By: Michelle Curry          

Many people assume that if you receive a degree in music there are only three professionaloptions available to you; managing, producing, or performing.  This is simply not true, there are countless professions involving a degree in music.  Some of the standards are Business Manager, Booking Agent, Concert Promoter, Tour Coordinator, Music Therapist, Conductor, Music Journalist, Publicity Director, and Music Publisher. Most people are familiar with these positions, so let’s discuss some of the positions that may not be so familiar.

ARENA AND FACILITY PROFESSIONS

If you desire a degree in music, know that Arena and Facility jobs are available.  Arena and Facility jobs include professions such as Concert Hall Manager and Stage Manager.  A Concert Hall Manager “oversees all activities that occur in a facility” (CareersInMusic.com).  They supervise all of the employees of the hall including ticket sellers, ushers, security, electricians, and lighting and sound.  They may also work promotions for the concert hall and any production that is presented in the facility.  A Concert Hall Director is responsible for persuading people to buy tickets and for filling the seats in the concert hall.  They market the venue and promote the events.  A Stage Manager watches rehearsals and oversees lighting, stage props, and sound, and ultimately secures that the show runs smoothly.   Receiving a degree in music will not only increase your understanding of the daily job tasks performed in these professions, it will also help you communicate with the musical people you host in your facility and will assist you when initially getting your “foot-in-the-door” of the business.

MUSIC INDUSTRY MERCHANDISING PROFESSIONS

There are many music industry merchandising jobs available for music degree graduates including Music Store Manager and Music Store Salesperson.  A Music Store Manager’s main function is to manage and run a retail music shop.  This involves overseeing daily activates, hiring and firing staff, forming work schedules for all of the stores employees, and assigning particular tasks to each staff member.  A Music Store Salesperson is responsible for selling the items available in the store such as instruments, supplies, sheet music, accessories, and other types of equipment.

Having a degree in music will definitely be helpful in fields such as these, especially if the degree involves the business of music.  A degree will not only ease everyday tasks, it will also support your knowledge of communicating in the music world, therefore easing sales situations for both you and your customers.  Music Store Managers and Salespersons work with musical instruments and supplies and attending college for music will increase the knowledge of both of these aspects.

An Instrument Sales Representative is also an option when graduating with a music degree.  These representatives are responsible for selling musical instruments to dealerships, schools, and shops.  Although acquiring a music degree for this type of job is not necessary, encompassing a degree in music can help you get hired for this type of job and help you converse with your musical buyers.

There are also many instrument work and development jobs obtainable.  You can build or design musical instruments, or you can simply do repairs and restorations.   Whichever job you seek in the field of music industry merchandising, graduating with a music degree will help you tremendously.

RADIO AND TELEVISON PROFESSIONS

There are also many radio and television jobs available for music degree graduates.  You can become a Program Director and be responsible for selecting the correct format for radio stations.  Becoming a Program Director, you will also be accountable for scheduling programs and making sure those programs run at full exposure times.  Program Directors also work closely with Music Directors of radio stations.   A Music Director is responsible for specific radio station programs.  Their duties include screening tunes for their Program Director to choose from, promoting their stations, and determining their station’s demographics by conducting market research.

Pursuing a degree in music will definitely improve your chances of becoming a Program Director or Music Director and will reduce the element of having to “prove” your knowledge of music to those already active in radio and television.

Working for radio also entails the job of a Disk Jockey.  This person introduces songs, albums, news, public announcements, and more to radio station listeners.  Disk Jockeys are likely to have very likeable and outgoing personalities as they are considered a form of entertainment for their audience. A Video Jockeys is the television version of a Disk Jockey.  Video Jockey’s launch music videos on TV and announce when videos will be airing.  Sometimes they even provide their audience with a little background information on the videos.

Again, possessing a degree in music can help you obtain a Disk Jockey or Video Jockey job and attending school for music can provide the information you need to become involved with professions in radio and television.

RECORDING AND RECORD INDUSTRY PROFESSIONS

There are numerous recording industry jobs and working for a record label provides you with many options, especially if the label has grown out of its “mom and pop” stage.  You can become an A&R (standing for artist and repertoire) and be responsible for recruiting new talent for the record label and for finding performing material for the label’s artists.

If you are interested in working for a record label, you can also become a Record Producer.  “The Record Producer works towards producing an album. With this goal, there are many things for which the Producer is responsible. First, the Producer helps an artist select the song to be recorded, and then finds a studio, and arranges for studio or recording time. From there, the Producer chooses an Arranger and Engineer, and reaches out to a Contractor to find background vocalists for the song” (CareersInMusic.com).  An Arranger is the person who arranges all of the parts in a musical composition, turning the song into a potential chart-topping single.  The Engineer is the person who manages the sound board and all the electrical equipment during a recording session.  Sometimes the Engineer is responsible for mixing a track after it has been recorded.

The recording industry also includes professions such as an Orchestrator or a Copyist.  An Orchestrator is someone who writes musical compositions for orchestras, bands, and choirs.  A Copyist is a person who takes a musical composition and transcribes it onto staff or manuscript paper.

While working in the music industry, you can work promotions for many different types of companies.  When working for a record label, promotions are crucial; these types of companies have multiple jobs requiring promotions.  You can become a Promotion Staffer and work solely on getting as many of your labels songs played on the radio and television as possible.  You can also become a Promotion Manager and have the same responsibilities as a Promotion Staffer plus some.  Becoming a Promotion Manager means you are in charge of the entire staff that works in the promotion department of a record label.  As the title implies, you will also be responsible for any promotional activities that occur within the company and it will be your job to surface new promotional ideas for your company.

Studying music in college will help you acquire any of these jobs.  Becoming an A&R or a Record Producer requires one to know not only how musical compositions are designed and operated, these jobs also require one to have knowledge of the music business;  a college degree in music can help you figure this out.  Becoming an Arranger, Engineer, Orchestrator, or Copyist demands that one knows the rules of how music is written and also obliges the involvement in music technology, also matters learned in a college of music.

There are many more recording industry jobs available such as Field Merchandiser, Staff Publicist, Marketing Representative and Advertising Account Executive.  Obtaining a degree in music will help you succeed in any recording industry profession.

MUSIC EDUCATION AND CHURCH PROFESSIONS

There are numerous church and education job possibilities when you possess a degree in music.  You can become a Choir Director for a school or church.  Many degreed instructors start their own private choirs, such as professional children and adult choirs.  Many of these choirs travel around not only the United States, but also the world to share their music.  You can become a Cantor, and lead the congregation of a church in prayers of song.  You can become an Elementary, Middle or High School Music Teacher and plan your daily lessons as you wish, as long as your plans fall under the guidelines given by the school and its district.  Many high school music teachers instruct choir classes, music appreciation classes, and some even teach the basics of music theory and ear training.  According to CareersInMusic.com, people who hold music degrees can become Music Supervisors.  “A Music Supervisor may work as a School, District, or State Music Supervisor. He or she is responsible for coordinating teaching activities for personnel who instruct students in vocal and instrumental music.”

Someone who wishes to graduate with a music degree may also become a College, Conservatory, or University Music Educator.  This can entail teaching music theory, music arranging, music history, and vocal and instrumental performance.  University level music educators can also be responsible for coaching chamber music groups and conducting orchestras or choruses.

Many degreed musicians take the knowledge they learned in college and become a Private Instructor by coaching voice or instrument lessons.  You can also become a Music Librarian and become responsible for “classifying and filing musical recordings, sheet music, arrangements, and instrument scores. The Librarian also suggests music for musical directors of motion pictures, radio, TV and more” (CareersInMusic.com).

There are so many professions accessible in music education and church professions, all of which are obtained easier if one has a music degree.

OTHER MUSIC PROFESSIONS

Many people don’t think about it, but there are many jobs within music companies that have very little to do with actual music.  However, if you pursue one of these jobs and have a degree in music, it will ease the daily processes of working for the company.

One of these types of jobs involves you working with the website of your company.  You can become the Webmaster, or “the individual in charge of creating the website” (CareersInMusic.com).  You can also become a Website Marketing Manager and be in charge of marketing your company through your website and the internet.  You can grow to be a Website Content Producer.  If a company has a website, chances are they need someone responsible for developing and adding new content to their site, this is exactly what a Website Content Producer does.

Music careers are found in education, radio, television, arena and facility, business, merchandising, the recording industry, symphonies/orchestras, writing, and church, and all of these professions can be enhanced and easier obtained with a degree in music.  Whether you want to work on the creative side of music or you’re focus is on the business side, receiving a degree in music will help you in more ways than one.