Musician

In your day-to-day duties you may:

• compose, learn and rehearse music pieces
•  take care of and set up your instrument for performances
•  prepare for and attend auditions
•  perform in front of a live audience
•  take part in recording sessions
•  create 'demo' recordings to promote your music
•  engage with your audience through social media and website content
•  arrange concerts and tours or deal with a manager or agent who does this for you

• persistence and determination
• ambition and a desire to succeed
• knowledge of the fine arts
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• active listening skills
• thinking and reasoning skills
• concentration skills
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• a college course
• applying directly
• specialist courses run by private training organisations

Many musicians are self-employed freelancers and often have to do other jobs alongside their career as a musician.

With experience, you could:

• progress in an orchestra to principal player or section leader
•  move into conducting
•  start your own ensemble
•  go into business roles like manager, producer, writer or work at a record company
•  become a singing teacher, vocal coach or teach your musical instrument
•  get into academic research