Music Director, Education

• A typical day as a music teacher starts pretty early, since responsibilities may include conducting early rehearsals or private lessons before other classes start for the day
• It is important to be prepared with a lesson plan for the day, as well as maintain a high level of energy and positivity.
• Each student requires individual attention, from their posture to the way they hold their instrument, how they produce sounds, as well as the personal problems they may be harboring
• However, students must be addressed as a whole too, to ensure all the student musicians blend as an ensemble to produce something musically worthwhile.
• Music teachers have to be a cheerleader and a disciplinarian to remain focused and express your passion for music to, in some cases, a very large number of students.
• Music teachers face the challenge of dealing with many administrators and other teachers, both of whom in some cases may not be very supportive. While trying to promote their program, and get the most resources they can for their students, very often they have to make do with inadequate budgets and rehearsal space.
• On the other hand, very often, music teachers get a lot of freedom and creative leeway in terms of planning and designing a curriculum, especially because no one in the school will know as much about the topic as they do. However, depending on their administration, they may require certain aspects to be included in the syllabus.

Soft Skills

• Leadership
• Interpersonal skills/Active communication
• Instructing/Knowledge of different learning strategies
• Organizing and planning

Technical Skills

• Musical talent
• Music or sound editing software: E.g. Adobe Systems Adobe Audition, Apple Logic Pro, Sonic Studio

• Performing arts institutes
• Education (college/high school/middle school)
• Religious/Civic/Professional organizations  

• The biggest sacrifice is time spent with family and pursuing other hobbies. Music teachers spend a lot of time at school (including working overtime into evenings and weekends)
• However, many music teachers essentially have the opportunity to blend their passion with their job, and therefore may not see working overtime as a sacrifice.

• Technology is making advances within music education; an example would be smart music, which includes apps that students can use to help them learn to play, while at the same time providing a means of assessment for teachers
• Technology can also play a part in the actual performance of the piece, in terms of computerized sounds, but also notation software which helps students write and arrange music
• Additionally there are different music programmes students can use too, such as tuning apps
• In terms of actual performance, the greatest musical trend is toward high-energy film score types of sounds(especially with ensemble performances)
• There is also more fusion of styles, so no matter what ensemble you may be conducting (wind, string, etc.), students can be directed to playa variety of genres

• “Music people” generally have attended since a young age, and continue to attend, a lot of live musical performances, as well as theatrical and art exhibitions
• Music teachers are usually instrumentalists and/or vocalists who have been developing their skills from a young age, and although a music teacher does not have to be proficient in a great number of instruments, it is advisable that they have a very strong foundation in one (usually the piano), and learn to play others well enough that they would be comfortable teaching those additional instruments

• Grade school level: music departments may be particularly susceptible to budget cuts in the future, meaning a potential decrease in hiring of music teachers
• Postsecondary level: positions for music professors are expected to experience ‘faster-than-average’ employment growth in the future due to increasing enrollment in colleges and universities