What You Can Do With A Music Major
Description:
While special knowledge of specific subject matter is necessary for certain occupational settings, not all employment settings
require specialization. Some employers prefer liberal arts graduates who possess broad liberal skills such as problem-solving,
critical thinking, management and administration, and communication. These functional transferable skills combined with specific
content knowledge are most useable and marketable in a broad span of occupational settings.
Skills:
Deft in use of symbolism Musical knowledge
Accurately reproduce sounds Creating and performing art
Sense of rhythm Facial expressions
Creative imagining Tonal memory
Visualizing concepts Coordinating with others
Directing and assessing Following Written and oral instruction
Entertaining Developing ideas
Memorizing
Typical Work Activities:
Composing and writing Playing musical instruments
Working independently Performing
Networking and self-promotion Teaching singing and/or music
Rehearsing Improvising
Occupations in Music:
Performer/Entertainer Music Technician
Orchestra member Disc Jockey
Concert Soloist Music Historian (Musicologist)
Conductor/Director Salesperson (Musical Instruments)
Musical Theater Music Librarian
Musical Creator: Music Copyist (Free Lance)
Composer Music Dance Teacher
Arranger or Orchestrater Music Group Road Manager
Jingle Writer (Advertising) Piano Technician
Songwriter Music Arranger-Manager
Copyrights Music Recording Engineer
Lyricist Music Reporter, Newspaper
Music Manager (Business) Music Video Producer
Music Critic Musical Instrument Builder/Repair
Music Teacher Recording Artist
Music Therapist Studio Arranger
Possible Employment Settings:
Colleges and Schools Non-Profit Organizations
Educational Institutions Symphony/Orchestra
Film Companies Public Service Organizations
Government Agencies Television/Radio
Libraries Churches
Historical Societies Musical Theaters
Motion Picture Companies Record Companies
Magazines Retail (Music-Related Business)
Advertising Music Publishers
Average Earnings (Based on Spring 2005 National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey):
The average salary offer for Performing Arts majors is: $25,838
Career Services Resources:
GCIS and FOCUS computer printouts.
Career Services’ Major Binder for Music Majors
The Chronicle Career Library
Career Opportunities in the Music Industry, Shelley Field
Opportunities in Performing Arts Careers, Bonnie Bjorguine Bekken
Great Jobs for Music Majors, Jan Goldberg
Performing Arts Career Directory, Bradley J. Morgan
Internet Sites:
Computer Music Journal: http://mitpress.mit.edu/e-journals/Computer-Music-Journal/
Entertainment Careers: http://www.entertainmentcareers.net
Information on a Career in Music: http://web.stlawu.edu/career/music.htm
MusicJobs.com: http://www.musicjobs.com
Opera America: http://operaam.org
Show Biz Jobs: http://showbizjobs.com
MusicNotes.com: http://musicnotes.com
Applause: Careers in Music: http://cnvi.com/applause
Classic Web Music Jobs: http://classicweb.com/Jobs.htm
Professional Associations:
National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) American Musicological Society
11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21 201 South 34th Street
Reston, VA 20190 Philadelphia, PA 19104-6313
703-437-0700 888-611-4267 or 215-898-8698
Email: Info@arts-accredit.org www.sas.upenn.edu/music/ams
http://nasm.arts-accredit.org/index.jsp
American Federation of Musicians Musicians Foundation
1501 Broadway, Suite 600 875 Sixth Ave., Suite 2303
New York, NY 10036 New York, NY 10115
212-869-1330 212-239-9137
Fax: 212-764-6134 www.musiciansfoundation.org/
www.afm.org
National Piano Foundation
American Guild of Musical Artists 13149 Coit Rd., Suite 320, LB 120
1430 Broadway, 14th Floor Dallas, TX 75240-5737
New York, NY 10018 972-233-9107
212-265-3687 www.pianonet.com
Fax: 212-262-9088
www.musicartists.org Association of Performing Arts Presenters
1112 16th St. NW, Suite 400
American Music Therapy Association Washington, DC 20036
8455 Colesville Rd., Suite 1000 202-833-2787
Silver Spring, MD 20910 www.artpresenters.org
301-589-3300
Email: info@musictherapy.org International Computer Music Association
www.musictherapy.org 1819 Polk St., Suite 330
San Francisco, CA 94109
Fax: 734-878-3031
Email: ICMA@umich.edu
www.computermusic.org
Developed by Career Services, Georgia Southern University
P.O. Box 8069, 1047 Williams Center 681-5197
http://students.georgiasouthern.edu/career
Revised June 2005