Careers in Music
A music degree from the Elder Conservatorium will prepare and equip you for a creatively fulfilling, diverse and rewarding career. Our graduates have gone on to lead successful careers in an extraordinary variety of organisations and contexts – both within and beyond the arts.
Below is just a small snapshot of employment possibilities for which a degree from the Elder Conservatorium of Music will provide an essential foundation.
Performance
- An orchestral musician
- A soloist
- A chamber musician
- A sessional musician (for film, TV, theatre, ballet, opera, etc.)
- A leader or member of a pop or jazz band
- A conductor
- An opera singer and/or chorister
- A music theatre star
- A singer/songwriter
- An accompanist and/or répétiteur
- A member of an army or air force band
Creative Practice
- A composer writing music for film, television and/or video games
- A composer recording, performing and/or conducting their own music
- An electronic musician touring the country or world
- An artist developing music software
- An artist inventing new musical instruments
- An artist collaborating with an artificial intelligence program to create new music
Teaching and Examining
- A music teacher (or Head of Department) in secondary or primary schools
- An instrumental pedagogue and/or performance coach
- An adjudicator and/or examiner
Writing and Speaking
- A program note annotator
- A music critic
- A pre-concert speaker
- A radio programmmer
- A radio presenter
- A voice-over artist
- A script writer for music theatre productions
- A libretto writer for operas
Administration and Operations
- A production manager
- A stage manager and/or operations coordinator
- A venue manager and/or site coordinator
- A recording engineer or audio-visual technician
- A casting administrator
- A business development, partnerships, and/or philanthropy executive
- A box office, ticketing and customer service manager
- A community engagement manager
- A finance manager
- An office administrator
- An artist liaison and/or travel coordinator
- A front-of-house coordinator
Marketing, Communications and Brand Development
- A communications manager
- A marketing manager
- A digital content specialist / digital coordinator
- A social media manager
- A publicity manager
- A brand development and content manager
Artistic Leadership
- An artistic director
- A festival director or curator
- A programming executive
- A creative producer or project manager
- An artist manager or artistic advisor
- A tour leader
The Portfolio Career
- Many of our graduates develop a rewarding 'portfolio career' that might include several of the roles described above in various part-time or casual capacities.
Internships and Partnerships
Our degrees are also complemented with bespoke internship programs in leading South Australian arts organisations and schools, including:
- Elder Hall
- State Opera South Australia
- Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
- Police Band
- Army Band
- Adelaide Festival
- Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB)
- Adelaide Youth Orchestras
- Arts SA
- Musica Viva
- Carclew Youth Arts Centre
- Helpmann Academy
- Elder Conservatorium of Music
- Specialist interest Music Centres
- Selected State Government and Independent Schools
Elder Conservatorium / Adelaide Symphony Orchestra Training Program
In this new initiative in collaboration with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Elder Conservatorium of Music students have the opportunity to take a deep dive into the life of an orchestral musician, participating in side-by-side playing within the orchestra, mock auditions, and rehearsal observations, before a final audition for casual employment with the Orchestra. The program has been spearheaded by Head of Performance Dr Elizabeth Layton, with assistance from Head of Woodwinds Lloyd Van't Hoff and forms a crucial bridge in helping young musicians traverse the juncture between student and professional life.
Career Development Opportunities
The Elder Conservatorium of Music has partnered with a range of institutions, such as the Helpmann Academy and Recitals Australia, to offer a range of career-development opportunities for students and recent graduates.
AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Musicians Are Some of the Best Employees
Dr Diana Tolmie (Senior Lecturer of Professional Practice, Griffith University) has conducted nationwide interviews and surveys of musicians (165 respondents so far) working simultaneously in arts and non-arts roles. Her findings have shown that musicians have a plethora of distinctive workplace attributes that are developed through their musical education and experience. This unique and highly specialised training lays the foundation for high levels of future aptitude in a range of diverse fields, including health, science and academia, building and engineering, business and finance, law, technology, government, transportation, administration and religion.
Workplace Attributes
- Consistency and punctuality (from developing dedicated habits around practising a musical instrument, and attending rehearsals with peers)
- Teamwork and collaboration skills – it takes a whole orchestra to play a symphony
- Autonomy and self-direction (from practising an instrument alone)
- Disciplined and focussed attention (from practising and perfecting an instrument over a long period of time – increasingly relevant in an age where screens and social media steal our concentration)
- Deep listening skills (from hours spent honing the quality of their sound)
- A growth mindset (healthier relationships with challenges and failure)
- Resilience and perseverance – 'the show must go on' (from working under pressure in a variety of different contexts, including public concerts and presentations)
- Deadline and project management (from preparing for performances)
- A greater appreciation of diversity and inclusivity
Transferrable Skills
- Professionalism
- Autonomy and self-direction
- Analysis and attention to detail
- Communication
- Resilience and perseverance
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Team work
- Creativity
- Inter/Intrapersonal skills
- Planning and time management
- Critical thinking
- Leadership
- Networking
- Technology
- Entrepreneurship
The Festival City
The University of Adelaide is right in the heart of a beautiful UNESCO City of Music with a lively music scene across multiple genres. Our students also have the opportunity to engage with Adelaide's world-class festivals:
- Adelaide Fringe (February–March)
- Adelaide Festival (March)
- WOMADelaide (March)
- Adelaide Jazz Festival (April)
- Adelaide Cabaret Festival (June)
- Illuminate Adelaide (June–August)
- Adelaide Guitar Festival (September)
- OzAsia Festival (October–November)
Festival City Adelaide's 2024 Festival and Event Industry Career Guide is a useful resource designed for students, parents, teachers and counsellors, making it easier to explore the job roles and pathways in the festivals and events sector.