Careers in Music

Typical Job: Musician, Singer, Composer, Conductor, Arrangers, Producer, Sound Engineer.

Typical Work
Working in the music industry involves numerous types of jobs in a variety of musical fields, you can be in a band, a solo singer, in an orchestra and sometimes you do not even have to play an instrument if you are a manager or a record company representative. Working as a musician means having a special knowledge and ability in playing one or more instruments and you will work in a variety of fields, bands, recording musician, orchestra etc. Work in the music industry also includes singers, who perform the singing part of a song as either a soloist, in a band, in an opera, in a musical etc. Conductor's work with orchestra's and choirs. Arrangers are responsible for taking a particular piece of music, that has already been written, and changing it so that it can be played by a band, orchestra or other group, keeping in mind tempo, style, volume, timing and other information that could effect the music. There are also producers, sound engineers and other people responsible for the recording of music in studios that will then be sold on CD or DVD. In the music industry there are also numerous management jobs at both the individual/group level and for a record agency. Typically you are self employed, employed by an orchestra or a musical/opera, working for a record company, or working for a recording studio.

Education Needed
The education level required varies greatly with the area of music in which you are working. To become a musician usually requires that you have some knowledge of a particular instrument or numerous instruments. You do not need a degree, diploma or even a high school diploma to become a musician. If you wish to play in an orchestra you will usually need some formal training at a recognized post secondary arts or music school, the same is true if you wish to be a performer in a musical or opera. As a producer or sound engineer you will need some training or knowledge about recording equipment, but it is not always necessary that you obtain a degree or diploma. The creative or performing side of the music industry usually measures someone based on talent rather than education. In the management or administrative side of things, such as working for a record company post secondary education is an asset. Mostly people with business degrees will be hired to work as record company executives. Also in many cases people working for record companies are former musicians with no formal education but a great deal of experience. The main thing to remember when you are seeking a career in music is that the level of education you will need all depends on what you wish to accomplish. Some of the best music and Arts schools that offer programs in voice, a variety of instruments and orchestra are listed below.

Top Music Schools
The Curtis Institute of Music - Philadelphia, U.S.A.
University of California, Berkley- California, U.S.A.
University of Toronto, Department of Music, Toronto, Canada
Royal College of Music, United Kingdom
Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Australia

Skills and Interests
There are a variety of skill sets for careers in music. As a musician you will need some skill with a particular instrument or numerous instruments. The more skill you have the easier it will be to find consistent work. As a singer you will need some voice talent. This talent can be in a variety of areas depending on the work you wish to do. As a producer and sound engineer you will need a knowledge of recording equipment as well as an 'ear' for music meaning that you can pick out a variety of sounds at once noticing the timing, and tone. As a manager or record company executive you will need interpersonal skills, have excellent time management skills, and have some knowledge of the music industry. Interests of anyone in the music industry should be first and foremost, music itself whether it is recorded music of any style, musicals, orchestra's, or opera's. Depending on the line of work you find yourself in you may also need to travel a great deal and may also need to deal with the public on numerous occasions.

Salary Range
The range for music careers is quite large given the fact that some people make very little while others (Pop stars and rock stars, executives for example) make a great deal of money. A general range is given below.

$13,000-450,000 yearly.

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