There's a lot more to the music industry than standing up on stage and singing your heart out. A love of music is a key ingredient in all jobs in the music industry - but we all show our love in different ways. Not all jobs in the music industry are about performing. If you're interested in making music a part of your working life, there are interesting jobs in the music industry that make use of the skills that you have.
What sort of jobs can you find in the music industry? Everyone knows about musicians and performers, or course, but there's an entire industry devoted to supporting, producing, teaching, publicizing and supporting performers. If you're looking for jobs in the music industry, here are just some of the careers you might consider.
Music Teacher
A music teacher may work in a public or private school, have a job with a social agency that offers enrichment, or give private lessons. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 3 in 10 music teachers are self-employed, and many music teachers only teach part time. There were about 253,000 music teacher jobs in 2004, but that number is expected to grow faster than jobs in other industries as baby boomers continue to embrace lifelong learning. The median salary for a music teacher is $14.85 per hour.
Music Ministry
A music minister is far more than the Church organist. Under the direction of a senior clergyman, a music minister may organize the choir, participate in planning of musical events for a church, encourage attendance in church and help parishioners develop and present their own musical worship and praise. The American Guild of Organists offers salary guidelines for Music Ministers that range from $31,000 for a minister with a Service Playing Certificate to $67,000 for a music minister with a Doctorate in Sacred Organ Music.
A and Scouts, Coordinators and Administrators
If you have a good ear for music and a good grasp of what people like to hear, you could find a career in the A and R (Artists and Repertoire) area. Among the most fun jobs in the music industry, A and R scouts and other professionals actively seek out talent for record labels and production companies. A and R scouts visit clubs and concerts, listen to demo tapes and watch videos to find new talent, and are often responsible for finding songs for existing talent to perform.
Music Therapist
Do you believe in the healing power of music? Music therapists work either independently or in nursing homes, schools and other institutions to use music as an aid to healing, bring enjoyment to patients at varying stages of recovery, relieve pain and provide emotional comfort to patients with various physical and emotional illnesses. For a musician who wants to feel good about his or her work, it could be among the most rewarding of jobs in the music industry.
Songwriter
From freelance to staff songwriting positions, there are many jobs in the music industry for songwriters. You may work alone to write and produce your own songs, work as a staff writer for a record or publishing company, write jingles and ads for the radio or television advertisements, perform your own work in front of an audience or never sing a note. You may write just the words, please, concentrate on the composition of instrumental pieces or write both.
These are just a small sampling of the kinds of jobs you might find in the music industry. For more information, you can take a look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. A career in the music industry can offer far more than a weekly salary. If you enjoy music, can write, play or perform music, or just know music inside out, then you may find your career niche in one of the many jobs in the music industry.
Rita Henry is a contributing editor for Jobs In Music, the leading job and resource site for the Music Industry. Interested in receiving only the hottest Music job listings weekly for free? To learn more visit Jobs In Music.
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