Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanisha Mitchell.
Hi Tanisha, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started out going to school to become a music educator and opera performer but I did not know what I would do with it as a career. I worked at a library since I was 16 years old. When I finished high school, I went to Spelman College in ATL for 1 year as a music major in 2001. After a year, I returned to NYC to finish school at Queens College because I felt that NYC was the best place to be as a classical musician.
When I finished Queens College, I decided to go to library school to become a librarian at a university with a strong music department. However, my career path changed when I got an internship at the Metropolitan Opera in the music library. I catalogued their historical collection and created a classical music outreach program company a few years later-using the experience I had at the Met.
Fast forward to today, my outreach company has grown into many branches: 1 virtual and live classical music and opera programming done throughout the East Coast and a media company that promotes the arts in a newsletter and merchandise.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say a little of both. What makes the journey smooth is that I love what I do. However, what makes it rough is that many people do not understand the ideas and plans I have because they believe that only people who hire musicians OR who perform and are popular or have deep pockets only hold the power in the arts industry.
Therefore, I continue to build on my ideas in secret because most people understand once it happens.
Also, being an entrepreneur can be rough because it takes time to build a company. Many decisions have to be made to make it successful.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create and promote classical music and opera to the public through many avenues. I have a part time job as a librarian where I run an arts program in the library that includes hiring classical music performers, hiring art lecturers, etc…
In 2015, I created opera and classical music programming for the public using the expertise I learned at the Metropolitan Opera during my internship. A few years later, the company grew into an arts programming company that presents throughout the East Coast. It will expand to the west coast and Japan in 2022.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I would say that I was lucky to get the internship at the Metropolitan Opera in the music library. As a library student, I was supposed to intern in the archives but there was no room. When I asked the Chief Librarian at the time, he graciously obliged and the rest is history.
Contact Info:
- Website: operatalks.com | verismomag.com
Image Credits:
Jason Velarde
Eowyn Driscoll
