Meet the 25/26 Season 21st Century Artist Interns

By UMS

Each year, UMS and the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance select students for a unique internship experience. Students are paired with internationally renowned artists and companies, including dance, theater, and music ensembles.

The 21st Century Artist Internship is a highly competitive program developed to prepare students for new demands that working artists face in the contemporary marketplace.

This summer, interns will develop industry contacts, hands-on work experience, and deep connections with internationally recognized performing artists. And upon their return to campus, the interns continue their work via a one-credit independent study where they serve as campus ambassadors, educators, and marketers to support their respective artists during their visit to Ann Arbor in UMS’s 2025/26 season.

The 21st Century Artist Internship program is made possible in part by Tim and Sally Petersen.

This Year’s Interns

Adithya Sastry

Class of 2026

Major: Sound Engineering

Placement: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

Originally from New Jersey and growing up in India, Adithya Sastry developed an early interest in music, which evolved into a love for music production and recording, leading to his pursuit of sound engineering at U-M. In Ann Arbor, Adithya has worked on a range of projects, from live concert mixing and producing a full album to sound design for student films and theatrical productions, as well as multimedia audio experiences. Skilled in industry-standard software such as Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Ableton Live, Adithya is also gaining hands-on experience with analog gear and advanced recording techniques.

Related UMS Performance

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

Duke in Africa

Sat Feb 7, 2026 // Hill Auditorium

Alyssa Hernandez

Class of 2026

Major: Dance

Placement: Ballet BC

Alyssa Hernandez is a rising senior at the University of Michigan studying Dance and minoring in Performing Arts Management & Entrepreneurship. Alyssa is from Saginaw, Michigan, and graduated from Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy in 2022. Throughout her undergraduate degree thus far, she has performed in multiple senior thesis works, DSA’s Student Choreography Showcase, and the Dance Department’s annual performance at the Power Center, working with choreographers like FlockWorks and Rosanna Tavarez. Alyssa has performed various stage crew roles such as stage manager, sound/light board operator, and videographer. Outside of performing, she is extremely passionate about performing arts management, focusing on community engagement, fundraising, marketing, and project management. Alyssa has had the opportunity to work with students ages 4-17 in programs such as Ballet & Books and as a counselor for MPulse Performing Arts Summer Program. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, content creation, and watching reality television shows.

Related UMS Performance

Ballet BC

Fri – Sat Oct 17 – 18, 2025 // Power Center

Brenna Lantz-Lewis

Class of 2027

Major: Percussion Performance

Placement: Andy Akiho

Brenna Lewis-Lantz Brenna Lantz-Lewis, originally from Lansing, Michigan, is a rising junior studying Percussion Performance at the University of Michigan. Additionally, she is an aspiring arts administrator pursuing a minor in Performing Arts Management and Entrepreneurship. She engages in coursework and conversations about how art can serve people on an individual and collective level, and what it means to be a leader and participant in the arts. Brenna is particularly interested in critical issues such as the relevance and relatability of classical music in the digital age. As a percussionist, she has been a part of many noteworthy projects including the VR recording of Hamlet by Carolyn Chen, and the recording of Michael Gordon’s 36-percussionist piece, Field of Vision, and has performed in venues such as Hill Auditorium, Detroit’s Orchestra Hall, and Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall. Brenna works as a percussion mentor for the Detroit Symphony Civic Youth Ensembles, and serves as the secretary of the Shipman Scholars Society at the University of Michigan.