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How can I find work while attending college for music?
I am a 17 year old Jazz bassist and have been accepted into my top two dream schools to study music. While making sure I making the right choice for me, I have a few questions on how to find work while in college as well as work study to pay for tuition? To musicians working in the jazz scene professionally. What advice would you give to current college music students to find work while attending school? In what ways can you reach out to find gig opportunities on weekends, and if the work is consistent, how did you manage to stay on top of academics as well as staying focused for ensembles?
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Robbin’s Answer
Hi Meiko,
Congrats on getting into your top two dream schools!
Your college will let you know if you qualify for the federal work-study program. If you do, you might have some options. A great choice would be working in the college music department office. You could handle checking students in and out of practice rooms and do other office tasks. This job might give you useful information as a music major.
For jobs off-campus, look at bulletin boards and your college's message boards for music-related listings. You could work as a stage assistant or crew member for performances on campus. Many colleges host professional musicians as guest performers. You could also explore roles at your college radio station, like being a producer or music director for a jazz program. Check with the college alumni music organization, which might offer scholarships and performance chances. You could also tutor other students in music courses such as theory and sight singing. Apps help, but in-person tutoring can really target weak spots. I made some money as a music theory tutor during and after college. If you're good at piano, consider being an accompanist for singers and soloists.
Good luck, and I hope you have a great college experience!
Do some research about local jazz clubs in your college town.
Find out through your music department the name of the president of the music alumni organization.
Visit the college radio station and speak with the program director with a pitch for a jazz program or ask to work on a legacy jazz radio program.
Congrats on getting into your top two dream schools!
Your college will let you know if you qualify for the federal work-study program. If you do, you might have some options. A great choice would be working in the college music department office. You could handle checking students in and out of practice rooms and do other office tasks. This job might give you useful information as a music major.
For jobs off-campus, look at bulletin boards and your college's message boards for music-related listings. You could work as a stage assistant or crew member for performances on campus. Many colleges host professional musicians as guest performers. You could also explore roles at your college radio station, like being a producer or music director for a jazz program. Check with the college alumni music organization, which might offer scholarships and performance chances. You could also tutor other students in music courses such as theory and sight singing. Apps help, but in-person tutoring can really target weak spots. I made some money as a music theory tutor during and after college. If you're good at piano, consider being an accompanist for singers and soloists.
Good luck, and I hope you have a great college experience!
Robbin recommends the following next steps:
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MaryAnn’s Answer
hi Meiko
I did exactly what you are planning to do when I was in college. I'm a jazz pianist, but in school I was a percussion major because frankly a percussion major is easier than a piano major. lol
You can poke around the towns or what city you'll be in for school and stop into those restaurants and bars and small clubs and pick up the local arts newspaper weekly and see what places have live music. You can hook up with friends you'll meet in college and start up a little trio or a little Quartet. Also, don't forget hotels have live music. Hotels pay better as they have a more sophisticated clientele than bars. High-end restaurants also want nice music.
Always present yourself in a professional manner and if you have a meeting with the food and beverage manager, they're the ones who usually hire the band. I have to say this: dress nicely.
I went to school at DuquesneUniversity in Pittsburgh, a great jazz school; and we never had classes on Fridays in the Music school because all the teachers knew that the kids were out gigging. I would expect your Music college to accommodate their students on Fridays and understand fully the nature of being a musician in college and being a college student.
I hope that helps you some.
You can also get some more money from finding out about work, study jobs from the college itself in the student resources office.
Best of luck to you and I look forward to hearing your work someday.
Mary Ann Ivan
I did exactly what you are planning to do when I was in college. I'm a jazz pianist, but in school I was a percussion major because frankly a percussion major is easier than a piano major. lol
You can poke around the towns or what city you'll be in for school and stop into those restaurants and bars and small clubs and pick up the local arts newspaper weekly and see what places have live music. You can hook up with friends you'll meet in college and start up a little trio or a little Quartet. Also, don't forget hotels have live music. Hotels pay better as they have a more sophisticated clientele than bars. High-end restaurants also want nice music.
Always present yourself in a professional manner and if you have a meeting with the food and beverage manager, they're the ones who usually hire the band. I have to say this: dress nicely.
I went to school at DuquesneUniversity in Pittsburgh, a great jazz school; and we never had classes on Fridays in the Music school because all the teachers knew that the kids were out gigging. I would expect your Music college to accommodate their students on Fridays and understand fully the nature of being a musician in college and being a college student.
I hope that helps you some.
You can also get some more money from finding out about work, study jobs from the college itself in the student resources office.
Best of luck to you and I look forward to hearing your work someday.
Mary Ann Ivan