Learn a Musical Instrument, Prepare for a Career

Invisible Career-Path Available Only to Musicians§ Record Company Executive
For a skilled musician, there is an additional career path§ Music Publisher
that is invisible to the non-musician. This is an additional§ Tour Coordinator
benefit beyond the pleasure of playing music, thePerformance: Actors are more highly valued if they
attention it brings, and the better academichave a musical education. Today, with so few actors
performance than students who do not learn to play amulti-skilled as they were in the era of the large
musical instrument. It is a broad range of extra careerstudios, this can be a real advantage. Below are some
opportunities that non-musicians never even consider.of the jobs for which an actor who is also a musician
But if you're a musician, you can apply. Let's take amay "incidentally" be qualified.
look at these careers that are available only to§ Performing artist
musicians§ Soloist, instrumental or vocal
Education: Are you a musician who has also studied§ Studio musician
education? If so, there are numerous music education§ Background vocalist
opportunities that may interest you:§ Theatre musician
§ Music educator at a college, conservatory,§ Accompanist
university§ Church musician
§ Music teacher at secondary or elementary§ Product demonstrator for instrument
schoolmanufacturer
§ Private music instructorMovies / Video Games: If you study movies or video
§ Music supervisorgame production, a background as a musician will help
§ Choir directoryou prepare for music-related jobs such as the
Therapy: Are you a musician who has also studiedfollowing:
psychiatry? You can practice the trade of music§ Conductor
therapy in a wide array of settings. Some of the§ Music Composer
sources of employment for music therapists are the§ Music Editor
following:§ Music Supervisor (to scout for music)
§ Schools§ Arranger (to determine the mix of song
§ Universitieselements per the conductor or producer's
§ Nursing Homesspecifications)
§ Mental health clinics§ Sound designer (of effects to accompany
§ Correctional Facilitiesmusic score)
§ Private practice§ Jingle writer / composer
Business: Ever wonder what it takes to work inFrom education to video games, there are careers
business management? Besides business smarts, anavailable for those who happen to have a background
ability to talk the language of music will take you placesin music which the rest of us never see. Each of these
the non-musican cannot go:fields requires time and study for proficiency, but they
§ Artist Manager or Agentrepresent a career path that is nonexistent for
§ Talent Agentnon-musicians.
§ Concert PromoterSure, you already knew that playing music could
§ Independent Radio Promoterimprove your quality of life. Now you know it can
§ Music Business Entrepreneurimprove the quality of your career.
§ Music Business Consultant