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Job outlook for vocal music instructors in the United States
Are vocal music instructor jobs in demand?
Vocal music instructor job and salary trends over time
Vocal music instructor jobs over time
Vocal music instructor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 549 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 529 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 545 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 547 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 551 | 0.00% |
Average vocal music instructor salary over time
Vocal music instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $50,411 | $24.24 | +0.2% |
| 2025 | $50,295 | $24.18 | --0.6% |
| 2024 | $50,606 | $24.33 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $48,415 | $23.28 | --2.5% |
| 2022 | $49,659 | $23.87 | +5.1% |
Vocal music instructor jobs by state
Most common states for vocal music instructors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 504 | 9% |
| 2 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 45 | 8% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 586 | 7% |
| 4 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 360 | 7% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 70 | 7% |
| 6 | Delaware | 961,939 | 66 | 7% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 52 | 7% |
| 8 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 664 | 6% |
| 9 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 638 | 6% |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 253 | 6% |
| 11 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 436 | 5% |
| 12 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 324 | 5% |
| 13 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 285 | 5% |
| 14 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 168 | 5% |
| 15 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 138 | 5% |
| 16 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 34 | 5% |
| 17 | Vermont | 623,657 | 33 | 5% |
| 18 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,713 | 4% |
| 19 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 424 | 4% |
| 20 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 233 | 4% |
Most common cities for vocal music instructors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sugar Land | 1 | 1% | $50,863 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $72,534 |
Vocal Music Instructor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of vocal music instructor experts
Elmhurst College
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Fort Hays State University
Hope College
Idaho State University
Idaho State University
Webster University
La Sierra University
Hartwick College
Slippery Rock University
Bates College
Augsburg University
Azusa Pacific University
University of Kansas
University of Arkansas
Coastal Carolina University
What Vocal Music Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Micheal Houlahan Ph.D: Music education is crucial for fostering creativity, critical thinking, and emotional expression in students. With the growing recognition of the importance of arts education, there is a high demand for qualified music educators in schools and communities.
What will help Vocal Music Instructors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Micheal Houlahan Ph.D: Music educators are responsible for teaching music theory, history, performance, and appreciation to students of all ages. They create lesson plans, conduct rehearsals, organize performances, and assess student progress. Those entering the field may start as student teachers or assistants, gradually gaining experience and expertise.
What Vocal Music Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dianne Goldman Ph.D.: This is a good time to enter the field of Music Education as people with this degree are more likely to land a teaching position than they were even a few years ago. In addition, such educators are needed to address some of the challenges students have recently faced.
What will help Vocal Music Instructors increase their earning potential?
Dianne Goldman Ph.D.: People entering the field often find this a rewarding job because they have a lot of input to what happens to their program and can directly affect student outcomes. Student musicians are often sensitive souls that need nurturing and support and find it in the figure of their music teacher.
Darryl Coan
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Music
What general advice would you give to a Vocal Music Instructor?
Darryl Coan: Being a music educator means long days and much dedication to the growth of your students while safeguarding from the usual school budget problems, so it really is a career and not just a job. That level of involvement isn’t for everyone and they leave the field but for most, the great rewards that come both daily and yearly in the musical growth and gratitude of your students keep that dedication strong and growing.
What Vocal Music Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Darryl Coan: First, there is a shortage of music educators in several states including the one I live in, so there is demand and not enough supply. We’re getting multiple emails and calls from schools asking if we have a graduating student to fill music teacher openings. Second, we’re in a period of growing economic uncertainty. For young musicians who are finishing High School and thinking about a career, a way to engage in their love for music that makes a regular paycheck with benefits is appealing. Finally, thanks to societal factors, a lot in the field is changing right now in terms of diversifying school music programs by adding small alternative kinds ensembles and embracing more kinds of music such as rock and music of different cultures. This is exciting and long overdue.
What will help Vocal Music Instructors increase their earning potential?
Darryl Coan: Right away, a music educator becomes the musical mentor of all the students in their care. Effective music educators engage their students at every level in all aspects of musical activity—singing, playing, listening, creating and critiquing. In the big picture, this means intentionally improving their ability to do these independently. On a daily basis, this involves planning, creating and assessing musical experience through the various school opportunities such as band, choir, guitar class, and other contexts.
What general advice would you give to a Vocal Music Instructor?
Bradley Dawson: If it is in music education, they need to be careful of what their responsibilities will be. Many smaller schools are requiring one person to do all the music, K-12. This may or may not be what the new graduate wants. If their degree is in performance, then they need to locate to large city and begin making connections with other musicians that are already performing in the area they are interested in. Classical players will want to apply for orchestra auditions and be prepared to go to many before finally winning a job. The competition is tremendous and will require much preparation and tenacity.
What Vocal Music Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Bradley Dawson: Students studying music should be diverse in what they can play and teach. The narrower that you focus the harder it will be to find a job with no teaching experience. Go to a school where you can define yourself. Play and sing in as many different ensembles as you can and find out what are your strengths and weaknesses. Knowing this and developing your best skills will help you determine what job is best for you.
What will help Vocal Music Instructors increase their earning potential?
Bradley Dawson: If you are going into education, it is best to get a master’s degree. When to get it is an important decision. If you teach for a while and start a family it becomes more difficult to go back to school so there is an advantage to getting that degree right after your bachelor’s degree.
What general advice would you give to a Vocal Music Instructor?
Jeffrey Doebler Ph.D.: The arts are a basic human need. Especially during this time of turmoil in our world, we need musicians and other artists to help us create and share beauty. Also, many jobs in the music industry are entrepreneurial; musicians with initiative can create their own paths.
What Vocal Music Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jeffrey Doebler Ph.D.: LIKE As musicians, we have the privilege of creating and sharing beauty every day! We love to share music with the general public in the many ways I described in question #1. DISLIKE Some people don't understand the value of music and the other arts. If that happens, musicians can be overlooked and underpaid.
What will help Vocal Music Instructors increase their earning potential?
Jeffrey Doebler Ph.D.: The music field is much more broad than many people realize. Music graduates of Valparaiso University are doing these things... a. music teacher in K-12 school (band, orchestra, choir, general music, handbell choir) b. music therapist c. church musician (organ, choir, soloist, chamber musician) d. university professor (music education, music theory, music performance, music history, administration) e. private lessons teacher f. professional performer (military band, symphony orchestra, professional chorus, soloist, chamber musician, jazz). g. music industry (retail, sales, repairs) h. music industry (concert management, concert hall management, performance planning, music travel planning) i. law (copyright and more) j. community volunteer musician k. recording engineer l. composer (schools, churches, professional organizations, movies, television, video games)
What will help Vocal Music Instructors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Mary Thornton: As in most things, technology will have a tremendous impact on music making in all aspects, from composition to performance. That said, nothing replaces live music performance and that connection with the audience. What music does for people in person must always be in mind. Communication is our most important skill, musically and in many other ways.
Dr. Christopher Fashun
Assistant Professor of MusicHope College
Music Department
What skills stand out on Vocal Music Instructor resumes?
Dr. Christopher Fashun: 1. Must have completed a doctorate in the specific field of the job they are applying for (e.g., Music Performance (a specific instrument), Conducting (Choral, Orchestral, Band), Musicology, Ethnomusicology, Music Education, Recording Arts, Music Theory, Music Composition, Music Therapy)
2. Must have teaching experience at the college/university level and preferably at the secondary level. For graduate students, having a teaching or research assistantship would be ideal for gaining college/university teaching experience.
3. Need good communication skills and know-how to work and collaborate with others.
4. Need to have an area of scholarship and creativity (e.g., writing a book, recording an album, guest conducting a professional orchestra or another musical group)
5. Need to understand Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, why it's important, and how to incorporate it into one's teaching.
6. Salaries vary from college/university and are set by years of experience and accomplishments. Salaries are negotiated upon receiving an offer and cannot be renegotiated after signing a contract.
7. Other skills include being innovative, having at least one other skill set in the broader field of music. Using myself as an example, my doctorate is in Orchestral Conducting, but I also am a nationally recognized Music Educator and Percussionist who has earned a Fulbright Award in the U.S. Scholar Program (a very prestigious award), where my other area of scholarship is Afro-Brazilian Music and Culture. In addition to conducting the orchestra at Hope College, I teach a World Music class for the general education program, music education methods courses, direct the Brazilian Drumming Ensemble, and teach applied percussion.
Dr. Thomas Kloss
Associate Professor & Associate Chair of the Department of Music, nterim Director of Bands, Coordinator for Music Education, President of the Idaho Music Educators AssociationIdaho State University
Department of Music
What skills stand out on Vocal Music Instructor resumes?
Dr. Thomas Kloss: One of the strongest skills is showing a future principal that you've been a good student. They will look at your transcripts and see how you've done in the areas in which you are applying. A band director, for example, that scores low on an "Instrumental Music Pedagogy" course (the course that primarily teaches you how to be a band director) would not stand out as a strong instrumental music teacher. Showing a future principal that you've been involved in many aspects of your musical ensembles in college, working with a local music program, or have done some private music teaching are also good indicators of someone who will be successful in that position.
What soft skills should all Vocal Music Instructors possess?
Dr. Thomas Kloss: Teaching music is all about working with people. You have your educational community (principal, counselors, colleagues) that you need to work with to arrange students' incorrect classes and schedule events. You should feel like you are a part of that team. You then have your students, whom you need to work with to provide an excellent musical education. Finally, you have the community and parents that you will communicate with. If all of that is done successfully, your program will thrive and be supported by many different groups.
What skills will help Vocal Music Instructors earn the most?
Dr. Thomas Kloss: Being patient when looking for a position may help someone earn more over the length of their career. The way it works here is that small rural districts end up paying more after about 10 years over the districts in populated areas. It's a supply and demand situation. If a music teacher is interested in making more money over their teaching career, they should compare the posted salary schedules and consider the long-term benefits. Obtaining a Master's Degree is also a way to move up on the traditional pay scale in education. Finally, staying in one district for a longer period is more financially beneficial than moving districts every few years. Teachers are given some years of experience, but a district does not have to give all of their years on their pay scale.
Dr. Thomas Kloss
Associate Professor & Associate Chair of the Department of Music, nterim Director of Bands, Coordinator for Music Education, President of the Idaho Music Educators AssociationIdaho State University
Department of Music
What's a day at work look like for a Vocal Music Instructor?
Dr. Thomas Kloss: I think next year will look quite the same as this year, with student (and teacher) safety still being the predominant issue. Can choirs sing without masks on? Can marching band exist in the fall? Can Idaho hold an in-person All-State and Teacher's Conference a year from now? We just don't know.
Matt Pickart
Assistant Professor of Music, Director of Chamber MusicWebster University
Department of Music
What skills stand out on Vocal Music Instructor resumes?
Matt Pickart: In today's market, it is important to be multifaceted. I've increasingly seen job postings at all levels of academia asking musicians to cover more than one area. That is not to say that we shouldn't continue to specialize in our specific instruments or fields of music study at the highest level. However, the more secondary proficiencies you can develop well, the greater your musicianship and your marketability become. Think about what secondary skill-sets will compliment your primary focus and help you grow as a musician.
Pedagogical experience and proven success is arguably the most important skill on your resume for teaching positions. Not all great musicians are great teachers. It takes time and patience, lots of trial and error, building your own unique methodologies and pedagogical insights, learning your strengths and weaknesses, etc. If you can show student achievements and growth in previous positions, that speaks volumes!
What soft skills should all Vocal Music Instructors possess?
Matt Pickart: Leadership, patience, collaboration, communication, organization, time management, networking, critical problem-solving, persistence, discipline, flexibility, opportunity recognition, planning and goal setting, punctuality, learning from failure, uniqueness, being a team player, empathy, openness, etc.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Vocal Music Instructors?
Matt Pickart: Excellent musicianship, effective and high-quality practicing, music entrepreneurship, clear pedagogical knowledge and insights, owning the stage, effective programming, historical context and cultural awareness in music, physical awareness and efficiency in music-making, music technology, knowing your audience, etc.
What skills will help Vocal Music Instructors earn the most?
Matt Pickart: Any of the hard and soft skills I've listed are very helpful, but I believe that being an entrepreneurial musician will help you earn the most income. As an entrepreneurial musician, you are focused on learning how to unlock value for what you are doing and create your own new opportunities. You learn to lean into the projects that you love, that speak to your artistic integrity. You flex your right brain muscles by playing in your own creative sandbox, investing time and passion into the projects that you care about most, ultimately leading to success. Musical success with clear planning and hard work at the highest level will ultimately translate into financial success.
Being an entrepreneurial musician is all about mindset. Here are a few questions to get you started: How do you describe yourself as a musician? Who is your audience? How do you deal with failure? What are your goals and dreams as a musician? What actionable steps and smaller goals do you have to get there? What makes you special as a musician?
David Kendall Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Music, Associate Chair, Director of Music History and ResearchLa Sierra University
Department of Music
What skills stand out on Vocal Music Instructor resumes?
David Kendall Ph.D.: Much of this depends on the kind of instructor position one is seeking, as there are many sub-fields and concentrations in the world of music education. For those looking to teach individual lessons in voice or on specific instruments, a resume with lots of experience is always helpful. Whether you have taught as instructional faculty at an educational institution, at a community or commercial music school, or maintained your own in-person and/or online private studio, the more experience you have--and the breadth of things you have done and have the ability to do--give you the best chance at being noticed favorably by potential employers. Sometimes potential teachers will want to focus on only a single skill, such as teaching piano, while leaving out many other musical skills that an employer may desire, such as the ability to teach violin or flute or direct a children's choir. Applicants sometimes leave these skills off their resumes because they feel that they are not as proficient in them as in their core specialties, but this can cause a potential employer to overlook them because their skill set may appear too narrow.
Having a wide range of skills and experiences is also beneficial if one is applying for a classroom position, such as teaching music appreciation or conducting an elementary school band. Having a wider range of abilities shows the employer that you are flexible and adaptable--strongly desired traits in the music field. While most positions are part-time or contingent, having a range of skills can sometimes result in a position being expanded or upgraded. Again, experience is key. For those looking for a career as a music instructor, almost nothing is more important than the experience, and one should do anything they can to get it, even if it means doing volunteer teaching in a community, school, or church setting. This should be seen as an investment in your future.
What soft skills should all Vocal Music Instructors possess?
David Kendall Ph.D.: If almost nothing is more important than the experience, as I noted above, then nothing is more important than people skills and maintaining positive relationships with peers, mentors, students, and employers. All of these groups may be in a position to employ you at some time in the future, and their opinion of you will largely be framed by the experiences they have had with you. I will give a personal example from my own life. After graduating with a degree in performance and spending a year teaching overseas, I found myself back in the United States without many prospects. However, over the next couple of years, I was able to put together a living because of positive past relationships with colleagues and mentors. I received music lecturing positions at the two universities I attended during my undergraduate and graduate programs, being hired by former faculty mentors who knew me and felt I could make a positive contribution. I was able to secure two more positions, one teaching lessons at a private school and the other as a music minister and choir director at a local church. Both of these came through being hired by former--and younger--classmates from university. Now that I am a full-time professor, I am constantly telling my students to maintain good relationships with all of these people and to never burn any bridges. Even now, I have run into opportunities presented to me by former students, and the cycle continues.
These soft skills are not, however, limited only to being nice and well-liked by your peers and employers. The ability to network is very important, as are the essential practices of being organized, accurate, well-prepared, and punctual. Because employers often have many applicants and choices in hiring, being well-networked and known for reliability is a distinct advantage. Being generally helpful and easy to work with makes it likely that you will be remembered by potential employers when a future position or opportunity opens up. Having a number of people who are eager to recommend you, whether by letter or word-of-mouth, is the best possible advertising.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Vocal Music Instructors?
David Kendall Ph.D.: In all of the music fields, particularly in performance, the ability to self-promote is important. One should be familiar with and skilled in using the standard social and traditional media platforms. Some proficiency in web and graphic design is very helpful, as well as recording and mixing, if applicable to the sub-field. As nearly all of us have experienced some remote learning and/or teaching over the past couple of years, this has opened up new possibilities. Potential students that would never have considered taking music lessons online are now often open to it, which provides more potential opportunities for teaching remotely. Having the ability to effectively teach a class or a lesson on a platform like Zoom or Google Meet can expand your reach far beyond your geographical area. Such a remote experience should be a pleasant one for students and employers and having a clean, professional background, and at least a ring light and a decent microphone will add a touch of professionalism and added value.
What skills will help Vocal Music Instructors earn the most?
David Kendall Ph.D.: Being very good at what you do is the first step in being successful in the music field, but it is not a guarantee of earning potential. The soft and hard skills noted above are at least as important, if not more so. Only a handful of the very best musicians in the world can get away with being disorganized, hard to work with, or unreliable. For the rest of us, financial success will largely depend on a combination of performing and/or teaching ability, the ability to use technology and media to our advantage, and a talent for working well with a wide range of people.
Frederick Burrack
What skills stand out on Vocal Music Instructor resumes?
Frederick Burrack: -Theory skills (score analysis)
-Oral communication (clarity and focus of verbal response)
-Written communication (clarity at various levels such as administration, educated parents, uneducated parents, young kids)
-Curriculum development (determination of learning outcomes, lesson planning
-Organizational skills (curricular organization, sequencing instruction, time management)
What soft skills should all Vocal Music Instructors possess?
Frederick Burrack: Personal musical performance quality.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Vocal Music Instructors?
Frederick Burrack: -Conducting skills (expressive communication)
-Aural skills (error identification)
-Piano skills (accompanying, harmonization)
What skills will help Vocal Music Instructors earn the most?
Frederick Burrack: Organizational skills by far.
Meghan Sheehy Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Director of Music EducationHartwick College
Music and Music Education Department
What skills stand out on Vocal Music Instructor resumes?
Meghan Sheehy Ph.D.: Having diverse experiences and practical application opportunities are often impressive on resumes, creating a way to stand out. NY offers music teachers licensure under one certificate, including instrumental, vocal, and general music grades K-12. A graduate who can show the breadth of experience that matches the scope of their teaching certificate is highly marketable, especially in the many rural areas upstate that often need their music teachers to wear all of those hats to serve their student population. Also, applicants who have prior teaching experience are often considered desirable by potential employers. Pre-service teacher applicants can highlight practical experiences such as substitute teaching, private lessons instruction, or even camp counseling to compete with others who have already had the opportunity to serve in a classroom.
Dr. Kathleen Melago
Professor of Music Education, Division Head for Music Education, Supervisor of Music Student TeachersSlippery Rock University
Music Department
What skills stand out on Vocal Music Instructor resumes?
Dr. Kathleen Melago: Today's music educators need to have a good balance of breadth and depth. In music education, that means experience in a variety of different aspects of music education. For example, someone who wants to be a high school band director will want to experience concert band, marching band, jazz band, winter guard, color guard, and strong technical skills for teaching music theory or composition. They also would benefit from having experiences directing choir and orchestra. Administrators are looking for highly qualified people who also have the versatility to step in where needed amidst the changing programming needs of the school. Going back to the band director example, if the band director has experience in a choir and someone is needed to direct one period of the choir, that versatility could come in handy.
Joelle Morris
Visiting Lecturer, Director of Bates College Choir, Associate in VoiceBates College
Music Department
What skills stand out on Vocal Music Instructor resumes?
Joelle Morris: I'm usually looking for someone who's had experience teaching beginners as well as advanced.
Number two is the diversity of genres of music that person is familiar with. More than ever, students are interested in a wide range of music from classical to world to pop, jazz, and so forth. It is important to be familiar and open to various styles to educate a well-rounded musician.
Number three is performance experience. How much collaborative experience do they have? Are they doing any interesting performances in the area that may inspire their students? - this requirement would be more at the collegiate level, though.
What soft skills should all Vocal Music Instructors possess?
Joelle Morris: Effective and clear communication - many musical concepts need to be broken down into smaller, more understandable units. The ability to connect with students at their level of understanding is incredibly important.
Constructive feedback. No need to be Pollyanna. However, I am exceedingly glad the days of strict, overbearing, and sometimes abusive 'maestros' are no longer tolerated. Students learn so much better with clear, constructive criticism. Being able to point out what students can improve on while praising them on the skills they've already refined fosters a positive learning environment for all.
Motivation. It's a difficult balance because students have to find their own self-motivation. However, as a musician, I try to show my students by example. I talk to them about my own practice schedule, how much I rehearse and collaborate with other musicians. That these skills do not come easily but with diligence, discipline, and practice. As an educator, my job is to continue fostering a love and interest in music for myself and my students.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Vocal Music Instructors?
Joelle Morris: As an educator? Gosh, that's a hard one. I suppose it goes back to the soft skills question. Personally, I find that the more organized I am, the better I can communicate and motivate my students.
As a performer? It never ends. I'm always learning, growing. I like to challenge myself with new compositions and new collaborations. The ability to collaborate is so incredibly important to a performer.
What skills will help Vocal Music Instructors earn the most?
Joelle Morris: As a working musician, you need to be flexible, able to play multiple musical genres in various ensemble sizes. The ability to network and collaborate with others both musically and on the business side of the gig. The ability to promote yourself and/or become an entrepreneur selling your concerts and your music.
Honestly, it's very challenging to make a living doing solely one thing in this day and age. Most of my colleagues, myself included, do several different musical activities to pay the bills: Although I'm a professional singer, I am also a voice teacher with a full studio, and a choral conductor, and a church musician, and a music educator. With lecture courses. Additionally, as a singer, I'm hired to sing in professional chamber ensembles, as a classical soloist with orchestra and choir, as a jazz singer in bands, as a recitalist, I've co-created a classical ensemble that features 21st cent music and living composers, I regularly organize concerts for that ensemble and my own recitals. You hustle and develop new skills each step of the way.
J. Anthony Allen
Assistant Professor - Music, Media and ManagementAugsburg University
Music, Media and Management Department
What skills stand out on Vocal Music Instructor resumes?
J. Anthony Allen: Technology. First and foremost.
Not only because we are in the age of "are we online or are we not online," but because using technology in-studio lessons can be very, very beneficial. For example, having a lesson that you can record (audio and/or video) for the student to review while practicing to help that student stay on track. In addition to that, using notation software shared documents, and other online resources can really help a student learn.
What soft skills should all Vocal Music Instructors possess?
J. Anthony Allen: My gut reaction to that is that it depends on the age of the student. You need to have a lot of energy for younger students and keep them interested while also communicating with their parents. For college-age students (the world I am mostly in), you need a direct language with the student that tells them if they are on track, how they are doing, and ways they can improve that are not condescending.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Vocal Music Instructors?
J. Anthony Allen: In addition to the obvious: Being really good on your instrument and teaching it well, the next would be the technology stuff I mentioned above.
Dr. Claire Fedoruk
Professor of MusicologyAzusa Pacific University
College of Music and Arts
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Vocal Music Instructors?
Dr. Claire Fedoruk: Regarding the arts, I believe there already is. Music is a true communal art, which requires the physical presence of others to truly create a legitimate sonic experience. Due to the COVID and response to COVID, this was forbidden for 18 months in California. I lost at least 20K of income from performing last year, and many of my colleagues in the performing world had no employment at all during this period. Several left or seriously considered leaving Los Angeles, which is a cultural metropolis of opportunity for artists.
In response to the lockdowns, many colleagues of mine recorded solo albums and worked collaboratively on Zoom and other recording mediums to record themselves singing. This was then mastered into a final online product. I took part in several recordings released by the Los Angeles Master Chorale. This has challenges as well. The expectations for recorded quality in online projects are very high and stressful, especially if one does not have a home studio with soundproofing and very high-quality recording equipment. While the results are often impressive online, it is not the same experience of actually making music together. One cannot hear the other performers breathe, feel the energy of the group consciousness, or decide to take risks together in an online setting. I would say it's the difference between actually playing golf and playing it in a digital game.
One last word on this. Mask mandates have made everything incredibly difficult for wind players and singers, as we cannot sing effectively in a mask. Breathing is compromised, vowel formation cannot be seen, and lightheadedness is common. As long as these exist, the vocal art is termed a super-spreader and is muffled at best, silenced at worst. I can see it declining over the long term if these conditions continue.
What type of skills will young Vocal Music Instructors need?
Dr. Claire Fedoruk: In the new environment, recording and mastering skills may be the new requirement for any performer. I'm sure that sound engineers will experience a Renaissance of employment in this post-pandemic world! Young musicians are already much more tech-savvy than those in middle age, so this may not be an issue, and at APU, our music technology courses are first-rate and teach all of these skills through Logic, Pro Tools, etc. Additionally, I believe that writing is a skill that can never harm a musician, especially as they may need extra funding from grants to complete projects or hire additional personnel to handle online recording and performances, COVID compliant initiatives, etc. Flexibility, patience, and perseverance are highly sought-after traits and playing well with others, both literally and figuratively.
What experience really stands out on Vocal Music Instructor resumes?
Dr. Claire Fedoruk: For a performer, composer, or conductor, it is the quantity and quality of the number of performances and recordings you have under your belt. We must be seen and heard to continue working, which is why our current world is a challenge. For an educator or a musicologist, it is the record of publications that shows your level of scholarship and should be reflected. I am a hybrid of performer and scholar, so I work in both realms but am focusing on my writing and research right now, as this is work that can still continue in the current environment. I sang in five concerts over the summer when things were open for a while and even formed an ensemble. For young performers, I recommend that you have as many and varied skills sets as possible: conducting, performing, sound engineering, writing, contracting, consulting, etc. The more you are willing to do, the more longevity you will have in a notoriously challenging profession. To quote George VI's historic WW2 speech: "If one and all we keep resolutely faithful to it, ready for whatever service or sacrifice it may demand, then, with God's help, we shall prevail."
What's a good job out of college for Vocal Music Instructors?
Jacob Dakon Ph.D.: A good job out of college is one that monetarily sustains our graduates' efforts to impact the world through music, be it teaching, performing, composing, or any other facet of musicking. Like it or not, the world needs musicians and their music. It's part of the fabric of our society. This pandemic has made that clearer than ever. In the education field, school positions are still very much available; however, performance jobs have been harder hit. Venues simply couldn't accommodate groups of people in enclosed spaces due to social distancing restrictions. These jobs are coming back though, as customers are being vaccinated, restrictions are being lifted, and the population seeks to resume their pre-pandemic music rituals. For them, music is a means of returning some sense of normalcy.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Vocal Music Instructor job market given the pandemic?
Jacob Hertzog: In music, my opinion is that the biggest trend coming out of the pandemic will be a demand for increased technology skills. On the music creator side, that will mean musicians need more fluency in music creation software, digital promotion skills, and distance collaboration abilities. Home recording set-ups will be expected, and creators will be able to collaborate remotely from anywhere. That's a really exciting development for musicians, but it does place increased demand on musicians to improve their technology skills and on educators to provide them. On the music industry side, we are seeing such an incredible pace of technological innovations in the music industry so I'm sure we will see an increased demand from music companies for skills in data analytics, blockchain, and computer programming. As entertainment companies behave more and more like tech companies, I'd predict some major overlap in artistic and STEM skills will be needed for just about every role.
How have salaries changed over time for Vocal Music Instructors?
Eric Schultz: Well, it is a broad field, so there are many things happening, and it is hard to know where things will land post-pandemic. Like many fields, music broadly has become increasingly "adjunctified," or a part of the "gig economy," meaning there are less opportunities that are full-time, salaried with benefits. Regardless, in higher education, job postings are just starting to come back. If you will be on the job market soon, keep your eye on new postings in your field, even if you are not actively applying. Look for trends. Are employers looking for new skills? What do salaries look like in your area? Are there enough openings in your region?