Music Career Advising: A Guide for Students, Parents, and Teachers Annotated Edition

Eric Branscome has covered all the bases in his thorough-going approach to music career development. From musicology to piano-tuning and all the music-related jobs in between, the hard facts are there for aspiring professional musicians to help them make enlightened career-training choices.

Every high school student considering a career in music should read this book. It will provide
them with valuable knowledge about themselves, the variety of music degrees and career paths, and their fit in the field. This book will ultimately assist them in making an informed decision as they transition to college and choose whether or not to follow a path that leads to a career in the world of music.

Finally! This is perhaps the first career manual I have read that integrates career development theory with the intricacies of pursuing a career as a professional musician. The detailed breakdown by music career, both traditional and non-traditional, provides a workable blueprint for college students. Additionally, it provides a powerful insight to the parents, professors and advisors working with the student.

Over time the number of college/university music majors has remained low. Designed for pre-college readers, this volume by Branscome attempts to counteract this situation by preparing students for college-level music study and succeeding careers. Arranged in part by the different types of bachelor’s degrees that one can earn in music, the book outlines musical, business, and personal skills necessary for success in the various careers available to music majors. For each degree, the book describes the courses generally offered, the types of careers that graduates generally go into, the availability of jobs in those areas, and the general locations for those jobs. Branscome treats careers in music librarianship, conducting, and instrument repair in separate chapters. The information he provides should prove helpful to those contemplating music as a college major, high school counselors, and parents. While Branscome provides sound advice, he fails to point out that the skills developed through the study of music can be mapped to any number of careers outside of music, particularly those that require a degree of creativity, the ability to think abstractly, or the need for intense concentration. This volume is a welcome resource for college and career planning. Summing Up: Recommended. High-school students, first year college/university students, counselors, and parents.

This text is appropriate for the pre-college student and parent. It is a helpful ‘primer’ to understanding how one might view the structure of the traditional collegiate music major program. In the final pages is a nicely done list of suggested additional readings and referencing with descriptions. The book is sequenced well and written with clarity.