Three very bright students of the Crane School of Music – Michael Wong ’26, Paige Krebs ’26, and Vanessa Cruz ’25 – are wrapping up 2-credit internships they were engaged in for 80 hours each this semester. Under the tutelage of ONNY Executive Director Kathy Del Guidice, they studied grant-writing, marketing, and arts administration. The following brief essays reveal what they learned and whether the program was of value to them.
Michael Wong '26
Michael Wong ’26 is majoring in Violin Performance and Music History with a minor in Music Business. In addition to his grant writing and marketing internship this semester, he apprentices with ONNY in the violin section and works as ONNY’s Production Assistant and Social Media Coordinator.
During my internship with the Orchestra of Northern New York (ONNY), I tackled fundraising and grant-writing. My experience helped significantly enhance my writing skills and deepened my understanding of arts administration.
One of the major assignments involved working with Executive Director Kathy Del Guidice on a fundraising appeal letter. I was unfamiliar with this style of writing, so I wrote an initial draft and collaborated with Kathy to extensively revise the letter. Our work was highly successful, generating thousands in contributions to the Orchestra, and I am proud to have completed this project and learned the intricacies of crafting effective appeal letters.
The primary focus of this internship was writing grants for ONNY and, according to Kathy, I excelled. During my experience, I worked on grants to a variety of organizations such as the Northern New York Community Foundation, and each had unique requirements. For each grant, I wrote up an initial draft, then Kathy and I would thoroughly review and revise it to perfect the grant. Funding is still pending, but we are confident in the strength of our applications and optimistic about their prospects.
Altogether, I am highly satisfied with my experience at ONNY. The opportunity to work alongside Kathy on the Orchestra’s operations has honed my writing skills and provided valuable exposure to fundamental aspects of nonprofit arts administration.
Paige Krebs ’26
Paige Krebs ’26 is a clarinet major who plays with the Crane Symphony Orchestra. As the Marketing Intern for this semester, she was also afforded the opportunity to interview marketing managers at North Country This Week and SeaComm Federal Credit Union.
This semester, I had the opportunity to serve as the Marketing Intern with the Orchestra of Northern New York (ONNY). From the beginning, I have worked with Executive Director, Kathy Del. Guidice, whose mentorship has been one of the most impactful on my professional development. Through this internship, I strengthened my skills in interpersonal communication, strategic marketing, event planning, advertising, budgeting, and more. In this reflection, I will explore my experience as a Marketing Intern, and the valuable lessons ONNY has taught me.
When I was looking through internship opportunities this semester, ONNY immediately stood out to me. As a student at The Crane School of Music, I have attended ONNY concerts since my freshman year, and I have always been drawn to the organization as a whole. As a music business major, I have always been interested in orchestral management, as well as marketing. So, I was excited when I discovered interning with ONNY was a possibility.
During my time with Kathy Del Guidice, I was involved in a wide range of tasks – from learning the importance of crafting effective emails to developing a promotional plan for a major classical concert.
One of my responsibilities included compiling a contact list for mass email marketing, which involved gathering names from Greek Life organizations, as well as faculty and staff from major colleges across St. Lawrence County. This experience allowed me to further my comfortability with computer programs like excel but also strengthened my outreach and communication skills as I worked to expand ONNY’s audience base.
As part of my internship, I wrote a letter addressed to ONNY’s patrons, as well as a news release titled “Renowned Crane Soloists Featured in Upcoming Spring Concert.” I will say that writing has not always been one of my strongest skills, but this experience helped build my confidence in my abilities. Along with those releases, I had spent time writing a TV spot and a radio blurb, to advertise the Spring Concert.
The few weeks leading up to the Spring Concert were some of the highlights of my internship. I developed a promotional plan which included news release timelines, social media content, and e-blast messaging. During this period, I also created both digital and print versions of an audience survey to collect valuable feedback from concertgoers. The work I completed also ranged from preparing the classical concert program to setting up risers and chairs for rehearsals. I had also had the opportunity to manage ONNY’s Instagram account, where my posts received positive engagement and brought in several new followers in just two days.
The Spring Concert was a standout moment in my internship experience. Not only did I have the opportunity to serve as house manager and assist with the 50/50 raffle, but I was able to enjoy a fantastic concert. Witnessing the results of everyone’s hard work come together on stage was truly inspiring.
As I wrap up my time with ONNY, I’ve been able to reflect on the many valuable experiences I have had, and the new skills I've developed along the way. I’m very grateful to the entire ONNY team for welcoming me, and I want to especially thank my mentor - Kathy Del Guidice – for her guidance and support. For any student considering a career working in the orchestral field, I wholeheartedly recommend pursuing an internship with ONNY- it has been a truly rewarding experience.
Vanessa Cruz ’25
Vanessa Cruz ’25 is a Violin and Music Education major who will graduate in the coming days. As Assistant to the Executive Director, Vanessa worked on twelve different projects. She also is a Crane Student Apprentice who has performed with ONNY during her time at Crane.
My internship with the Orchestra of Northern New York (ONNY) has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Although I am not a music business major or minor (I am currently studying Music Education and Music Performance), I was eager to broaden my understanding of arts administration—and over the past 16 weeks, I have learned more under the mentorship of Mrs. Del Guidice than I ever could have imagined. ONNY’s deep roots in the North Country community also gave me valuable insight into the region’s cultural landscape, which I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring.
One of my first major responsibilities was coordinating the ADK Outreach Program, which brought ONNY chamber ensembles to schools throughout the Adirondacks. This initiative was the perfect combination of my passion for music education and my internship, and I found the experience incredibly fulfilling. Another project I’m especially proud of is the TSS ONNY student apprentice feature that appeared in the Spring Concert Program. As a former apprentice myself, it was meaningful to create a piece that highlights the value of that experience and I hope that the feature helps inspire future students and community members to get involved.
In addition to these projects, I contributed to concert production planning, financial tracking, and various administrative initiatives. I also had the opportunity to design flyers, postcards, and other promotional materials. What began as a casual interest in graphic design has now grown into one of my most marketable professional skills, thanks to the hands-on opportunities ONNY provided.
As I prepare to graduate, I’m proud to leave with a portfolio of 12 completed arts administration projects—each one a reflection of the skills and experience I’ve gained during this internship. ONNY has offered me real-world, meaningful experiences that have deeply enriched my education and professional growth. I’m sincerely grateful for this opportunity.