After his graduation, Chiang was sent to work at an opera theater in Shanghai, but was soon transferred to do manual labor.
音樂學院畢業後，姜成濤被分派到上海歌劇院工作。可有沒有多久，就遭到「下放勞改」的命運。那段日子又是辛苦萬分，白天勞動，晚上開會檢討；不開會的晚上，就要辦晚會唱歌慰勞農民。