4 COOL ARTS CAREERS MUSICIAN CHAPTER ONE A DAY AT WORK musician is anyone who makes music That person can be a rock guitarist an opera singer a piano teacher a composer or a conductor Musicians can play pianos Becoming and staying a successful musician requires a lot of
or piccolos They may sing hymns in a church or Take Me Out to the Ball Game in a ballpark Some musicians become stars and make millions of dollars Most do not But they do work in a variety of rewarding musical jobs They play because music is the thing they love most Music is not just a living It is a life Tasha George Hinnant runs through her finger exercises at the piano Scales come first She plays with her left hand then her right hand and then both hands together Finger and hand strength are important for professional pianists Tasha is a recent college graduate and a professional musician She has years of experience playing piano But she still takes lessons and practices often Practice she says is less about the time you spend and more about consistency and quality Tasha's teacher is known around the world He is helping her prepare a piece for an audition Tasha hopes the audition will win her a place in graduate school where she wants to get a master s degree in performance piano Tasha I also teaches private piano lessons to children Teaching private lessons is a musician s bread and butter she says Lesson fees pay the bills 5
6 cooL ARTS CAREERS MUSICIAN 21ST CENTURY CONTENT Music therapy uses music to improve the mental and physical health of patients People have been using it for hundreds of years It has recently become popular around the world though Research shows that music helps people heal faster manage stress and relax Music therapists work with people who have conditions such as Alzheimer's disease cancer and autism Music increases brain activity reduces heart rates and eases breathing Professional music therapists must study both music and psychology Elliott Smith teaches choir classical piano and history of piano literature at a small college in Cincinnati Ohio He also gives private music theory lessons but his real love is conducting Being a concert pianist is a lonely profession he says You practice by yourself You play by yourself Smith prefers working with others That is why conducting excites him Conducting lets me work with other musicians he explains Recently Smith received a grant to conduct a Bach piece with professional musicians He put hours of work into learning each part and understanding how they came
The grant was small Smith could only afford to pay the musicians for 1 hour of rehearsal and their time onstage By the end he had spent more than 60 hours preparing for a single 25 minute performance A U S Army sergeant polishes his boots brass buttons and trumpet He s been up since the crack of dawn Like other sol diers he wakes up early for physical training This sergeant is no average soldier though He is also a professional musician Twelve years ago he auditioned for a place in a U S Army band He has been playing trumpet for the military ever since Normally military bands play at graduation ceremonies on base These ceremonies include graduations from basic training PR LIFE CAREERSKILLS If you want a career in music see if your state has a Governor s School for the Arts These programs allow students to specialize in music and arts studies during high school Other states also offer summer music programs Governor s Schools give students a solid background in music study and prepare them for a future in the profession 7
