Traditional music performance jobs are slowly disappearing, and the way in which we got those jobs is quickly changing. What is the job outlook like for the future professional musician? Millennials are developing a pretty good idea. In these interviews Paul The Trombonist and Aaron Janik discusses how his vision changed from studying trombone as a profession, to making a profession of it.
PAUL THE TROMBONIST:
How old are you?
35
What job prospects did you have/perceive entering college?
Becoming a studio musician and performer
What job prospects do you currently see?
I do studio work and perform live but the majority of my work is using social media and the online world to market my music and products/services
How do you feel you are approaching your career in music differently from the generation before you?
I have used social media and the internet to build a business and not relied on the old way of getting called for work and building a company.
What advice do you have to students interested in a career in the music industry?
Study marketing and sales! That is #1 most important thing you can do.
In life you always need to be selling, whether its you or your music. If you understand the psychology of how it works, you can get anything in this world you want and not have to rely on other people to grow your career to the place you want to be. If you have any questions or need more career advice feel free to reach out to me online and I will help point you in the right direction.
How old are you? 28
What job prospects did you have/perceive entering college?
When I entered college, I was focused on science and medicine. Music was a huge part of my life still, but I had aspirations of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
What job prospects do you currently see?
Currently I see such a wide variety of job prospects and it is exciting! I want to play as many different styles of trumpet as possible and living in LA makes that a possibility.
How do you feel you are approaching your career in music differently from the generation before you?
I think social media and the oversaturation of the music industry makes it incredibly difficult to stand out. This means musicians must exercise a much more cohesive strategy in order to build themselves and their brand.
What advice do you have to students interested in a career in the music industry?
A career in the music industry is certainly a tough one, but I believe that anyone with significant drive and self-motivation is able to succeed. So just keep playing all the time!
