The CME offers individual career-related advising on both a walk-in basis (for quick questions) and by appointment. The CME staff can provide perspective and creative approaches for your career plan, project, or promotional materials, and can connect you with resources and contacts helpful to your professional advancement. Beyond the CME, members of the School’s faculty are valuable sources of career wisdom and firsthand knowledge of how to build successful and fulfilling careers. Students are encouraged to engage their teachers in conversations about the music industry as issues and questions arise.
The CME offers a range of career information handouts with detailed resources and how-to material geared to everything from writing a great bio or grant proposal, to acing a college-level teaching job interview, to starting your own festival, performance series, or teaching studio.
The CME sponsors the Setting the Stage Series featuring alumni, faculty, and invited guest professionals sharing their music industry experience and expertise. Other departments and programs supplement this series with lectures, many of which are open to all students.
Competition, grant, and festival listings are all available to current students, faculty, and staff through MSM’s institutional subscription to the Bridge: Worldwide Music Connection database (password and login required). In addition, the School coordinates on-campus recruiting visits from many summer festivals and apprenticeship programs each year.
Our Performance, Teaching, and Art-related Job Books are a well-stocked resource of job openings for students and alumni. The Performance Job Book includes mainly openings for chamber ensembles and small jazz combos, with occasional requests for soloists. A wide selection of church positions is regularly available: music directors, organists, section leaders, and soloists for religious ceremonies are often in demand. Teaching opportunities range from jobs in community music schools in the tristate area to full-time college/university teaching positions nationwide. Non-performance jobs range from office work (often in music-related fields) to child care. Information about internships is also available.
Every year, the office receives hundreds of requests for private teachers. Those who wish to teach can fill out a form, submit a résumé, and have their names added to the lists mailed out to callers who request them. Teacher Referral Registration Form >
Our JOBank Newsletter lists over 100 positions in performance, education, and arts administration each month. Alumni will find it a convenient and valuable resource for job hunting. The JOBank Newsletter is posted regularly for use by Manhattan School of Music Alumni through our Online Alumni Community.
Note: Once you have signed-in to the Online Community, click the "Job Listings" link on the left-hand side of the page. Register or Sign In for the Online Community >
Letters of recommendation, concert programs, and reviews that support applications for employment can be kept on file to be copied and mailed out by the office on request. A fee of $10 payable by check to Manhattan School of Music is required to activate a credential file. The subsequent cost of distributing a credential is $4 per address requested.
In addition to providing opportunities for students to negotiate and procure their own performance work, the office also recommends musicians for services throughout the year. These are often situations where time is of the essence or those that call for special repertoire; they range from small ensembles for high-profile corporate functions to chamber music series for private clubs. Musicians are chosen according to their reputations for performance excellence, reliability, cooperation, and eagerness to work. Students and alumni can download an Ensemble Referral form or a Musician Referral form. Ensemble Referral form > Musician Referral form >
In addition to the services listed, MSM offers the course Practical Foundations: Entrepreneurial Leadership Skills (ME1500) and will be offering an Entrepreneurial Project Development seminar soon as well. In addition, Introduction to Performance (VX0900), The Audition Package (SP1070), and Jazz Musician as Educator (JC2360) cover many nonmusical aspects of a career.
U.S. Government regulations limit and/or prohibit employment of students who are in this country on certain types of visas. Consult the International Student Advisor in the Office of Student Life for these guidelines.