A career in music is one of the most rewarding and diverse occupations available.
Careers are readily available to those with the skills, knowledge, and tenacity to succeed as professional musicians. First, what you will find is that most music career fields involve music and some other skills set or knowledge base as many professional musicians hold more than one job. For example, many performers sing or play their instruments in more than one ensemble, and teach private lessons on the side. Although this does not apply to all music careers, this was the case with Bach, Mozart, and Haydn hundreds of years ago, and this is the case for many musicians today.
Below, you will find a listing of common music careers. Rather than think of these only as music careers, think of them as broad music career categories, and each category contains multiple job possibilities. Each section also spotlights 365bet music department faculty in their various music career fields. Lastly, all of our music department faculty are well respected in their various careers and would be happy to talk with you more.
The most well-known music career is Performance. Performing musicians are employed
in opera houses, symphony halls, musical theatres, jazz clubs, and many other venues.
There are also many performers who work mainly in recording studios, recording commercials,
movie soundtracks and background music for popular musicians. Also, each branch of
the military has a wide array of performing ensembles that employ musicians.
Recommended degree concentrations for professional ensemblists:
Many 21st century performers do not audition for jobs in professional ensembles. Instead, they market themselves as recitalists, seek grants, and fund their own performing tours. If you have the desire to pursue this aspect of a performing career, a music degree concentrating in Liberal Studies with an Arts Entrepreneurship Minor is recommended.
![Kristen Sienkiewiczk](/music/files/images/faculty-images/sienkiewiczk-200.jpg)
![Jeffrey Williams](/music/files/images/faculty-images/williamsj-200.jpg)
![Stanley Yates](/music/facstaff/faculty_photos/yatess-profile.jpg)
365bet’s music education faculty are devoted music teachers, researchers, and conductors
with several years of professional experience and numerous publications to their credit.
Currently, there is a growing need for guitarists and popular musicians to work as
music teachers, mainly in urban schools that might have rock bands in the schools
in addition to traditional ensembles. There are also a growing number of steel-pan
bands, and other non-traditional school ensembles that need specially-trained music
educators. Choirs are also becoming more diverse as show choirs and other acapella
genres become more and more popular. If you are interested in this career, a degree
concentrating in Music Education is recommended.
Recommended degree concentrations for music educators:
![Michael Chandler](/music/files/images/faculty-images/chandlermd-200.jpg)
![John Schnettler](/music/files/images/faculty-images/schnettlerj-200.jpg)
![Korre Foster](/music/files/images/faculty-images/fosterk-200.jpg)
Pedagogy is another aspect of music teaching that focuses more on teaching private
lessons in homes, churches, or music stores, rather than in public school classrooms.
There are specific certifications for some areas of pedagogy (Kindermusik for preschool
music lessons, and Suzuki for strings instruction, for instance).
Recommended degree concentrations for pedagogues:
This degree combination will teach you the musical skills to be successful, and the business skills to manage the taxes, billing, and other management aspects of running your own private studio.
![Patricia Halbeck](/music/facstaff/faculty_photos/halbeckp-profile.jpg)
![Stanley Yates](/music/facstaff/faculty_photos/yatess-profile.jpg)
A music theorist is someone who analyzes and writes about music. A composer is obviously
someone who composes or writes music. Most music theorists teach theory at the college
level, or edit music for publishing companies. While some composers write symphonies,
operas, and other traditional genres, many composers write music for commercials,
television programs, movies, and an increasingly growing field of video game sound
tracks. Most composers also teach theory to college-level music students so a graduate
degree in music would be required.
Recommended degree concentrations for music theorists:
These concentrations will prepare you for graduate school in composition or theory.
![Jeffrey Wood](/music/files/images/faculty-images/woodj-200.jpg)
Musicology, the study of music, usually focuses on the historical development of music.
Music historians most commonly work at the college level, teaching music history to
college students. Some historians also work as music critics for newspapers or magazines,
or write or edit music-related books and articles for publishers, websites, encyclopedias
or related publications. There is a related field of musicology called ethnomusicology.
An ethnomusicologist studies the musical styles from cultures around the world and
then teaches and/or writes about world music cultures.
Recommended degree concentrations for musicologists:
- Bachelor of Arts/Sciences: Liberal Studies concentration
- Minors
- History
- Sociology
- World Language
- Linguistics
- International Studies
- Minors
![Ann Silverberg](/music/files/images/faculty-images/silverberga-200.jpg)
A musician in this career field works at a church, synagogue, or other religious congregation
as a music director or leader. Although some worship directors do not hold degrees
in music, most have degrees in sacred music from a seminary or private, religious-based
college.
Recommended degree concentrations for pedagogues:
- Guitar Performance
- Instrumental Performance
- Keyboard Performance
- Vocal Performance
- Bachelor of Arts/Sciences: Liberal Studies concentration
- Minors
- Ethical Studies
- Philosophical Studies
- Religious Studies
- History
- Minors
Music therapists use music as a therapeutic tool to address motor, communication, cognitive, social, and/or emotional needs. Music therapists work with clients across the lifespan in school, hospitals, mental health agencies, nursing and rehabilitation centers, or private practice. This is a rapidly growing field and 365bet is one of very few schools in Tennessee to offer a concentration in music therapy!
Recommended degree concentrations for music therapists:
Music Therapy
![Lauren Booke](/directory/images/bookel.jpg)
Also known as the Music Industry, this is one of the largest and most profitable music
career fields. Music business can include anything from managing a music retail shop,
to becoming a popular musician or recording artist. This field also includes musicians
who manage concert halls, opera houses, recording studios, and those who work as agents,
marketing specialists for musicians, technicians, and numerous other careers.
Recommended degree concentrations for those interested in Music Business:
This career field is also called the Recording Industry. Musicians in this field design
and run sound systems for large performance halls, convention centers, and professional
recording studios. They also combine their musical and sound-engineering skills to
design architectural structures with special acoustic properties, including concert
halls, sanctuaries, practice and recording studios, rehearsal spaces, and related
venues.
Recommended degree concentrations for those interested in Music Technology:
A conductor leads an ensemble through the rehearsal and performance process. Conductors
work in professional instrumental and vocal ensembles, colleges and universities,
churches, and in all four branches of military. Most conductors also serve as ensemble
managers or artistic directors, teach, perform, or fulfill some other function within
their own, or other ensemble.
Recommended degree concentrations for conductors:
- Guitar Performance
- Instrumental Performance
- Keyboard Performance
- Vocal Performance
- Bachelor of Music: Music Education (Choral/K-12 General Music)
- Bachelor of Music: Music Education (Instrumental/K-12 General Music)
- Bachelor of Arts/Sciences: Liberal Studies concentration
- Minors
![Gregory Wolynec](/music/files/images/faculty-images/wolynecg-200.jpg)
Anywhere there are instruments, there is a need for technicians to repair them. Repair
technicians work in colleges and universities, local music stores, instrument manufacturing
companies, and as self-employed technicians. Some technicians repair a broad range
of instruments, while others specialize on one instrument family, or even one instrument.
Recommended degree concentrations for those interested in Instrument Repair:
Through these programs 365bet can provide the music and business skills to manage your own repair shop, and then connect you with local repair technicians for apprenticeships and additional career preparation.
A music librarian fulfills all of the same job functions as a librarian, but manages
musical scores, journals, books, and recordings. Although most music librarians work
in university libraries, many large community, public, or academic libraries hire
a staff music librarians. Music librarians may also work for radio stations, managing
large compilations of recorded music. Some music librarians also work as editors or
manage collections of music publishing companies.
Recommended degree concentrations for Music Librarians:
- Bachelor of Arts/Sciences: Liberal Studies concentration
- Minors
- English
- Creative Writing
- Minors
Eventually, you will need to pursue a Master of Library Sciences (MLS) degree. More information is available from the Music Library Society at www.musiclibraryassoc.org/
If you are thinking about a degree or a career in music but need more information, there are a lot of resources that can help. A sample of music career books and online resources has been provided below. Additional career-specific information is also available on any one of the websites of the music professional organizations. As you search for more information, be cautious of music career resources that are written by non-musicians. Sometimes a high school guidance counselor will have career advising information that is written by non-musicians and these publications typically present a very limited and inaccurate portrayal of music career opportunities. Also, watch-out for materials that are labeled “music career” but really only focus on music business or the music industry. These materials will usually fail to mention pedagogy, music education, music therapy and many other careers that are not part of the music recording industry. Finally, watch-out for any music career resource that says “anyone can become a professional musician.” Life as a professional musician takes hard work, diligence, practice, and patience. It is not for the faint of heart and, usually, only the dedicated are successful.
For more information about music careers, we encourage you to find any of these publications in your local bookstore, on-line retailer, or website. Again, these are not listed as an endorsement of quality or accuracy. They are only included herein as additional sources of information.
- Branscome, Eric. Music Career Advising: A Guide for Students, Parents and Teachers. Landham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2013.
- Field, Shelly. Career Opportunities in the Music Industry (6th ed.). New York: Checkmark Books, 2009.
- Goldberg, Jan. Great Jobs for Music Majors (2nd ed.). Chicago: VGM Career Books, 2005.
- Horner, Brian. Living the Dream: The Morning After Music School. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, 2014.
- Beeching, Angela Myles. Beyond Talent: Creating a Successful Career in Music (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press, 2010.
- Cutler, David. The Savvy Musician: Building a Career, Earning a Living, and Making a Difference. Pittsburgh, PA: Helius Press, 2010
- The Savvy Musician companion website http://savvymusician.com/
- CareersinMusic.com. www.careersinmusic.com.
- National Association for Music Education Career Center www.careers.nafme.org.