all, but they’ll be behind the scenes, using skills they’ve learned at MTSU to make it happen.
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