A talented musician, just by playing a few notes on his instrument, can cast a spell on you and put you in a trance. Such is the power of music, the universal language, or so they say! In any case, the cynics notwithstanding, music is a very powerful tool – so powerful that it would be impossible to overestimate the potentials it holds within itself. In spite of music being such an attractive force, the world shies away when it comes to building a career in such a loveable art, but the few who do answer the calling, answer it with unbridled delight. Such people live lives made out of the fabric of dreams. If you believe you have a musician nestled in you and not an engineer, a doctor or an investment banker, make it a point to address the very desires of your heart. In a world full of people treading aimlessly down much beaten paths, you have that one shot to make it big in music.
Becoming A Musician
Requirements
Eligibility
When you are looking to become a musician and an educated one at that, a course in music is a must. But then again, to be a really good musician, you don’t really need to have gone through formal education in the same. After all, some of the world’s best musicians have had no formal education in music, but have still managed to become the legends they are now. In this case, however, since you are looking to walk down an academic path, to be eligible for bachelors’ course in music, you should have completed 10+2 or an equivalent degree. If you are looking to step it up a notch and do your master’s in music, it is a must for you to be a graduate in a discipline that justifies your need to do a course in music. As for doctoral degrees in music or associated disciplines, being a graduate and possessing the right master’s degree is vital.
Skills Required
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There is a difference between practicing right and plain practicing. A musician in order to become a master of his instrument should develop the art of practicing right. When you learn to practice right, you are only managing to get a lot more out of a lot less. However, don’t get it wrong, nothing can replace the long hours spent on mastering an instrument.
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A musician looking to make it big needs tons and tons of confidence and a ship-load of contacts. Gaining confidence and building contacts is a skill, no doubts about that. No great musician ever went any further without exercising confidence while playing his instruments or using contacts to his/her advantage.
Roles And Responsibilities
The options a musician has at his disposal are quite a lot in number however, when it comes to roles and responsibilities, it is pretty simple.
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As far as roles and responsibilities for a musician go, all that is required of him is to know what he is supposed to know and play his instrument like he is expected to.
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However, if a musician is looking to build a career in imparting music education, the roles and responsibilities are a lot more diverse. Here, it won’t be just about entertaining, but more importantly about educating.
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Similarly, musicians who build careers in music research and sound are expected to know a lot more than just ‘rip on their instruments’. With vocations such as this, the chances of music becoming more of a science and less of an art are as high as the skies, so stay prepared for the worst while still being willing to give your best.
Career Prospects
If you are a good musician and you and the world knows it, you really are a star in the making. For a good musician the sky is the limit. Apart from the chances of becoming a great star, there also exist quite a number of career options for a musician who has gained an education in the same. Landing ‘jobs’ in television channels, radio stations and government departments that revolve around culture and public relations are lucrative options. Musicians can also zero in on means to a decent living by finding employment opportunities in production houses, music troupes and music companies and even music researching organizations. More conventional career prospects for musicians include jobs as music teachers in educational institutions devoted either solely to music or other academic streams as well. A job as a music therapist too makes for a conventional option.
Yes, music can be a lot of fun, but when taken to more serious and passionate heights, it only boils down to a fiery dedication to discipline and the ‘calling’. Before your tuck yourself in bed tonight, here’s a great question to ask yourself – Do you have it in you to become a musician?
