For a skilled musician, there is an additional career path that is invisible to the non-musician. This is an additional benefit beyond the pleasure of playing music, the attention it brings, and the better academic performance than students who do not learn to play a musical instrument. It is a broad range of extra career opportunities that non-musicians never even consider.
But if you're a musician, you can apply. Let's take a look at these careers that are available only to musicians
Education: Are you a musician who has also studied education? If so, there are numerous music education opportunities that may interest you:
� Music educator at a college, conservatory, university; thousands of positions to apply for in both public and private colleges.
� Music teacher at secondary or elementary school; thousands more all over the US and the world.
� Private music instructor; there are hundreds of thousands of private piano teachers, guitar teachers, drum teachers, etc. working for themselves in private studios and/or teaching in a music store.
� Music supervisor; many opportunities to oversee musical programs in both public and private venues.
� Choir director; thousands of schools from elementary to college; thousands of churches who use choir directors.
Therapy: Are you a musician who has also studied psychiatry? You can practice the trade of music therapy in a wide array of settings. Some of the sources of employment for music therapists are the following:
� Schools
� Universities
� Nursing Homes
� Mental health clinics; the author worked as an assistant music therapist one summer when he was in college; it was a great experience.
� Correctional Facilities
� Private practice
Business: Ever wonder what it takes to work in business management? Besides business smarts, an ability to talk the language of music will take you places the non-musican cannot go:
� Artist Manager or Agent
� Talent Agent
� Concert Promoter
� Independent Radio Promoter
� Music Business Entrepreneur
� Music Business Consultant
� Record Company Executive
� Music Publisher
� Tour Coordinator
Performance: Actors are more highly valued if they have a musical education. Today, with so few actors multi-skilled as they were in the era of the large studios, this can be a real advantage. Below are some of the jobs for which an actor who is also a musician may "incidentally" be qualified.
� Performing artist
� Soloist, instrumental or vocal
� Studio musician
� Background vocalist
� Theatre musician
� Accompanist
� Church musician
� Product demonstrator for instrument manufacturer
Movies / Video Games: If you study movies or video game production, a background as a musician will help you prepare for music-related jobs such as the following:
� Conductor
� Music Composer
� Music Editor
� Music Supervisor (to scout for music)
� Arranger (to determine the mix of song elements per the conductor or producer's specifications)
� Sound designer (of effects to accompany music score)
� Jingle writer / composer
From education to video games, there are careers available for those who happen to have a background in music which the rest of us never see. Each of these fields requires time and study for proficiency, but they represent a career path that is nonexistent for non-musicians.
Sure, you already knew that playing music could improve your quality of life. Now you know it can improve the quality of your career.
http://www.articlecircle.com/music/learn-a-musical-instrument-prepare-for-a-career.html
