Let me guess, you have a dream project that you would love to make a reality—and it involves raising money.

Maybe it’s a festival you’re looking to launch.

An album you want to record.

An after school program you’d love to create.

Or a new work your ensemble hopes to commission.

Whatever it is, the necessary missing ingredient is . . . the money. And maybe the thought of raising the money is so intimidating that you’ve abandoned the dream.

When it comes to raising money, musicians often feel overwhelmed. But I’ll let you in on a secret: all ambitious projects move forward one step at a time. As business coach Marie Forleo says, “Everything is figure-outable.”

Part 1: Take the first step now. 

Start by getting your ideas down on paper. Whatever you want to do that needs funding, get it out of your head and down on the page.

Create a “project map” to organize your ideas into a working plan. It’s the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of your project: the essential information needed for any fundraising campaign or grant proposal.

To create your map, write out your answers to the questions below as though you are responding to someone who might be able to help with the project. The more concrete and detailed you are, the better.

1. What is the goal of your project?

Explain what you want to accomplish.

2. Why are you doing this project?

Describe why the project is essential to your career development and your long-term goals. 

But go further and explain who else will benefit. In terms of your larger mission, how will the project help you make an impact on others?

3. What specific activities will take place as part of your project?

Be thorough and concrete. This will enable potential supporters to fully imagine and be inspired by your vision.

4. What is your “track record” so far?

To help demonstrate your ability to succeed with this project, list one or two examples of previous projects you’ve completed. This can give potential donors confidence in your ability to achieve your goals.

5. Who are your collaborators?

List all the people who will be involved and detail their roles in the project. To bolster your pitch, include a few key credits of your primary collaborators.

6. When will it be completed?

Whether your project includes a performance, a release of an album, or the launching of a teaching artist program, you need to choose a date for when you expect your project to be completed. Choosing a specific date will help you create a timeline for completing key steps along the way. Deadlines help us prioritize and focus.

7. What is your desired outcome?

Explain how you’ll measure the success of the project—how you’ll know that you’ve succeeded. It might be having a sold-out show, a positive review of your new album in a respected publication, or growing your mailing list to a certain size. Be clear—write it down, and be as specific as possible.

8. How much money do you need?

Make a list naming all the expenses you anticipate for your project and the cost of each item or service. You’ll need to do some research and get price quotes. Ask other musicians who’ve done similar projects for referrals. 

Once you’ve listed and priced everything you think will be needed for the project, add it up and write in your total anticipated expenses. That’s part 1 of your budget.

Part 2: The income (resources) for the funding of the project.

Think about the services or items listed on your expense sheet that you might be able to get for free as “in-kind” donations. These might include rehearsal/recording spaces where you have connections. Or you may have friends or relatives who can donate specific services such as printing, editing, or catering. 

List the items and the amounts these would have cost you otherwise (from your expense sheet). And if you have any savings you’re planning to use, list that too, as it will help defray the money you need to raise. 

Include all of your potential income (resources) and add up the total. Then subtract that sum from your expense total. Now you know how much money you actually need to raise.

Why write all this down?

Because it will help you clarify your ideas and reveal any missing links in your project planning. Best of all, doing this will give you most if not all of the material needed for pitching donors or writing grant proposals.

If you can’t get yourself to write all this out, then I’d question whether you’re ready to make your dream project real. In the end, it’s about . . .

Facing the fear

Tackling any ambitious project can stir up fear, which may show up as avoidance or procrastination or overwhelm. Expect it: it’s a sign that you’re doing something challenging that you care about.

To tease out how fear may be factoring into your project, answer these final questions:

What specifically are you afraid of?

Be honest. There’s no shame here. Note that emotions aren’t logical so trying to use your rational mind to talk yourself out of fear never works. Instead, tell your truth.

Naming your fears can be freeing. It allows you to test whether or not the fear you feel is reality-based and if so, if it’s a risk you’re willing to take.

It’s scary to move outside your comfort zone. But by naming your fear you can deal with it head on. Think of fear as an indicator pointing you towards what will help you grow the most.

What’s really at stake?

Instead of getting overwhelmed by the size of your project and all its moving parts, just identify the next needed action and focus on that. Take it one step at a time. You can do this.

Remember: the regrets people have late in life are rarely about what they did and failed at. What people regret most is what they didn’t do. 

Angela Myles Beeching (DMA, Cello Performance) is a music career coach and author who has run career and entrepreneurship centers at New England Conservatory, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and Manhattan School of Music. Learn more about how Beeching works with musicians by applying for a complimentary coaching session here.

Photo credit: Clark Tibbs on Unsplash

A career as a music librarian is worth exploring if you’re someone with a background in music with strong organizational and research skills. The work utilizes both analytical as well as creative thinking and bridges technology with the arts. 

The role of music librarian is one of support – for musicians, students, music faculty, and more. But music librarians also perform and use their music skills and backgrounds in other ways as well. 

What do music librarians do?

According to the Music Library Association (MLA), music librarians may do any of the following:

• Organize, catalogue and maintain collections

• Instruct library users in use of the library

• Respond to reference inquiries

• Select music, books, journals, recordings, microforms, and sometimes manuscripts and rare materials for acquisition by their library

• Recommend preservation and housing of materials

• Supervise support staff

Depending on where they work, music librarians may also be responsible for planning exhibits, concerts, lectures, classes, and collaborative events with other institutions. With digital scores so prominent on stage and in music studios, knowledge of the main digital scores platforms and other up-to-date technology skills are essential. 

Academic music librarians

Most music librarians working in universities and conservatories have a master’s degree in music as well as a Master of Library and Information Science degree accredited by the American Library Association. Prior experience working in a library is also helpful in getting hired; according to Misti Shaw, Head of Music Library Public Services and Outreach at Indiana University Jacob School of Music’s Cook Music Library, “Internships can be useful… many library science master’s degree programs require them.”

According to Stephanie Bonjack, Associate Professor and Music, Theatre & Dance Librarian at University of Colorado Boulder College of Music, “A background in classical music will give you the broadest number of options for jobs, but it’s not the only background you could have. Basically, you need to be able to understand the needs of the departments you serve. Someone with a background in jazz, for example, will just have to learn how to scale up their knowledge of classical music if they end up working with a more traditional department. I have a B.M. in Vocal Performance and that has positioned me well to work with a variety of music programs. 

“My job has many components!” Bonjack says. “They all relate to providing information literacy and access to resources in the performing arts. I build digital and print collections in areas of music, theatre, and dance that are taught at the university. I go into the classroom and teach sessions on how to effectively find scholarly resources in the performing arts. I interact with faculty and staff members to ensure that the library collections reflect the teaching and learning happening in their classrooms and studios. As a tenured faculty member, I participate in creating the scholarly record in music and performing arts librarianship. I do this by authoring peer-reviewed articles, presenting at conferences, and conducting workshops. I am also active in professional societies that support music and performing arts librarians.”

The job itself may dictate the education and background needed. According to the MLA, a “thorough knowledge of music history and repertory” is essential to this work. And libraries focusing on specialized music such as non-Western music typically require training in ethnomusicology and possibly relevant languages.

Andrea Schuler, who holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Viola Performance from Eastman School of Music, coordinated Eastman’s summer program for several years. She now works in Eastman’s Sibley Music Library as a Library Associate in the Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections. Her current position didn’t require a library science degree but her work in public library circulation while freelancing as a musician bolstered her candidacy for the job. 

“I help with research on a variety of projects, questions about historical Eastman faculty and alumni activity, recordings, photographs, student performances, etc.,” says Schuler, “and I assist patrons who visit the department or contact us online (retrieving materials from the collections for review, scanning items as requested). I also process materials for inclusion in our collections. I love that every day is different – I never know what I’ll get to see or learn about – and that there are so many amazing treasures in our collection!”

Ellwood “Woody” Colahan is the Music and Performing Arts Reference Librarian at the University of Denver (DU). He manages the music library at DU’s Lamont School of Music and also works in general reference and research support in DU’s main library. “Collection development in music is extremely time-intensive compare to other disciplines,” he says. “In most parts of the library collection, development is highly automated, with distributors sending us books based on criteria we define for them. In music, this is the case for books only. For scores and recordings, there is no comparable system so I have to go to a number of websites to identify materials and prepare order request spreadsheets for the library acquisition department. More and more often, composers self-publish their own scores, so I have to seek them out on composer websites. More and more often, they are available only as PDF downloads, so I have to request permission to print and circulate them in the library. Permission is not always granted. It is challenging.”

In addition to serving on several music-related committees at his school, Colahan also teaches “a required research and writing course all masters candidates in the Lamont School of Music must complete. If a school has this course, and a music librarian on staff, it is almost always the music librarian who teaches it.”

Orchestral music librarians

The Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA) includes members representing hundreds of orchestras from around the world. MOLA members’ jobs include locating and accessing scores, obtaining the needed rights and permissions to use them, preparing musicians’ parts for performing in concert and on recordings, cataloguing music, and dealing with unforeseeable last-minute situations. 

According to MOLA, orchestral librarians have a “broad range of training.” While not required to have specific degrees, they should have competencies in the following areas:

• Musical knowledge (score reading skills, transpositions, repertoire knowledge, instrumentation)

• Copyright and licensing

• Project/time management, supervisory skills

• Efficient interpersonal communication

• Research and reference

• Exceptional organizational skills with attention to detail

MOLA also describes “tact and sensitivity” and “curiosity and tenacity” as important components of a librarian’s capabilities. 

Other settings where music librarians work:

• Opera companies

• Ballet companies

• Military bands

• Music publishing companies

• Major public libraries including the Library of Congress and the New York Public Library

• Radio and television station libraries

• Music societies and foundations

Music librarianship as a career

Some music librarians continue to perform as freelance musicians but in most settings, their library work is full-time. Professional development programs provide continuing education training with opportunities to learn to specialize in various relevant areas. Annual conferences, professional publications, advocacy efforts, copyright and cataloguing guidance, and streaming services advice all support newer as well as experienced music librarians in remaining current as well as feeling supported in their work.

Barbra Weidlein is co-founder and director of MajoringInMusic.com

Resources to Know About

Copyright for Music Librarians

International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centers

MOLA: An Association of Music Performance Librarians

Music Library Association

A minor in music can be an excellent option for prospective students who are caught between pursuing their passion for music vs. another path. It’s also a great alternative for multi-talented students who want to focus on an area outside of music without leaving music behind. 

Pursuing a minor in music allows for a good balance of interests with a manageable course load when compared to double majoring in music with another area of study.

“I always try to counsel students that they have so many different options for music study,” says Zach Schwartz, Director of Admissions at Boston University School of Music. “Sometimes we tend to only think of full music majors as the only path, but in reality programs such as a music minor can be a perfect choice for someone to maintain their high-level involvement in the arts while also pursuing their chosen academic field of study.” 

Why choose a minor in music?

Pursuing a music minor offers some key advantages over simply taking music-related electives or extracurricular music lessons. 

First, a more structured music education can be a strong feature on a résumé or curriculum. It reflects a well-rounded, motivated student. Derrick Horne, Professor of Practice in Music at Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts, explains that “music minor completion shows dedication to the details of music. It also shows prospective employers that the student is familiar with the rigors of musicianship.”

Second, for students who already have a strong background in music and want to continue to hone their proficiency, minoring in music will keep students’ skills sharp and help maintain momentum and motivation while their primary studies are in another field.

Third, minoring in music ensures that students will be able to register for the music classes that interest them, which may not be the case for students vying for open registration. “A music minor allows students to follow the university music curriculum and enhance their private study with music coursework,” says Anna Luebke, at the University of Maryland School of Music. “Elective lessons that are not related to a major or minor at UMD are limited by space, and the minor program provides better access to music coursework.”

How to pursue a music minor

The process for enrolling in a music minor program varies among schools. Schools may offer a minor in music performance or a more general music minor without a performance focus. These options may have different requirements, workloads, and application/audition processes. For example, participation in ensembles may be required for music performance minors, but not for students minoring in music with a focus on songwriting or music industry practices. In addition, many music performance minors require the same type of audition process as they would for a music major. 

At Loyola Marymount University’s Department of Music, prospective music minors audition by performing two pieces/songs in contrasting styles to demonstrate their musical ability. “Previous experience in private instrumental or vocal lessons, and a background in basic musicianship, especially the ability to read music in both treble and bass clefs, are highly desirable,” says LMU’s Senior Administrative & Production Coordinator Tashi Cardinali Bateman.

The number of credits and semesters needed to complete a music minor also varies from school to school. Since a minor requires fewer credits than a major, students generally do not need to declare their music minor in their school applications process or even in their first year(s) of study. However, students should consider declaring (and applying for, depending on program requirements) their music minor in sophomore year to ensure that they have time to complete the program requirements within four years of study. 

Program requirements may include classes such as music theory, music history, aural skills, musicology and ethnomusicology, digital music production, recording, mixing, and songwriting. Performance minors will also take classes such as studio, ensemble, and applied lessons. In many programs, applied (private) lessons are often offered with doctoral performance students, and may incur an additional fee.

What can you do with a minor in music?

While many graduates with a minor in music go on to pursue their main area of study as a primary career, some leverage their minors into a career in the music industry, ranging from performance to working in music publishing houses. 

For graduates who do not pursue careers in music, their music minors are still useful. A music minor can complement a student’s main area of study and non-musical career path, preparing them for professional success in practical terms, not just on their résumé. Studying music provides transferable skills that can enhance students’ broader marketable skills in addition to their confidence, self-motivation, and teamworking abilities. Furthermore, a minor in music grants students additional knowledge that can be applied to any number of fields by making students more dynamic thinkers and better communicators.

In addition to being helpful in any career, a minor in music can also be fundamental to a college graduate’s ongoing satisfaction and happiness as they enter professional life. These alums leave school as better musicians than when they came in, keeping music central to their lives and allowing them to pursue musical hobbies or side jobs that can keep their lives enriched, balanced, and holistic. 

Haley Zaremba is a writer and researcher and frequent contributor to MajoringInMusic.com, with an MFA in Food Studies from American University of Rome and a BA in Media Studies from University of San Francisco. Her writing ranges from music and culture to energy and the environment.

Photo credit: Boston University School of Music

Studying music in Canada offers a wide variety of choices and options. Whether you want to major, minor, or double major in music — or simply want to take music classes while pursuing a different field, Canadian schools are worth considering. This article explores opportunities at three of Canada’s best known music schools and what makes each one unique.

Diverse and unique

Canadian schools attract students from the Canadian provinces and territories, the U.S., and from around the world. The broad spectrum of students attending these schools provides a wealth of learning about diverse cultures and perspectives, fostering a more global understanding of music. Collaboration is emphasized at all of the schools included in this article, contributing considerably to career development. 

Each school’s programs are diverse as well. For instance, if you’re passionate about studying popular music, Western University Don Wright Faculty of Music in London, Ontario offers the “only popular music program of its kind in a major research-intensive university in Canada,” says Sasha Gorbasew, Student Recruitment Coordinator. This was a big draw for Ben Heffernan, a London, Ontario native and Western graduate when he chose his school for its Popular Music Studies program. He also double majored in history and really enjoyed taking some of his classes at one of Western’s nearby affiliate colleges.  

McGill University Schulich School of Music in Montreal offers a program for prospective and current undergraduates who want to focus on music without academics. This three-year “Licentiate in Music” program trains students who are already at a high performance level for a performance career. The Licentiate program is offered to students who want to further study Early Music, Instrumental and Vocal Jazz, Orchestral Instruments, Organ, Guitar, Piano and Voice.

University of Toronto Faculty of Music offers a unique Bachelor of Music in Interdisciplinary Music Studies in both classical and jazz streams. According to U of T, students in both streams complete a multi-disciplinary core of require courses with the freedom to design part of their program of study around individual interests. In the third and fourth years of the program, students have no required courses. This allows students to choose their upper-year electives in one or more areas within music, or to combine their musical studies with an area of study in the Faculty of Arts & Science. By working on a sequence of music courses within specified areas and taking advantage of the diverse course offerings, students are able to complete certificates within their degree. 

Cost of attendance

The cost of going to college in Canada is a big draw. While Canadians pay less than international students, all students will find the cost of their college education, both undergraduate and graduate, to be lower than at many schools in “first world” countries such as the U.S.

Daily living expenses may also be lower in Canada than in a student’s home country. While the exchange rate fluctuates all the time, U.S., UK and European students will find that the dollar, pound and euro go further in Canada. 

Scholarships and financial aid 

Merit and need-based awards are available for domestic (Canadian) as well as international students attending Canadian schools. 

“We offer various music scholarships, academic scholarships, financial aid packages, and work opportunities,” says Melanie Collins, Student Recruitment Supervisor at Schulich School of Music at McGill. “International students are eligible to apply for all merit-based scholarships.” Jayden Lee, from Mesa, Arizona, who received his undergraduate performance degree at Schulich and is currently a master’s degree student in Flute Performance there, has benefitted. “McGill has an incredible amount of funding for grad students,” he says, “and I was extremely grateful to receive a full ride and stipend.”

At the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, “There are robust in-course scholarship opportunities, opportunities to participate in performance competitions (Concerto, Chamber Music, etc.) with cash prizes, and grant opportunities for summer programs, research, and more, and financial awards for graduating students,” says Aubrey Kelly, International Recruitment Officer. 

The Don Wright Faculty of Music at Western University in London, Ontario offers scholarships for study abroad, academic proficiency, and need and merit awards in areas of study including vocal and instrumental performance, music education, jazz, conducting, and theory/composition.

International students

All Canadian schools offer guidance to prospective international students on how to manage the application and VISA process at their schools. Read this information carefully. It may be different for undergraduate vs. graduate students. 

Once you’ve applied and have been accepted, as an international student you will need required immigration documents before making travel plans. You’ll also need to maintain valid immigration documents and legal status as long as you are in school in Canada.

International students who plan to study more than six months in Canada must obtain and maintain a valid study permit issued by the Canadian government. To apply for this permit, students need:

• Letter of acceptance (LOA) – provided by the school you plan to attend 

• Provincial attestation letter* – documentation that shows the province where the school you plan to attend is located has not exceeded the number of students it can accept the year in which you’ll start (*currently not required for graduate school study)

• Proof of identity

• Proof of financial support – proof of access to cover a minimum of annual cost of attendance plus first year living expenses

There are exceptions to all of this so check your school’s immigration office website before proceeding.

Sasha Gorbasew at Western University urges students to “apply for a study permit as soon as you receive an offer of admission. We recommend applying a minimum of 3-4 months before your program start date.”

Admission criteria

In order to be offered acceptance, Canadian universities require meeting their academic as well as their music requirements. They do vary in terms of competitiveness regarding acceptance. While they all emphasize the importance of a well-rounded education, some are more academically and musically competitive than others. 

The majority of Canadian college-level schools teach classes in English. This requires proof of English proficiency when applying. That said, most schools provide support for students whose grasp of the English language does not yet meet the school’s standards.

Note that international students and Canadian students from outside the province where the school they’re applying to is located, are typically able to audition virtually.

Careers

Students attending Canadian music schools say they find solid support for exploring and building careers in areas they’re passionate about. 

After graduating from Western, Ben Heffernan now works as a producer and engineer, session guitar player, and guitar teacher. “Going to Western was very useful with regards to my production and recording work,” he says, “as there were a number of courses that had us working in studios or in labs learning fundamental skills. I also made a number of friends who I still work with regularly!” The collaborative focus at his school provided him with opportunities to work with songwriters and led to his releasing his own music under the name “Oh Berlin.”

Briana Sutherland, who also came out of the music program at Western as a Voice Performance major, is now a master’s student in Opera Performance at University of British Columbia. She emphasizes that learning basic piano skills before you begin your undergraduate program is essential regardless of your primary instrument. She adds, “When taking required courses such as keyboard harmony or achieving your piano requirement, you certainly have an added advantage of already having a foundation set—making these courses significantly easier.”

Riley Kelly is currently a 4th-year University of Toronto trumpeter in the jazz stream of the Interdisciplinary Music Studies program. Drawn to his school because of the quality of the teaching faculty there, he says “I’ve just always dreamed of playing and learning under some of the decorated faculty we have here. Not only are they your professors, but they’re also working musicians who release songs, work gigs, teach on a global scale, and so much more.” Graduates of this program can go on to graduate school in music as well as non-music fields. They also pursue careers in arts management, music journalism, entertainment law, audio recording, and music business.

Jayden Lee received his undergraduate degree at McGill University Schulich School of Music where he is currently a Master’s student in Flute Performance. “I’ve been very fortunate to receive a high level of orchestral training at McGill, both from my professor as well as my experience in the McGill Symphony Orchestra the past five years,” he says. “Because of this, I’ve had the chance to freelance with a few orchestras, as well as take several professional auditions, a quarter of them so far ending with me as runner up.”

Barbra Weidlein is a co-founder and director of MajoringInMusic.com.

Photo Credit: Denise Jans

Instrument repair offers a complementary and fulfilling career path with excellent job security for musicians who are interested in pairing their passion for music with their technical talents. 

Since many technicians make their own schedules, instrument repair can be an excellent and flexible option for those who want to pursue a career in performance, production, teaching, etc. alongside their repair work.  This article will help you: 

• Gain insights for getting started on this career path
• Understand how technician work can complement other careers in music
• Learn about the benefits and challenges of the trade
• Decide whether instrument repair work is right for you

What does an instrument repair technician do?

According to the National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians (NAPBIRT), “A repair tech is a problem-solver, mechanic, acoustician, plumber, musician, bodyworker, innovator, painter, jeweler, tool and die maker, electroplater, counselor, buffer, chemist, designer, carpenter, and machine tool operator all in one.” In other words, technicians are experts in nearly all aspects of instrument repair and maintenance for one or more instruments. They are also customer service representatives who work closely with clients to help them understand and care for their instruments. 

Location, location, location

A technician’s role is highly dependent on where and how they work. Some technicians work for a specific company or organization that needs a technician on staff. Some work in the field, driving to client locations (particularly in the case of piano technicians). Still others work on the road as a touring technician, which frequently requires a broad but intimate familiarity with a variety of different instruments.  For most technicians, this huge variety of tasks and disciplines is one of the biggest perks of the job. “As a field service technician your environment changes day to day—new homes, venues, studios, and new pianos! Every piano is different, and every job is different,” says Peter White of PianoTechLA in Los Angeles. “One day you may just be tuning, the next you may be replacing or refurbishing parts on your bench, or voicing to shape the tone…the list goes on. It’s fun to meet new customers—piano people & musicians in general tend to be pretty interesting!”

What background does a repair technician need?

Instrument repair technicians come from a wide variety of backgrounds, as musical performers or from a mechanical or engineering discipline. While an ear for music and a proficiency in playing instruments is important, being an excellent musician does not automatically translate to being an excellent repair technician or tuner.  “Though there is some overlap, the skills required in piano service are largely different than those required in music performance or composition; a musician’s ear is not necessarily the same ear used by a piano technician,” says White. But no matter what background you may come from, “the fundamental goal of all techs is the same,” he continues, “to make an instrument sing, and to pave the way for beautiful music.”

While musicianship does not translate directly to being a good instrument repair technician, many technicians report that their competency as performers is of utmost importance to their work in instrument repair. Most technicians are skilled players themselves; it gives them an intimate knowledge of and familiarity with the instruments they are repairing.  “As a specialist in woodwind instrument repair, I believe that my capacity to play each of the woodwinds at a high level is an important element in the quality of repair work that I offer,” says Greg LaLiberte of GregLaLiberteStudios in Boulder, Colorado. “I know how each of the woodwinds should play best, how they should feel under one’s fingers, how the keys and pads should sound when gently pressed, the particular response each of the woodwinds should have when played.”

Learning the trade as an apprentice

There are many different pathways for starting a career in instrument repair, and all require rigorous training.  One option is to find a mentor already working in the field and train under them through an apprenticeship. This is a great option if you can find a mentor with enough time and motivation to train an apprentice.  This is easier said than done. Most technicians have packed schedules and may lack the time and energy to be a proficient mentor. The apprenticeship approach can be especially difficult if you don’t already have a solid contact in the field. 

If you are interested in an apprenticeship, experienced technicians say that the keys to finding a mentor are motivation and willingness to work hard, as well as persistence in demonstrating these traits to the person you want to train under. Mentors will not want to take on an apprenticeship (a lengthy and involved process) unless they are certain that you are dedicated to learning and mastering the trade and are willing to put in the time required to do so. 

University programs, trade schools, and online

Due to the challenges associated with finding an apprenticeship, going to a trade school or a university program specializing in instrument repair tech can be a more accessible pathway for becoming a technician. This is an excellent way to get your foot in the door, make important industry contacts, and get lots of hands-on experience with different instruments. There are a growing number of accredited university programs teaching this trade, such as the Piano Technology masters programs at Florida State University’s College of Music and Oberlin Conservatory. For students looking for a broader instrumental focus, Berklee College of Music offers a minor in Instrument Repair that includes brass, woodwind, and keyboard instruments.

In addition to formal training, there is a wealth of knowledge and do-it-yourself instructional repair videos on the internet. While these can be excellent tools to support your trade as you continue to develop professionally, experienced technicians warn that these are not a good substitute for a more formal and complete education through school or an apprenticeship with a master technician. There’s simply no substitute to learning in the classroom or in a shop with an instrument in your hands and an expert over your shoulder. More importantly, it’s very hard to know who online is credible and who is not. There are undoubtedly a great many helpful and well-informed videos and online repositories of information that can help an amateur repair their instrument, but becoming a professional technician requires years of hands-on experience and instruction. Furthermore, it is crucial to “learn the craft in a way that adheres to industry accepted standards,” according to Brandon Godman, violin technician and luthier at The Violin Shop in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Building your career

There are many ways to kick-start a career in instrument repair or piano technology.  One great way to get your foot in the door is by starting work in a rental department of an instrument shop. In this role, you learn to clean and prepare instruments for the next season, and get lots of hands-on experience with basic repair work that can lead directly to higher-level technician work. 

For piano technicians, John Cavanaugh, director of the MFA program in Piano Technology at Oberlin Conservatory, recommends starting off as a tuner for a piano dealer. In this role, you can meet many new piano owners and players who will need technician services in the future. Maintaining these contacts can be an excellent way to build a client base for an independent practice.  “Other ways to become successful are to work in academia taking care of piano collections, or to hire on with a reputable piano rebuilding company,” Cavanaugh adds.

What makes a great technician? 

A great technician must be patient, persistent, and enjoy solving puzzles. This career path is a particularly good match for those who enjoy working with their hands, gain satisfaction from a job well done, and have a mechanical sensibility, regardless of background. All of the technicians interviewed for this article emphasized the importance of curiosity and a drive to solve complex problems with no obvious solution. The challenge – and the reward – of instrument repair is that every problem is different, and even the most seasoned technicians are sometimes stumped. 

“What makes a great instrument repair person?” muses LaLiberte. “Smarts. An aptitude for how mechanical things function. A joy and curiosity in solving puzzles, a love for working through problems. Having an abundance of patience. Having the desire and fortitude to see a project, even one that seems impossible, through to its completion. A perfectionist. But one that knows when something has arrived at the goal.”

Benefits of being a technician

Those who have enjoyed long and successful careers in instrument repair say that they find their job extremely fulfilling. While there are some very tedious elements to the job—especially when fiddling with the same tiny parts for hours or days at a time, or meticulously tuning the 230 strings of a grand piano—the payoff can be immense. “The feeling of bringing a piano back to life and working with a player to dial it in to their taste is so satisfying after all the tedious work,” says White. “I love that the work bridges both the mechanical and the artistic—you get to play engineer and artist all in the same work.”

“I love that the work bridges both the mechanical and the artistic—you get to play engineer and artist all in the same work.” – Peter White

Multi-career options

Many musicians love combining performance with technician work, as the two careers complement each other in various ways. Working with musicians helps technicians stay active, engaged, and connected in their local music scenes. By the same token, being an active performer in a city’s scene helps technicians find new clients.

Furthermore, being a technician can provide a highly flexible schedule that allows you to pursue other music-related careers such as performance, production, or teaching alongside a thriving instrument repair practice. This is particularly true for self-employed technicians.  As Godman describes, “I am still heavily involved with playing. I am lucky to be around some of the best players in my field through my shops, and I get to be around, work on and study instruments and bows all day long. I feel I’ve made no sacrifices to either side, but have found an organic way to make a living doing what I love. I would venture to say a lot of colleagues in the trade feel the same way, regardless of what their background is.” 

Instrument repair is also a great complement and/or alternative to a career in performance or production because of its relatively high level of job security. Talented technicians are highly in-demand and frequently have more prospective clients than they can take on. As such, the trade can be quite lucrative, and part-time technicians who pursue multiple careers in music report that the bulk of their income comes from their repair work. LaLiberte says his schedule is so packed that clients have to book months in advance, and that this experience isn’t uncommon. “I often hear there is a shortage of repair techs in various places,” he describes. “If one is a talented and reliable repair person, I believe an enterprising individual could practically choose a city, set up a shop, put word out to the local schools, community ensembles, and musicians, put up a website, and quickly develop a business.”

Finally, being a technician can open amazing doors all over the world. There is a high level of demand for technicians anywhere that instruments are played. Which is to say, everywhere! Oberlin’s Cavanaugh, for example, has had extensive experience working with musicians and training technicians in South Africa, where the piano culture is thriving but there is a shortage of technicians.  There are also many underserved communities that rely on the support of technicians to keep music alive and within reach. In these contexts, technicians are not just skilled workers, but are providing an essential and philanthropic cultural service. In this way, being a technician can be an extremely rewarding way to support yourself while also giving back to communities around you. 

“If one is a talented and reliable repair person, I believe an enterprising individual could practically choose a city, set up a shop, put word out to the local schools, community ensembles, and musicians, put up a website, and quickly develop a business.” – Greg LaLiberte

Haley Zaremba is a writer and researcher and frequent contributor to MajoringInMusic.com, with an MFA in Food Studies from American University of Rome and a BA in Media Studies from University of San Francisco. Her writing ranges from music and culture to energy and the environment.

Resources in this article

GregLaLiberteStudios

National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians (NAPBIRT)

PianoTechLA Piano Technicians Guild 

The Last Repair Shop

The Violin Shop

Photo Credits

Musicians with ADHD see and experience the world through a different lens. While often creative, innovative and high achieving, they are sometimes tagged with opposite attributes. This article provides a solid understanding of ADHD as it relates to music students. It also presents accommodations available to help students experience successful collegiate and professional careers. 

What is ADHD?

The term ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is misleading. Musicians’ health researcher, Dr. Eckhart Altenmueller, says this: “Attention deficit is an imprecise term because the disorder is not thought to involve a lack of attention. Rather, there appears to be difficulty in regulating attention, so that attention is simultaneously given to too many stimuli.”

According to the National Institute of Health, ADHD is a diagnosable condition marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. Researchers believe that low levels of the chemical in the brain known as dopamine contribute to symptoms of ADHD, and cause those diagnosed to constantly seek more stimuli. 

ADHD and musicians

There is very little research on ADHD among musicians, but based on the studies and anecdotal evidence available, common symptoms include but are not limited to:

• Needing additional stimuli to practice such as practicing with a  T.V. in the background;
• Struggling to remember and recall information from Music History;
• Being very early to rehearsals for fear of being late – or showing up late;
• Feeling overstimulated in practice rooms because of all of the noise;
• Gets distracted with off-topic conversations in music lessons;
• Losing one’s place in rehearsal while trying to count rests;
• Daydreaming or drawing during “boring” music classes;
• Forgetting to bring pencils to rehearsal;
• Being very sensitive to criticism.

Specific challenges music school applicants face

• Filling out applications requires a high degree of accuracy and may seem quite boring. Because this process often doesn’t provide enough stimulation, students with ADHD may overlook critical details of an application. 

• Students may heavily procrastinate completing an application to stimulate a last-second rush to finish the application. This can be very thrilling and simultaneously very stressful for all involved.

• People with ADHD experience something colloquially known as “time blindness.” So, in the case of college applications, those with ADHD may underestimate the amount of time needed to complete an application, meaning they are unable to finish by the deadline.

• And finally, people with ADHD often suffer from rejection sensitivity, or intense emotional pain felt in response to being teased, criticized, or rejected. Some applicants with ADHD will therefore choose not to submit applications for fear of rejection because the pain is so intense. 

Managing ADHD 

First and foremost, it’s critical to understand that many music students with ADHD do not suffer as a result of nor are they aware of their diagnosis before college. This is especially true for female musicians. Often those with ADHD put immense pressure on themselves and are very successful under the rigid structures that high school can provide. 

It is not uncommon to see a previously high-achieving student start to struggle in college due to the more open structure and responsibilities that college requires. 

ADHD is considered a disability under the American Disabilities Act (ADA). Students with ADHD are protected from discrimination and have the right to ask for accommodations. 

Once a student gets to college, they can visit the school’s Office of Disabilities Access (ODA) to ask for accommodations. 

Common accommodation requests include:

• Asking for extended time on tests and assignments
• Testing in a quiet place without distractions
• Asking for permission to record lectures
• Getting assistance taking notes in class
• Obtaining written instructions from professors
• Taking a reduced course load

How music educators can support students 

Music educators are on the “frontlines” of musicians’ health problems. Being aware of the symptoms of ADHD can go a long way in helping students quickly find solutions to the problems they are facing. 

Students may be struggling to focus in class, forget simple instructions, ask for directions to be repeated often, are late to rehearsal, and/or have difficulty regulating their emotional responses (“emotionally dysregulated”). 

If you’re a music educator who finds yourself labeling a student as “difficult,” “lazy,” or “unmotivated” see if you can reframe your perspective to become curious and non-judgemental. It will go a long way in helping you seek to understand the student rather than label and dismiss them.

Helpful tips:

1. Writing down specific directions rather than just using auditory directions to clear up any confusion. Follow up your lesson with an email. 

2. Speak kindly to the student. As mentioned earlier, those with ADHD can suffer from rejection sensitivity meaning they can have intense physical and mental distress from criticism and rejection. 

3. If you find your student struggling to practice a piece of standard repertoire, inquire if the student finds the music boring. This can lead to students not wanting to practice. 

Be creative and find music the student enjoys practicing that accomplishes the same technical or musical goals as the standard rep. This is a concept known as “job crafting.” When the student has a say in what they are working on, they are more likely to be invested. 

3. It may be also be appropriate to guide students to seek assistance through counseling services.

4. Finally, recognize that those with ADHD often experience the chronic feeling of not fitting in. They may also have intense anxiety because they feel like they’ve forgotten something but can’t remember what it is. Think of it like Neville Longbottom’s magical glass ball Remembrall in the  Harry Potter series. The smoke would turn red when he forgot something but didn’t communicate what he had forgotten. That type of constant anxiety coupled with rejection sensitivity makes living life and doing daily tasks so much harder than it is for those without ADHD.

Disclaimer: This article cannot and should not be used to diagnose anyone with ADHD. This article is to be used as a tool to help those who have been diagnosed to be aware of common problems and how to navigate them. If you believe you might have ADHD, please seek a psychologist or psychiatrist who can administer the needed testing. 

Kensley Behel, Ph.D. in Performing Arts Health from the University of North Texas, uses her knowledge and life experience to help musicians learn how to prevent injuries. Kensley was diagnosed with ADHD during her Ph.D. and works to bring ADHD awareness into the musical community through her consulting work.

Photo credit: Tara Winstead

Preventing discomfort or pain for pianists starts by addressing the underlying cause of the problem. Repetitive incorrect use of fingers, hands and arms can challenge even the most proficient performer. 

The following tips will be useful for beginners, advanced pianists, and anyone taking keyboard classes. They should also be helpful if you spend long periods of time on the computer.

Correct seating

Problems may stem from how you sit at the piano and what you sit on. Sitting on a bed or cushions when practicing can result in a variety of problems as can incorrect bench height, how you sit on it, and its distance from the piano.

Sit on the front half of the bench with your feet flat on the floor. Your feet should be under your knees, carrying some weight in them, aiding your back muscles in keeping you upright. This should allow for an easy, straight posture. Avoid having shoulders back and spine curved in.

To figure out the ideal piano bench or seat height, your elbow should be at the height of the top of the white keys. Half-inch-thick 12’’x12” foam mats can be added to the bench to help you sit at the right height. 

When you put your hand on the keys and lean slightly forward, your upper arm and forearm should make an angle slightly larger that 90 degrees. This allows for the best leverage of your forearm over your fingers.

Timing your practicing

The best time to practice depends on when you feel most able to concentrate. Extended concentration and productive practicing use an area of the brain called “working memory.” 

Working memory is a limited resource. If your working memory is depleted, practicing will likely be unproductive and you will be less able to recognize physical cues and warnings that you are doing things incorrectly.

Short, concentrated practice periods (up to about 45 minutes) are more likely to be productive. Note that you may be able to accomplish more in 15 minutes of focused practice than in 2 hours of unfocused practice. Recognize when you lose attention. It’s an important skill to develop.

If the only time available for practicing is when you are mentally fatigued (e.g. after many hours of homework), try to refresh your mind before practicing. Take a walk, do some jumping jacks, have a snack, lie down for a minute, stare at the wall, whatever gives your mind a rest. We can often recharge our working memory with short breaks or snacks.

Practicing on top of pain is generally not worth the risk of causing a more serious injury. If you are in pain, investigate the injury before practicing. Practicing after strenuous activity resulting in physical symptoms (e.g. arms aching after computer use) is a set up for problems. If you are physically tired or mildly sore from your previous task, proceed with caution. Rest before practicing if it makes the tiredness go away. 

If you do not have time to rest or rest does not make things better, it is best to skip the practice. Fatigue and soreness can make it difficult to discern between a movement error and leftover soreness. 

Practicing before a performance

As a performance approaches, it becomes less likely that you can make improvements. The more important consideration is having lots of energy for the performance. Gigs are usually quite draining due to the adrenaline involved. I shorten my practice in the last week before a concert. To save my mental energy, I only do brief rehearsing (less than an hour) on the day before and the day of a performance. I also get good sleep and eat well. I used to cram practice before performances, and I have had much better success with this “tapering model” common to athletes.

Piano habits causing fatigue, tension, pain or injury

It’s important that your fingering doesn’t make your hand do things that can lead to tension and injury such as stretching (between fingers), twisting (defined below), curling of the fingers, or crowding the fingers. Be careful to avoid fingering dogmas that ignore the physical effect on your hand. Find fingering that is comfortable and easy to portray the music on the score.

Habits that can lead to problems include:

• Isolating 

This occurs when you use your fingers independently, without the help of your hands and forearms. If it is isolated, repetitive, and over a long period, it can cause problems. Isolating can happen in the lifting or dropping of the fingers and commonly causes tendinitis (inflammation) or carpal tunnel syndrome (pressure on the median nerve of the forearm and hand).

• Forcing

Injuries like tennis elbow (inflammation of the tendons that join the muscles of the forearm to the outside of the elbow) can result from pushing on the bottom of the key bed with undue force. A key will go down effortlessly if the forearm is helping the finger.

• Collapsing

When your knuckles, wrist, or elbow collapses while playing a key, the fingers tend to isolate and you use more effort than necessary. Back and neck injuries often result as the body compensates for the collapse.

• Curling

If you over curl your fingers by pulling them in from the knuckle closest to the nail, your arm will tighten, often leading to carpal tunnel syndrome.

• Twisting

“Twisting” is the Taubman term (see side bar) for “ulnar deviation.” It happens when you bend your hand towards your wrist. This tightens your arm and causes myriad symptoms, often including pain on the side of your wrist.

• Stretching

By stretching to play a piano key, opposite muscles are activated at the same time. This results in tension. 

Warning signals

There are usually milder signs to pay attention to before other symptoms show up.

Indications that you’re doing something incorrectly may include:

• Unpredictable wrong notes

• Discomfort, tension, or fatigue

• Difficulty playing fast

• Inability to control your hands

• Inability to play with ease

• Unpredictable tone 

Ignoring these signs can lead to pain, tingling or numbness, especially in your forearms, wrist, neck or back. Serious injury can result.

Final takeaway

It’s important to figure out the cause of your problem, not just treat symptoms. If you experience any discomfort, quickly stop playing and investigate the cause before continuing. 

If your piano technique is the cause of your discomfort, treatments such as physical therapy, acupuncture, surgery, massage, botox shots, and cortisone can potentially mask the problem. The treatment could even make matters worse and cause more problems if you continue to practice incorrectly. You may find some temporary relief from these types of treatments, but the vital issue is to get to the root of the problem and solve it.

Bio: Brenna Berman is a Certified Master Teacher of the Taubman Approach, Executive Director of Effortless Artistry Music and a Golandsky Institute Associate Faculty member.

Taubman Approach

The Taubman Approach teaches efficient movements, making it possible to play musical instruments without limitations, fatigue, or injury. It incorporates body mechanics, basic physics, and a thorough understanding of the interaction between the body and the piano. In addition to being able to prevent and cure fatigue and pain, it enables an effortless technique where the pianist has utmost control over speed, accuracy, piano tone, and artistry.

The Taubman Approach has been used to heal and prevent injuries including: tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, dystonia, focal dystonia, and general fatigue and pain. This approach helps pianists and other instrumentalists as well as anyone whose profession demands repetitive use of the finger, hand, and arm (computer users, writers, etc).

Also see: Preventing and Resolving Piano Injury

Here are 7 tips for getting what you need at these fairs:

1. Plan to attend college music fairs whether or not you know you want to major in music.

College music fairs help you clarify whether you want to major, minor, double major in music or simply find ways to keep music in your life in college. 

You’ll meet admission folks, get on their radar (a good thing to do!), and have your most burning questions answered.

The fairs are free to attend and you’re welcome to attend as many and as often as you want.

2. Before the fair, ask yourself the following:

• What genre or area of music are you most passionate about? Do you think you’ll want to focus mostly on that in college? 

• On what instrument or in what area of music are you most proficient?

• Which schools will be at the college fair you’ll be attending? Do they offer what you’re interested in studying?

• Have you looked at the websites of schools you’re interested in? Many of your questions (including majors offered, applying and auditioning, faculty, cost of attendance, size of classes, scholarships and financial aid) will be answered there. If these schools participate on MajoringInMusic.com, you’ll find the most important information you’ll need for now on their individual school pages.

• What besides music would you like to explore in college? Are you as passionate about any of these other areas as you are about music? 

• What are your main questions right now for each school?

3. What to expect from a college fair

• You’ll be asked to sign up for each fair you attend. 

• In-person college fairs tend to be crowded and noisy. You may have to wait in line to talk with each school. Be patient and don’t expect to get all your questions answered, just the most important ones. 

• An informative panel discussion may be offered before or after the fair. Plan to attend if at all possible.

• Pick up a business card and any promo information from the schools you’re interested in. This will be helpful for following up.

• Virtual college fairs may allow you to reserve a time with each school you’re interested in meeting with.  

• Schools will create a file on you. They want to remember you especially if you show ongoing interest in their school and if they’re excited about your applying.

• Be prepared to show up as your best self. It will serve you well if you look, dress and act like you’re interested in the schools you meet with. 

• Schools don’t expect you to be “perfect” and they are used to students who are nervous or shy. 

• If you have a particularly good connection with a school representative and you’re interested in their school, send an email to acknowledge that and ask any specific questions you forgot to ask at the fair.

• Expect to hear from schools you meet with – by email and/or snail mail.

4. Conservatories vs. other types of schools

Are you a highly proficient instrumentalist, vocalist, or composer? Do you want to focus on in college? Do you want to take fewer electives and general education classes so you can dive right into your area of interest? Do you think you’ll be able to audition well? If you answered “yes” to these, consider checking out conservatories.

If you think you want to explore other areas of interest in addition to music and may even consider a second major or one or more minors, consider a music school within a university or a liberal arts college with a strong music department. You’ll need to apply and be accepted by the overall university or college as well as the music program. Note that many liberal arts colleges and an increasing number of universities require a stronger academic background than conservatories.

And if your academics have not been strong, or if finances are a major issue, or you’re just not sure what you want to do in college, consider a community college. Look for one where your credits will transfer to a 4-year school (in case you decide to do that later on) and where you can take music theory and applied lessons to see if music continues to be your main area of interest.

5. Helpful questions to ask at a college fair

• What’s the best way to communicate with faculty members who teach what you want to study? How can you get a sample lesson?

• Are there a few student contacts to talk with?

• What kind of career preparation is offered?

• What about internships and other hands-on experiences?

• Are you considered for scholarships when you apply and/or audition? 

• When is the best time to visit the school and will you be able to sit in on some classes and rehearsals?

6. If you have learning differences

It is not necessary to discuss these at college fairs. You can find out about the services each school provides on their websites. Once you’ve accepted an offer, you will want to register with the disabilities office before classes begin. Each school in the U.S. has this type of office and many schools outside the U.S. do as well. Note that your high school IEP or 504 plan will not transfer to college.

7. Remember:

• NO two schools are alike. Don’t make any assumptions or generalizations. 

• Schools don’t expect you to be perfect but they do expect you to read and follow whatever guidelines or rules they provide.

• College music fairs are a way to learn more. And you can continue to learn through college websites, resources like MajoringInMusic.com, associations and organizations related to your area of music, and the visits many colleges make to high schools like yours.

• Take notes at each school visit. Have your phone, iPad, computer or notebook ready before you start. Ask each school if you can use your phone to record the session if you’ll remember more that way. You’ll be able to refer back to your notes when you’re ready to consider which schools to apply to.

• If you discover you have questions after the fair see if you can find answers on school websites and then contact the Admissions Office as needed.

By Barbra Weidlein, director and a co-founder of MajoringInMusic.com

Photo Credit: Royal Conservatory of Music

By Daniel Weidlein

How do you figure out whether to focus on drum set or percussion for music school? 

Too often all of the percussion instruments (and the people that play them!) get lumped together in one oversized category. But the instruments themselves, and the styles in which they’re played, serve myriad functions across every genre of music. The similarities seem to end at the “hitting something” part. 

So how do you hone your focus amidst so many options? Here are a few ways to think about it.

Classical percussion

Classical percussion programs, such as the one at Temple University Boyer College of Music and Dance led by Phillip O’Banion, include focused study on individual drums (snare drum, timpani, bass drum), cymbals, and mallet keyboards (marimba, xylophone, glockenspiel). Mallet keyboards are especially important to a classical percussionist’s skillset, and something that you may not have been exposed to if you primarily play drum set or marching band drums. At Temple, part of the entry audition is an étude or solo on a keyboard percussion instrument, so prior experience is vital. 

Drum set

Outside of a classical focus, music majors at most schools focus on drum set, either in a jazz or popular music program. Many jazz programs also offer a vibraphone major, although that varies depending on the faculty. 

An important thing to note is that many jazz drum set majors are still required to take two years of private study with a classical teacher, as is the case in the jazz program at Temple. Classical percussionists, on the other hand, are encouraged to study drum set privately, but are typically not required to do so. With the rise of more and more popular music programs, there are also more options to study drums in pop, rock, and R&B styles.

Hand percussion, world percussion, and everything else

Some schools offer more specialized percussion majors. For example, the CalArts Herb Alpert School of Music offers undergraduate and graduate specialized majors in addition to more traditional jazz drums and classical percussion. In its World Percussion master’s program, CalArts students study African, North Indian and Indonesian percussion instruments as well as a host of instruments of other cultures. 

Other schools offer students the opportunity to perform in world music ensembles outside of their major. At Eastman School of Music, for example, undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to join gamelan and West African drumming ensembles. No prior experience is required. 

An example of a more specialized program is at Berklee College of Music. Berklee breaks its percussion students up into six principal instrument group categories: drum set, hand percussion, orchestral percussion, vibraphone, marimba, and steel pan. A student is required to pick (and audition for) their primary instrument, but there’s a lot of room to study other instruments through their Lab program which allows for hyper-specific group study in a wide range of stylistic categories (everything from Ghanaian drumming to frame drum ensembles to New Orleans brass bands). 

I play it all! How do I pick my major? 

The reality of being a working musician, especially a percussionist, is that you have to be able to do a lot of things well to make a living. An excellent example: theater drummers who play in Broadway-style pit sections. To get the gig, you likely need to be a good drum set player with great feel and time in many styles (jazz, rock, soul) and a good hand percussionist. You should also be comfortable enough with classical percussion instruments to cover a xylophone, triangle, or gong part. 

These days in recording sessions, you’re much more likely to get the gig if you can play all the different layers of percussion yourself – rather than the artist having to hire three or four separate musicians for each part. So unless you are fully dedicated to becoming a touring jazz drummer or the principal percussionist of a major orchestra, being a well-rounded percussionist is a highly-valuable skill. 

How to pick a focus

Yoron Israel, chair of the percussion department at Berklee, says the bottom line is that you should be focusing on the instrument/style that you’re most comfortable with. University-level music programs are competitive, so put your best foot forward. 

Seek out a program that allows you room to study other instruments and styles on the side. At Berklee, there are jazz drummers playing in the orchestras. At CalArts, there are classical percussionists playing in gamelan ensembles. Paul Romaine, drum professor at the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music, expects his students to compose and arrange their own music, with the belief that being able to write music undoubtedly makes you a better drummer and someone who “understands the music more completely.” 

Preparing for your audition

Schools vary so much in what they look for in percussion auditions. It’s therefore extremely important to do your research ahead of time and understand the specific requirements at each school.

Recently-admitted Berklee student Josh Baum suggests going on YouTube and checking blogs to see how current and former students from any school talk about their audition experiences. “[I was surprised] to find out that I was required to know music theory and singing [as part of my audition],” he says.

You’ll likely be locked into studying the instrument you auditioned on for at least the first two years. So pick something you’re passionate about, that you’re best at, and the instrument on which you want to further hone your craft.

Reach out to a professor you’re interested in studying with. Not only can they help clarify what will be expected at the audition, but you will also get a head start in establishing a connection that will be helpful if you choose to attend that school. Ask for a trial lesson in your junior year or fall of your senior year to learn more about how professors teach at schools you’re serious about.

No two schools are looking for the same pool of students, so find which programs and which professors resonate with you the most. And be sure to bring your passion for learning your instrument to your audition. 

Know that at most schools, your entrance audition is also a merit scholarship audition, so it behooves you to prepare well. 

Career options

Some of the many career opportunities for percussionists include:

PERFORMING

• Back up bands

• Military bands

• Local and regional symphony orchestras and chamber groups

• Orchestras associated with ballet and opera companies

• Pit orchestras for theatre productions (drum set, hand percussion, mallets, and classical percussion all in one!)

• Recording drum set player

• Keyboard instruments such as glockenspiel, marimba, tubular bells, vibraphone, xylophone, steelpan

• Hand drum such as Middle Eastern frame drums, West African percussion, Afro-Caribbean percussion, South American percussion 

• Studio or session musician (free lance work playing on albums or compositions of other artists; playing on film music)

• Touring

TEACHING

• Band director

• Clinician and adjudicator 

• College-level

• K-12

• Private lessons

• Providing drum and percussion clinics for major instrument companies

OTHER

• Composing and arranging

• Ethnomusicologist (studying and performing styles such as Balinese and Javanese music)

• Historian (reviving and performing older percussion styles) 

• Instrument technician

• Lecturing and writing on percussion topics

• Music therapist

• Working with music instrument, recording, retail or sheet music companies

Daniel Weidlein is a professional composer/songwriter, music producer at BioSoul Music, and multi-instrumentalist. He is a graduate of USC Thornton School of Music with a major in Jazz Saxophone Performance and minor in recording. 

Photo Caption: Drummer Josh Baum recommends finding out how each school you apply to helps its students access summer internships and work after graduation. Photo Credit: celebrateeverydayphotography.com

MajoringInMusic.com is here to help you explore a variety of options along with many different career paths involving music. Whether you’re considering majoring, double majoring, or minoring in music, or you’re someone who wants to find other ways for music to play an important part in your life, you’ll find answers and guidance on MajoringInMusic.com.

The Article Index will take you to a huge bank of information featuring majors, careers, different types of schools to consider, tips on injury prevention, music entrepreneurship, how to pay for school, how to get the most out of visiting schools, and much more. The list of Participating Schools will take you to dozens of excellent college-level music schools and several arts high schools. You’ll find out what they offer and their cost as well as have the opportunity to ask for more information right from their school pages. You can also see which participating schools offer what you’re interested in by visiting Find Schools That Fit Your Interests.

The Summer Music Camps & Programs will help you learn about programs all over the U.S. and beyond where you can dive into various musical areas to further your proficiency, knowledge, audition chops, etc. And for anyone needing more tailored assistance, fee-based consultation is available by simply clicking on “Request Consultation” and let us know what you need.

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Wondering if music is still a viable major and career plan? If so, you’re not alone. The pandemic hit the music world hard. While some found innovative new ways to make and share music, others found themselves second-guessing the wisdom of pursuing music as a career. “Worldwide, we’ve seen some incredibly talented musicians find creative ways of continuing to get music into the world…and we’ve seen others who have given up, just waiting for it all to blow over,” says Ryan Brown, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM).

“Questioning is essential,” reminds Ashley Hall, Manager of Career Coaching at Longy School of Music. “Students always need to be evaluating and gut-checking their answers to questions about their music career plans.” Jonathan Kuuskoski, chair of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Leadership at University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, adds, “It is actually essential that our students understand how the ‘real world’ is going to be challenging, at times unfair, and sometimes downright depressing. Our students demand this kind of transparency, and for good reason – having a realistic view of the professional world is the requisite starting point for developing a capacity to navigate it successfully.”

Due to the pandemic, looking closely at what it will likely take to have a viable music-oriented career post-Covid is more essential than ever. Not to discourage you from pursuing music – but to help you understand early in your musical journey what you need to be doing besides becoming a more proficient musician.

Pandemic upshot

We spoke with numerous career development and entrepreneurship faculty at music schools across the U.S. to learn how they’re guiding music-driven students toward sustainable post-pandemic careers. Many of these folks continue to enjoy active music careers outside of academia.

According to Blaire Koerner, Assistant Director of the Institute for Music Leadership at The Eastman School of Music, the pandemic “magnified any gaps we had in incorporating technology, removing barriers, being flexible, connecting virtually, and sustaining partnerships…It’s undoubtable that COVID-19 will have permanently impacted the music field and the world moving forward.”

“A successful career in music has always been a long game,” says Joanie Spain, Career Advisor at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. “There will always be more talented graduates than open auditions for orchestra seats.” This is also true in other performance and non-performance areas of music. So it’s vitally important to develop and hone the skills, strategies and mindset required for growing your career.

“The pandemic brought certain things into sharp focus,” Spain adds. “It underscored the need for students to build an entrepreneurial toolkit and familiarity with relevant technology, especially media. It highlighted the importance of coaching students in the development of their own musical ideas, innovative projects, and music business basics in order to build skills and confidence leading to long-term career success. It confirmed the importance of building a professional network and connecting with alumni as an integral part of their education.”

What should you expect from your music degree(s)?

Most schools would agree with the assessment that an undergraduate degree in any field is meant to be what Spain calls “broad and exploratory.” 

As an undergrad, it’s a good time to investigate your areas of interest but also explore non-music directions as well. “We remind students that they can use their bachelor’s degree to navigate in any direction after college,” says Spain. “They may have earned their degree through the primary lens of music, but it doesn’t in any way limit their career options. In fact, employers in every sector value candidates trained in music because of the remarkable qualities they develop through their studies.” 

Ryan Brown at SFCM strongly encourages prospective and current music majors to “Define ‘career in music’ for yourselves. If you mean earning a full-time income making just the music you want to make, that is a long shot and you may have to make quality-of-life sacrifices to get there. But there are many, many gradations between that goal and doing nothing with music whatsoever. Finding your own part of that gradation should be your goal, and, as a music conservatory, it’s our responsibility to support you in that process.”  

Entrepreneurship and business skills

If you have little to no experience in entrepreneurship training, find classes, a minor or a certificate program to help you learn how to create your own opportunities and fill needs in the community through a music-related response. “Entrepreneurship goes beyond ‘business skills,’ it rests on a foundation of understanding the needs and sensibilities of the people you are trying to reach with your art,” says Jeffrey Nytch, composer and Director of the Entrepreneurship Center for Music at the University of Colorado-Boulder College of Music. “It requires the ability to recognize unmet opportunities and then to devise sustainable methods to capitalize on those opportunities.” Jonathan Kuuskoski at Michigan adds: “It is precisely in times of disruption that we need artists to find new solutions to old problems.”

Find ways to improve your networking and business skills that will help you broaden your income streams down the road. Seek internships for hands-on experience. Look for these far in advance of graduating so you can use the resources at your school to your advantage.

When should you pivot re: your music career plans? 

The pandemic has prompted many people in every career field to rethink their current path. Pivoting is the well-thought-out process of purposefully shifting into a new related direction. 

Several of the career development folks we spoke with cautioned against looking at pivoting as a sign of failure. “We must embrace a narrative around music career viability that gives permission for students to say yes to additional paths and pursuits outside of music without feeling like a failure,” says Ashley Hall at Longy. “We need to encourage students to have multiple interests and to find ways to be creative with how they integrate music in their careers.”

Jonathan Kuuskoski at Michigan says, “Pivoting can mean many things. It can mean supplementing an existing career, adding a new prong to one’s portfolio, or it can mean giving something up to pursue something new.”

He adds: “Just about every artist pivots in their career at some point, in some way. No matter the circumstance, it is rarely a strong move to pivot in a reactionary state, such as in response to a moment of crisis. One is almost always better off starting with a visioning process that lays out some ‘north star’ goals, a longer term vision for your future. 

“We focus on helping students develop tools to plan for uncertainty and develop the habit of critically analyzing their goals over time; that kind of planning gives them more authority to take chances and try new things when exciting (but unproven) opportunities emerge. The good news is that there is more than one pathway to achieving your vision, and once you have claimed your longer-term goals it becomes easier to identify the right moment to ‘pivot’ in whatever way makes sense to you.”

Since Covid hit in 2020 and venues started shutting down, musicians have been forced to take a hard look at their finances, the job market, and more. According to Natasha Jones, Life and Work Advisor at CalArts, “This does not mean that they have to pivot away from music, but consider some additional career options.” She suggests that students look at “their past work/volunteer/extracurricular experiences and what they liked about them.” They can then learn about “jobs that relate to their experiences and interests” and then “figure out what they need in order to pursue these jobs.”

Rebecca Nussbaum, Director of Career Development at University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), encourages students to think of their future in terms of a “portfolio career,” i.e., developing skills that will allow you to have multiple income sources. She’s confident that “A career in music is absolutely viable if the student musician is prepared to maintain a portfolio career that includes developing skills in performance, pedagogy, communication, technology, and professionalism. Being adaptable and willing to continue to develop is paramount to success for all musicians.”

Correlating Careers vs. Plan B

Dana Lynne Varga is a classical vocalist, voice teacher, and career coach who teaches in the Vocal Studies Department at Longy. An advocate for singers and positive change in the classical vocal world, Varga has written extensively about career concerns. She counters the idea of a “Plan B” for performers in particular (i.e., a fall-back plan in case music doesn’t prove to meet your needs) with the what she calls a “correlating career.” 

In a nutshell, she describes this with a twist on something musicians have heard countless times: “If you can see yourself doing anything else, do that too.”

Varga says a correlating career is one that “runs alongside” your area of musical focus. It may be musical but it may not be. Most of all, it’s something that you are also interested in and hopefully passionate about. And it provides income that contributes to your financial stability.

“Being robust in your career planning is important for musicians,” says Nick Ross, who chairs the Department of Music at Otterbein University. Use the career resources available to you when you’re in college to plan for additional income streams. This can lessen the chances of having to scramble later on. For some, this may mean getting a double or dual degree, adding one or more minors, or flipping their major and minor (music becomes the minor).

The importance of self care

Everyone we spoke with emphasizes the importance of self care, especially as you move forward from the pandemic. Joanie Spain at the Jacobs School of Music sums it up well when she says: “We’ve long acknowledged that injury prevention is important to a career in professional music. We realize now more than ever that not all injuries are visible.”

Career development faculty are including wellbeing check-ins and programs specifically designed to support the “whole human artist,” says Richard Kessler, Dean of Mannes School of Music at The New School. “What we mean by this is that we explicitly support a healthy physical, emotional, and yes spiritual practice, including the development of coping skills, stage fright management, meditation, healthy eating, good practice habits, and an overall healthy attitude towards your development as a human being and artist,” he elaborates. 

“Artists should approach self care in the same way we treat other obligations (e.g. practicing, rehearsing, studying!) – that is to say, it should be habitualized and prioritized into one’s weekly schedule as much as possible,” urges Jonathan Kuuskoski. “Find a small way to connect and integrate some easy-to-adapt practices into your daily life, check in regularly with them, and connect with others who are engaged with that work to support you along the way.”

3 Key Takeaways

1. Ongoing career planning is essential.

The music industry is fluid. Ever-changing technology drives many of the shifts in the way music is consumed. Therefore, any serious future in music requires staying current with all of it. Continuing education is a “must” in music.

“To understand and prep for this new world that we live in,” says Blaire Koerner at Eastman, “incoming musicians should have an open mind and remember change isn’t a bad thing. Be proactive in your pursuit of music. Get curious about what opportunities now exist and current trends, talk to people active in the field to get their advice and insight, and try stuff out to gain valuable experiences and transferable skills.”

2. Transferable skills can be used in other fields.

As a music student, you learn skills that are needed in most career fields. Knowing how to translate these “transferable skills” to other contexts will be extremely useful for pursuing any career.

3. Prepare early for a career in music. 

Start using the career services offered at your college as soon as possible. Develop a broad skillset that will help you adapt to ongoing changes in the world of music.

Barbra Weidlein is Director of MajoringInMusic.com.

Photo credit:  © The New School