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By Sean Lanigan
Boston, Styxx, and The Who are some of the most well-known acts in the history of music. Five Towns College Alumni Annie DiBiasi has toured with all three. On Thursday, February 27th , DiBiasi made her return back to Five Towns, where she developed her skills. This special guest speaker was a part of the Get Hired: Employer Buzz Series put together by the Career Services Center.
Ryan Schimmenti, Associate Director of the Career Services Center, explained why events like this are important. “Annie, being an alumni of Five Towns College and sharing her story, is beneficial; being able to talk to students, and giving career advice and guidance to students as they eventually enter the real world.”
For a lot of aspiring music professionals, the feeling is that working in the music business is full of glitz, glamour, and glory. We learned at this panel that the music business of life on the road is anything but that idealistic vision. There are a lot of long days that include setting up and breaking down stage sets. The kind of life that includes showering at truck stops and sleeping in vans may not be for everyone. You really have to love it.
DiBiasi gave the students insight into what she likes most about her job. “I like meeting people, networking, and lighting; the aspect of being creative, and selling merchandise,” she said.
Five Towns College students were interested in any advice DiBiasi had to give. She told students that “It’s important to see what you like, but do and learn everything you can do. Become well-rounded people.” Another thing that was brought up was the importance of elevator pitches.
Orlando Fuentes, a film major at Five Towns College, attended the event and said, “The event was very informative. She was very direct about her industry. She gave us a lot of insider knowledge about real-life experiences.”
Annie DiBiasi proves that while you’re here at Five Towns College, if you work hard and put the time in, your passion becomes your work, and it will never feel like work. And who knows? You may reach your goal of working with your equivalent of Boston, Styxx, or The Who.
