Kromp 1 Kiedrich Kromp Ms. Dasher AP English Literature and Composition 11 November 2014 Musicians, Music Directors, and Composers/Arrangers Having been exposed to music my entire life, it is hardly surprising that careers pertaining to music are in my repertoire of potential careers. The lines between specific jobs within the music field often blur together due to the nature of the field. One job in the music field will almost certainly require components of tasks that are jobs in themselves. Music educators frequently do performances in addition to their teaching and musicians frequently create their own compositions and arrangements of music pieces. This is also partially due to the instability of income for people involved in music. As a result of this blurring, I will be covering several careers within the music field. Musicians are performers who play musical instruments in solo performance, with an accompanist, or in a musical group. Necessary education varies, but usually a minimum of a high school education is needed. Lots and lots of practice as well as continuous training are needed for a musician to have the necessary skills to be a professional musician. Musicians frequently have formal training from colleges, universities, or other professional musicians as well as continuous on-the-job training. In Georgia, the average annual wage is $79,248 and the entry annual wage is $19,510. The national average annual wage for a musician is $66,768. The outlook for a career as a musician is stable. However, there are a very small number of job openings and the growth is slower than average. (Musician).
Kromp 2 Music directors or conductors direct performances from musical groups. Music directors generally need a bachelor s degree at the least. Areas of education typically include performance, conducting, music interpretation, composition, and music theory. Income for music directors varies greatly, depending on the location of employment and specific job. The average annual wage for a music director $54,560. The average annual range is from $22,130 to $87,970. (Music Director). The median annual pay for music directors and composers in 2012 was $47,350 and the job outlook between 2012 and 2022 is 5%, which is slower than average (Music Directors and Composers). Music composers and arrangers write and transpose musical scores. Composers write music for music groups, television and film scores, radio and television advertisements, and so on. The music can be performed by solo performers and a variety of groups, including bands, orchestras, and choirs. A minimum of a bachelor s degree is usually necessary. Similarly to music directors, areas of education for composers typically include performance, conducting, music interpretation, composition, and music theory. The job outlook between 2012 and 2022 is about 4.5%. As with music directors, the average annual wage for a music director $54,560 and the average annual range is from $22,130 to $87,970. (Music Composer/Arranger). In addition to my above research, I also interviewed Kelly Via, a music instructor at Mercer University, Agnes Scott College, University of North Georgia, and the Atlanta Music Academy. Mr.Via also composes and arranges music for flute choirs. When asked what advice he would give to someone hoping to go into this field, Mr. Via responded, I always advise someone to follow their dreams and passions when making such an important decision. It is always a risk pursuing a career in the arts because there is no guarantee that you will make it. It took a while to become established but I was determined! In response to what his favorite
Kromp 3 aspect of his job was, Mr. Via said, Music was my only interest as a student so it is a joy to be able to make a living performing, teaching and writing music. The biggest reward is the opportunity to touch peoples lives in a positive way. I especially enjoy teaching and sharing the love and joy of music with young people. Mr. Via s least favorite aspect is the fact that careers in the arts are not always very stable, especially when there is a weak economy. In addition to this, many people in the music field do not have benefits such as retirement plans or insurance, unless they full-time jobs with a major orchestra or are faculty members. Musicians frequently have to pay their own health insurance and have very limited retirement options. Income always fluctuates, especially for free-lance musicians whose income depends on how much work they have. However, a benefit to being a musician is the fact that it may require travel, in which case the musician gets to travel to locations that he or she would otherwise be unable to see. When asked if his career required continuing education, Mr. Via said, I hold Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Performance but did not pursue a Doctorate. A full-time faculty position requires a terminal degree these days. However, the job does not require what would be normally considered continuing education to stay current. One of the most beautiful things about a career in music is that we never stop learning! However, Mr. Via did say that with the knowledge he has now, he would have also pursued a Bachelor of Music Education. Internships are available in the music field. In addition to his work as an educator, Mr. Via conducts three flute choirs and enjoys listening to music of different genres as well as attending marching band competitions when he gets the chance. Careers always have some impact on one s personal and family life and in regards to this Mr. Via said, My schedule varies from day to day and includes evenings and weekends so it is hard to maintain a normal social life with family and friends. It takes a great deal of understanding from your loved ones! Mr. Via said that overall, I
Kromp 4 absolutely LOVE my career! I am truly fortunate to be able to make a living in music and that he would do it all over again if he had the choice. (Via). Even though the salaries and job prospects for careers in the music field are not always optimal, music is still a fascinating area and provides happiness for numerous people who have followed that career path.
Kromp 5 Works Cited "Music Composer/Arranger." GAcollege411. N.p., 2009. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. "Music Director." GAcollege411. N.p., 2009. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. "Music Directors and Composers." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 08 Jan. 2014. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. "Musician." GAcollege411. N.p., 2009. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. Via, Kelly. E-mail interview. 10 Nov. 2014.