Eileen Pereira (’19)

Having grown up in a musical home, Eileen’s parents encouraged her love of music from an early age. She started piano lessons at the age of 5 and later switched her focus to oboe at age 10. In college at Illinois State University she pursued a degree in Family and Consumer Science, with a focus on early childhood development. She continued to pursue her love of music by earning a music minor and playing oboe in the Illinois State University Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Symphonic Winds band, and chamber ensembles.

While living and working as an early childhood teacher in Chicago, Eileen regularly attended arts events in her spare time and played oboe in the Classical Symphony Orchestra. Seeking a way to become more involved in the arts Eileen began working as a promoter for jazz saxophonist Rajiv Halim and as a social media intern with the Lake Forest Symphony. These experiences helped her realize that she was passionate about pursuing a career in support of the arts.

Since being accepted to the Arts Administration graduate degree program at Boston University Eileen has also started working as a House Manager at the New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall.

In the future, Eileen hopes to continue working one on one with musicians as an artist manager. She is confident that the arts administration program at BU, with its many hands on opportunities, will help prepare her to reach her goals of working in the arts industry.

I am excited to be apart of a program that encourages its students to participate in a variety of hands-on experiences. The collaborative opportunities that are available earlier on in the Arts Administration program create a lasting network that strengthens the missions of the arts on a global scale.