Behind the Scenes at the Union: Courtney Byelich, Music Committee Advisor
You may recognize the names of performers at the Wisconsin Union like CRASHprez, Pat McCurdy and the Chainsmokers. But, you may not know the name of the Union team member helping make it all happen behind the scenes for the past five years. This master of performance planning is Courtney Byelich, Wisconsin Union music advisor. As an advisor, she helps the student leaders of the Wisconsin Union Directorate Music Committee bring music to campus. In this article, the East Lansing, Mich., native takes us behind the scenes and behind the music at the Wisconsin Union.
How did you first learn about the Wisconsin Union?
When I was a freshman at UW-Madison, I saw an ad for milk and cookies on a stage, and I thought, “Well, I like cookies and milk and stages.” It turned out that it was an ad for the Wisconsin Union Directorate Theatre Committee, which is now the Performing Arts Committee. I joined as a freshman, and I did that for four years.
I ended up as the director of the committee, which was a really cool thing, because it taught me a lot about arts administration. Before then, I didn’t know that field existed. It definitely led me to my current career path.
What were some careers stops for you before becoming the Wisconsin Union music advisor?
I worked in the Wisconsin Union Theater the year after I graduated. The next year, I did a stint as an Americorps VISTA at the Center for the Humanities on campus. It was a cool program. We applied humanities graduate students’ Ph.D. research to our efforts to alleviate poverty in the community. Then, I went to grad school to study arts administration with a focus on nonprofit management at the University of Indiana-Bloomington.
What is a regular day like for you at the Wisconsin Union?
One of my favorite things about this job is that no two days are alike. It keeps me on my toes. Some days, I work with students, especially if they have particular questions about the shows they’re working on. I help with editing contracts, negotiating with agents and working out show logistics. For example, some shows require specific venues or supplies like drum kits or barricades for crowd control. That’s all stuff we have to sit down and assess as we prepare for shows.
Each student is at a different point in the learning process, so the preparation needed for each show is different. Even experienced members of the committee come across new challenges they haven’t dealt with before, so it’s always a learning experience for them and often for me, too. We figure things out together.
What is a unique challenge you face in your position and in programming for our unique venues?
One of the aspects of working here on campus is that we’re in buildings where all sorts of things are happening, and it’s not only about our show. We have to make sure bands understand that students are running these shows and that they see the bigger picture. We also have some rules that probably don’t exist elsewhere because we’re part of the university. I help students communicate this information to bands.
What is a benefit of working in this environment?
Students are awesome to work with. The expertise I bring to this job is all about logistics and not at all a deep knowledge of bands. But the students are truly experts about the bands they book. They are so knowledgeable. They love what they do, and they’re always so excited and passionate about it. I learn so much from them. We’ve hosted so many amazing artists because of the knowledge they have.
I also love the Wisconsin Union because of the amazing coworkers we have here. They really are some of the best. And I get to work with these awesome people to bring some joy through our events and services to people’s days and build community through that joy.
What have been your favorite events at the Wisconsin Union?
I love open mic night, because it hits so many of our mission points. There are community members and college students participating, all styles and genres of music are being played, and it’s all facilitated by students. Open mic night produces a real sense of community.
Being able to see students get their start in arts administration here and then go on to do that in their career gives me those warm fuzzy feelings. Even if they don’t do that, I think they carry with them the confidence they gained here and some of the skills that they’ve learned.
What have you learned while being part of the Wisconsin Union team?
I have a greatly expanded understanding of bands. The students have taught me so much. I’ve also learned about the importance of a good sense of humor, which I think I already had when I started. We do more than 200 shows a year here, and there are so many things that have the potential to not go according to plan. When you have a good sense of humor and a sense of calm, it’s easier to roll with whatever situation comes your way. The show must go on.
If there is one thing you could share about the Wisconsin Union or the Wisconsin Union Directorate Music Committee, what would that be?
One of our major goals this year and always is to make sure that everyone feels welcome here. We’re trying very hard to make that a reality. To find a sense of community. That’s one of the things this place did for me when I was a student. It gave me a family and a home, and I think we should do all we can to impart that to students.
In her spare time, Courtney loves tap-dancing and conquering jigsaw puzzles. She is an alumna of UW-Madison, where she studied history and English and earned a Center for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asian Studies.
