Music

Music Department Home Page

What Could I Do?

A major or minor in music is strongly recommended for those pursuing a music career to give you detailed knowledge of the music field. Use your college years to develop your talents in one or more instruments.

Occupations in Music:

Performer/ Entertainer	Disc Jockey	Conductor/Director
Music Librarian	Music Teacher	Advertising Jingle Writer
Music Technician	Instrumentalist	Vocalist
Organist	Arranger	Piano Technician
Songwriter/Lyricist	Composer	Music Critic

How Do I Get There?

Here's how to build skills as a Bethel student that will prepare you to compete for some of the most popular music jobs today.

Music Teacher

Strategies:

Attain teaching certification in your state
Demonstrate ambition to continually study & improve
Perfect performance skill in one instrument
Develop ability to teach others and work in groups
Gain experience working independently on self-motivated tasks

Music Therapist

Strategies:

Gain experience working with populations with disabilities
Increase facility on piano, guitar, and percussion instruments
Develop skill in adapting music for special needs
Obtain knowledge of both instrumental and vocal music
Spend time working with a variety of age groups

Instrumentalist/Vocalist

Strategies:

Become fluent in sight-reading, transposing, and improvising
Develop specialized skill in one or more instruments
Acquire detailed knowledge of instrumental literature
Demonstrate ability to work with groups and ensembles

Conductor

Strategies:

Cultivate leadership and diplomacy skills
Pursue graduate study to develop superior musicianship
Develop decisive and expressive baton technique
Obtain specialized skill in one instrument
Develop dynamic and unique stage personality

Music Industry

Strategies:

Attain expert knowledge of the business world
Consider pursuing another major or minor in Business
Develop specialized skill in one or more music industries
Gain experience in one or more music industries
Demonstrate ability to work independently and in groups

Television/Radio Industry

Strategies:

Demonstrate ability to work under deadlines and pressure
Develop specialized skill in one or more of the media industries
Consider another major or minor in a media related field
Gain extensive knowledge of music technology
Practice ability to problem solve and improvise on the spot

Organist

Strategies:

Focus studies in sacred music
Study classical languages, especially German & Latin
Acquire skill in motivating and conducting musical groups
Develop keyboard transposition and improvising skills
Demonstrate organ performance skills

Music Librarian

Strategies:

Obtain thorough knowledge of music and musicology
Acquire working knowledge of classical foreign languages
Demonstrate experience in library and research techniques
Pursue graduate studies to develop expertise in field
Develop knowledge of copyright and performance rights

Prospective Employers

Public and private schools
Colleges and universities
Film companies and theatres
Non-profit organizations
Symphony/Orchestra, Opera companies
Television/Radio companies
Churches and parachurches
Music publishing companies
Music software companies
Music retail businesses
Public and private libraries,
Hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, correctional facilities
Dance bands, night clubs, small ensembles, concert and choral groups

Music Employment Web Sites

General Career Exploration Website - http://online.onetcenter.org
Spotlight on Careers Website - www.spotlightoncareers.org

For current employment websites, type keywords such as "music employment" in an online search engine.

Professional Organizations

Adapted From:
http://www2.gasou.edu/sta/career.htm
http://careers.wcu.edu/majors.html