Professional Musician
~C.J.~
Job Description:
Musicians perform music for live audiences and recordings. They audition for positions in orchestras, choruses, bands, and other types of music groups. They practice to improve their technique, rehearse to prepare for performances, and find locations for concerts or performing. They also travel to fun places like music festivals to promote their careers.
Work Conditions:
They work in places like concert halls, outside venues, clubs, and arenas. Some times they have to lift heavy pieces of sound equipment or anything they need to perform. Normal rehearsals and recordings are during regular business hours, but performances are usually at night or on the weekend.
Salary:
The median salary is around $38K and ranges from $14K to $100K.
Educational Background:
To be a musician, you do not have to have an education, however, most musicians go to college and major in The Art of Music and get graduate or a bachelors degree.
Career ladder:
1.Learn your instrument
2.Play in different places (gigs)
3.Go to school and major in The Art of Music.
4.Shadow a mentor that works in your specific field and learn the ropes.
5.Start working on producing your own music and doing things yourself.
Employment Outlook:
The growth of this occupation will be due to the increase or decrease in the demand for musical performances.
Related Jobs:
Professional singers, Prof. Band Directors, Music teachers, and Music Producers.
Characteristics & Abilities:
They need to be patient because they're job depends on other folks' opinions of them. They also need to have a little bit of courage because they are putting themselves out there for people to judge them. Not everybody is going to like them, so a good musician will have to block out the haters. They also need to be able to play their instrument, support, and manage themselves.
Advantages:
Musicians get to travel to many different places and they become known in a broad range of places. Another thing is they get to spend time doing what they love. That is, if you love music.
Disadvantages:
When musicians do travel, they are away from their families for long periods of time, and they don't make very much money. However, as long as they're happy they'll be just fine.
Career Cluster:
Arts, A/V Technology and Communications.