Internship Application Letter Musician in China Shanghai – Free Word Template Download with AI

For the Position of Musician Intern at Shanghai Cultural Exchange Initiative

May 28, 2023

Ms. Li Wei, HR Manager
Shanghai Cultural Exchange Initiative
189 Nanjing East Road
Shanghai, China

Dear Ms. Li,

It is with profound enthusiasm that I submit my application for the Musician Intern position at your esteemed organization, as advertised on the Shanghai International Talent Portal. As a dedicated and culturally curious musician currently completing my Master of Music in Ethnomusicology at the University of London, I have long admired Shanghai's dynamic fusion of traditional Chinese artistry and contemporary global influences—a cultural crossroads that makes China Shanghai the ideal environment for my professional growth. This Internship Application Letter represents not merely a job application, but a deliberate step toward immersing myself in the living heartbeat of musical innovation within one of Asia's most vibrant cities.

My journey as a Musician began at age seven with guzheng lessons in my hometown of Hangzhou, where I absorbed the lyrical subtleties of Jiangnan sizhu ensemble music. However, my artistic evolution truly accelerated during a semester studying Chinese folk instrumentation at Shanghai Conservatory’s summer program in 2021. There, I collaborated with professional erhu players to adapt traditional melodies for contemporary chamber ensembles—a project that culminated in a performance at the Shanghai Symphony Hall’s "New Silk Road" festival. This experience crystallized my understanding that authentic musical expression transcends technical proficiency; it requires cultural empathy. As an intern at your organization, I aim to contribute this perspective while learning from Shanghai's unparalleled ecosystem where ancient pipa traditions coexist with electronic music production studios in the same neighborhood.

What specifically compels me toward interning in China Shanghai is its unique position as a global hub for musical dialogue. Unlike other cities where cultural exchange often feels transactional, Shanghai operates on a philosophy of "creative symbiosis"—where musicians like the internationally acclaimed Cai Guo-Qiang collaborate with AI developers to create sonifications of Chinese poetry. I am particularly inspired by your initiative's work with the Jing'an Temple community center, which integrates traditional Kunqu opera into youth mentorship programs. In my previous role at London’s Barbican Centre, I co-designed an intergenerational workshop pairing jazz improvisation with Cantonese opera vocal techniques—a project that mirrored your organization’s ethos. I am eager to bring this cross-cultural methodology to China Shanghai and learn from your team’s pioneering approach to musical preservation through innovation.

My technical capabilities align precisely with your internship requirements. As a skilled multi-instrumentalist, I maintain fluency in guzheng, pipa, and western classical guitar—skills I’ve honed through rigorous study at the Shanghai Conservatory's International Summer Institute. More importantly, I possess advanced digital production skills: I recently completed a certification in Ableton Live 12 while creating soundscapes for a documentary on Yangtze River conservation. This technical versatility positions me to support your team’s projects like the "Shanghai Sound Mapping" initiative, where we digitize street musicians' performances across 14 districts. I also speak conversational Mandarin (HSK Level 4), having spent six months in Shanghai during my research on diasporic Chinese musical migration—a period that deepened my understanding of local cultural nuance and communication styles.

Beyond technical skills, I bring a profound commitment to ethical cultural exchange. During my research on Chinese diaspora communities in Paris, I avoided "cultural appropriation" by co-creating music with Vietnamese refugees using traditional instruments they brought from home—documenting their stories through collaborative composition. This approach mirrors your organization’s emphasis on community-led initiatives rather than top-down artistic interventions. I believe the most impactful work emerges when musicians actively listen to local voices, a principle I practiced while recording folk songs in rural Anhui province last summer. In China Shanghai, I intend to honor this philosophy by first immersing myself in neighborhood music traditions before proposing any collaborative projects.

My vision for contributing to your mission extends beyond the internship period. I’ve already begun developing a digital archive of Shanghai’s street musicians—collecting oral histories alongside audio recordings—with potential applications for your "Living Heritage" project. With your guidance, I could expand this into an interactive web platform featuring augmented reality performances that overlay historical music scenes onto modern Shanghai landmarks. This project would directly support your strategic goal of making cultural heritage accessible to Gen Z audiences through technology—a challenge I’m uniquely equipped to address given my background in both traditional Chinese music and digital media production.

I recognize that interning in China Shanghai presents unique opportunities for growth. The city’s "15-minute cultural life circle" policy—ensuring every resident lives within walking distance of arts venues—is revolutionary, and I wish to understand how it shapes community engagement with music. Your organization’s partnership with the Shanghai Urban Planning Museum has inspired me to explore how physical space influences musical expression; I plan to study this during my internship through fieldwork in neighborhoods like Xintiandi and Tianzifang. This immersive perspective would allow me not only to contribute meaningfully but also to document how China Shanghai’s urban environment nurtures artistic innovation—a research angle I can later develop into academic work.

My attachment to China Shanghai transcends professional ambition. During my time there in 2021, I witnessed how musicians transform ordinary spaces into cultural sanctuaries—a guzheng player performing on the Huangpu River promenade at dawn, a jazz trio improvising in a renovated factory building—proving that art thrives not despite urban pressures but because of them. This resilience defines Shanghai’s musical spirit, and I am eager to learn from it while contributing my own energy to this ecosystem. The opportunity to grow under your mentorship would be transformative for my development as a globally conscious Musician, allowing me to serve as a bridge between China Shanghai’s rich traditions and the world’s evolving musical landscape.

Sincerely,

Alexandra Chen

Master of Music Candidate, Ethnomusicology

University of London | [email protected] | +86 138-XXXX-XXXX

This Internship Application Letter reflects my commitment to culturally intelligent musical practice. I welcome the opportunity to discuss how my background in traditional Chinese instrumentation, digital music production, and cross-cultural collaboration aligns with Shanghai Cultural Exchange Initiative’s mission to make China Shanghai a beacon of innovative musical dialogue.