Music career?

Question

I'm starting to think about career options and i took this test and it said i should do either communications/arts, government, or teaching. i think i would have to go with the first one and the only way i would teach is if i taught music lessons. i love music and i play the piano, clarinet, and the cello plus i would like to learn how to play the guitar soon. i am also in marching band. and i am really good at all of them. but what kind of lifestyle would i have? you know, when i moved out? any current musicians? what kind of jobs are available? what's it like? all people welcome but musicians prefered.

Answer 1

If you want to be a Professional Musician in a future you need to decide what instrument would be your Major. Clarinet, Piano or Cello? I'm telling you this because if you want to join a Music School (like a Conservatory of Music) they will require you to tell them what will be your major.

This about this, and you need to decide what instrument you like more or which one you are better at.

After you decide what instrument would be your mayor instrument, you need to practice more... scales and repertory. Why? Because you need to do an audition to be accepted at the conservatory of music.

Now, I would recommend you to start looking for Music Schools and Conservatories to see which one you like more. Check what is the repertory they require for those instruments you play, and then decided what you want to do.

Now for your quuestion: The jobs available for musicians: If you play cello or clarinet, you can join any orchestra while you are studying and make some extra income, for cello more opportunities because of the size of the section of course. Only 2 clarinets but at least 6 or 8 cellos, Could be more depending on the size of the Orchestra.

Life style: A Crazy and Unique young lady who is a great musician. All we are a little bit crazy in a good way. hours of practicing, performing and competing with others. You will find all kind of people in the Music School, Good, bad, brillian and talented, some talented and also people that you will ask to your self, My God how come He/she is here, is really bad! This is the real world lady.

My recomendation, Study study study study... until you can be the best!

In my personal experience, If I have to go back in time, I would be a musician again. That is who I am and what I do makes me happy!

Good Luck

Answer 2

I don't believe teaching music is a high paying job. How song have you been playing ? Teaching music if good if you plan to get married and have a husband support you. Other wise , if you went for more than a Bachelors degree and could teach in a college , the pay would probably be better.
Also, private lessons is good for a side job, while maybe another job as primary job. YOu could major in something with a minor in music ed. You should talk to college counselor for advise. If you start something finish it.

Answer 3

I finished a music degree three years ago, and now I work as an academic adviser, teaching jazz piano and playing gigs on the side.

There are some questions you should ask yourself. Do you enjoy playing gigs? Where could you expect to find work? Should you, and are you willing, to move? Would you be open to playing church gigs? Might you expect to find a seat in a symphony orchestra? How well are your local orchestra players paid? Are you OK with spending all your evenings and weekends working?

There are numerous ways to make money in music but none of them are easy (for most of us). A full time teaching gig makes it easier to stay alive, but perhaps that's not for you. Similarly, if you know you don't want to play church gigs, weddings, or some other particular type of common gig, that can make things harder on you. I know musicians who support themselves strictly on part time church gigs but as an atheist that's not an option for me.

If you're planning on making your living as a composer, know that any composing work is very difficult to break into and you need a plan of what you're going to do in the interim. If you're planning on studio gigs know that you need to be able to read extremely well, and people who have studio gigs usually keep them until they retire or die.

It's good that you play multiple instruments. If you can sight read on all of them you can potentially double, and especially if you get work in a musical somewhere - either Broadway or smaller scale - that can translate to big easy money. Since you already play clarinet I recommend learning the other woodwinds - especially alto, tenor and bari sax. Playing a lot of instruments, or a somewhat unusual instrument, can pay off - especially in a big market like New York or LA. Whatever you do, don't plan only for orchestra work unless you have a remarkable talent on a specific instrument or just have a burning desire play orchestra; that's a small market, they're not always paid well, and many MANY star conservatory students - I'm talking concerto competition winners - can be found playing cocktail piano in hotel lobbies after graduating.

Personally I found that I was so tired of gigs by the time I graduated that I really wanted to pursue other work. Some of my friends are doing pretty well but they work all the time, and spend a lot of time on the road which I'm not into on a long term basis.

All this said, if you find yourself going into college with the knowledge that you love music more than anything else, the advice that I would want to have heard is to just go for it, without worrying about afterward. I'm not using my degree in my full time job, but I'm applying for a cool full time, non performance job that would make good use of my fine arts background, and my music degree makes me a qualified candidate. Moreover, I've found the general life lessons and work ethic I developed as a music student to be generally very useful. Just get involved in a lot of things while you're in school, keep your options open, and learn as much as you can about as many different things as you can - musical and otherwise.

Last but not least, as long as you're thinking about any kind of performance career, practice your sight reading EVERY day, and you'll work as long as there's work to be had.

Answer 4

The safest way, job wise, to go is being a music teacher in high school etc, with a steady job. Musician's aren't the greatest in the money making field, unless you hit it REALLY big with a band nowadays. Music career is great, I'm glad I chose it, but it's not the most "comfortable" life, from my experience anyway. Stick with your day job, and use music as a secondary source of income, unless a great opportunity comes up. Music's mostly a great field...because it's incredibly fun :)

Answer 5

The music business is a b*tch! If you are looking to become a prefoming artist I suggest you take commercial music management-(in college). If you are looking to be a teacher then you should simply start at home! Advertise yourself and give lessons for a reasonable price. I highly doubt you could support yourself only giving lessons so you shouldn't try unless you generate a lot of profit, already. It is tough to live on music, but if you work it out it is always worth it.

Answer 6

i think of her upward push up sucks. She is a wannabe. i think of that if she wasn't Hulks daughter, she'd be a bigger performer. She may well be better with the aid of fact she'd could paintings harder. The extra you attempt, the extra interest you have. She purely needs the popularity. So i do no longer think of she's spoiled, she's in easy terms a sufferer of condition.

Answer 7

music is a hard life without some school to back you up

Answer 8

You'd have to choose one instrument, it takes too much practice to be a jack of all trades, master of none.