Should I be an orchestral musician? 🎻 🥁 🎺

Are you one of the 54% of Americans who plays a musical instrument?

Are you thinking about making a living off of it?

If you said YES, then you may want to consider becoming an orchestral musician!

Orchestral musicians do much more than what you see on stage.

This includes:

• Becoming an expert on their chosen instrument(s)

• Become comfortable with sight reading

• Spending hours alone practicing

• Rehearsing with their orchestra

• Performing in various settings (concert halls, outdoor venues, schools, online, etc.)

• Contributing to the education of future musicians (like you!)

  

To become a successful orchestral musician, you need to develop/have the ability to:

🎶 Play an orchestral instrument (sometimes more than one) with a high degree of effectiveness 📯

🎶 Read sheet music

🎶 Play in many musical styles (classical, jazz, film, operatic, etc.)

🎶 Work alone in practice settings

🎶 Work with others in rehearsals

🎶 Have a strong growth mindset

Orchestral musicians contribute to the education of future musicians in two major ways:

1) In partnership with their orchestra

• Creating online tutorial videos

• Participating in youth concerts

• Acting as youth orchestra coaches

• Running masterclasses

2) Private tutor

• 1-on-1 teaching on specific instrument(s)

• Can be online or in-person

Every career (even the coolest ones) have perks as well as a price you pay for those perks.

The Perks

• Fulfill your dream of playing your instrument for a living

• Not a boring 9-5 office job

• Potential to travel with the orchestra

• A good pension

• Weeks off

• Solid salary (Average $88,595 CAD or $78,618 USD )

The Prices

• Expensive cost of instrument(s), upkeep, and private lessons

• Very competitive field

• Work during evenings, weekends, and holidays

• Typically have to live in more urban/expensive areas

If you think you'd like to be an orchestral musician: