How to Write a Music Resume—Examples & Template

Before you get the chance to write your magnum opus that will resonate worldwide, you need to strike the right notes during smaller repertoires.

And to get a chance to be heard, you need a music resume. I’ll show you what it looks like and how to write it.

In this guide:

• A music resume template that needs no second takes.
• How to write a music resume that fanfares your career.
• How to list performances and work history in a resume for music jobs.
• Tips and tricks for making your musical resume stand out from others.

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Looking for a different resume example? See:

• Acting Resume Examples
• Artist Resume Examples
• Dance Resume Examples
• Fashion Resume Examples
• Filmmaker Resume Examples
• Freelance Resume Examples
• Journalist Resume Examples
• Music Teacher Resume Examples
• Theatre Resume Examples
• Videographer Resume Examples

Music Resume Example

Now that you know what the end goal looks like, I’ll tell you exactly how to get to it.

How to Write a Music Resume

There are many different jobs under the vast umbrella of “music.” Whether you’re a musician, music producer, or in a different position, I’ll walk you through what to include in your resume for music jobs.

1. Attune the Proper Music Resume Format

A single mistake on a music sheet can make the entire performance flop. Similarly, the wrong resume format will make your application discordant.

But get it right, and your resume for music jobs will play like Du bist die Ruh. Here are the rules:

• Set one-inch margins on all sides and use copious white space.
• Choose a resume font like 11–14pt Arial or Calibri.
• Write resume sections for Heading, Summary, Education, and Skills. Depending on your career path, add Experience, Performances, or Works.
• Your resume length can be 1–4 pages, depending on your accomplishments. However, the more concise you can make it, the better.
• Send a PDF resume file so it won’t become a cacophony in transit.

Read More: If you're not a musician, but you're looking to work at a music-oriented company, give this Spotify resume guide a try.

2. Write a Music Resume Objective or Summary

In a symphony, the first notes set the initial tones of the piece, painting a vivid picture and creating emotions in our minds.

Although not as grandiose, the goal for a resume introduction is similar. It sets the tone for your musician resume. It grabs the reader’s attention, making them want to learn more about you. Your resume profile needs to be perfect.

If you’re experienced, start with a resume summary. Here’s what you need to include:

• An adjective (accomplished, passionate)
• The same music job title the position advertises (Violist, Music Director)
• Years of experience (2+, 7+)
• Your goal (seeking a position with The Florida Orchestra)
• Best musical resume achievements (received the Frances Millikan Music Award...)

See these music resume examples:

Music Resume Summary—Example

Talented violist with 9 years of experience playing the viola in university and professional settings, seeking a position with The Florida Orchestra. Studied under Daniel Sweaney and Victoria Chiang at the University of Florida. Recipient of the John Canarina Music Fellowship and received the Frances Millikan Reitz Music Award. Versed in orchestra and chamber music.

Enthusiastic violist, skilled in giving performances in orchestra music, chamber music, pit orchestra music, and musical theater productions. A highly talented player and versatile orchestra member with a wide repertoire of works. Hard worker and team player.

The second sample lists a ton of valuable skills, but that’s about it. Meanwhile, the first candidate checks all the boxes I mentioned above, giving a much clearer picture of their qualifications.

But what if you’re making a music resume with no experience? Is it destined to fall into obscurity? Not if you include a resume objective! See this entry-level music resume for college example:

Entry-Level Music Resume Objective

Passionate viola player with a strong work ethic. Seeking to grow into a working professional at the University of Florida. Played orchestra and string ensemble positions for four years in the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra. Excels in musical theater.

Student and viola player, skilled in string ensemble and orchestra performances, as well as musical theater. A good collaborator and leader. Has a perfect pitch.

The dedication to music stands out in the first of these two musician resume examples. Unfortunately for the second candidate, their objective is devoid of passion.

Expert Hint: Do you want to change careers and follow your passion for music but are afraid it’s too late? I have some great news. A recent study found that an early start in musical training is not a prerequisite for becoming a great musician. An earlier start was not associated with higher musical achievement when controlling for total practice time.

3. Show Your Experience

What are work experience and achievements exactly? In the case of “normal” jobs, it’s easy. It’s the things you did at these jobs, that resulted in a benefit for the company.

But when it comes to music, it can be way more than that. It may also mean your performances and original compositions. So depending on the type of music resume you’re writing, there will be different things you need to focus on.

Let’s start with a resume for a musician. In it, two important sections portray your relevant experience. Starting with your musician experience:

Music Performance Resume Examples

Experience

Orchestra Experience

University of Florida

August 2020–June 2024

• Orchestra, Viola
• Concert Band, Viola
• Chosen by conductor to mentor 2 violists

Musical Theater and Opera

University of Florida

class="pb0"August 2020–June 2024

• Les Pêcheurs de Perles—Pit Orchestra, Viola
• Don Giovanni—Pit Orchestra, Viola

Experience

University of Florida

2020–2024

• Orchestra, Viola
• Concert Band, Viola
• Les Pêcheurs de Perles, Viola
• Don Giovanni, Viola

Florida Chamber Music Project

2020–2024

• String Quartet, Viola
• String Ensemble, Viola

These two music resume samples showcase the exact same experience, but only one does it correctly. Notice how much information is missing from the second example compared to the first one. It’s missing a crucial resume keyword, “Pit Orchestra,” doesn’t mention mentoring skills, and the candidate doesn’t include full dates.

It’s not even that the second example is just plain bad. Rather, the first one plays the first fiddle in comparison.

In addition to your music experience, I recommend you also showcase your “summary of works.” It’s a simple list of your most impressive performances.

You know all too well that some pieces are way harder than others. Although both are fantastic and require excellent skill and teamwork, Elgar’s Chanson de Nuit is way easier than Jean Sibelius' Symphony No.5. If you can, focus on the expert symphonies you performed.

Listing Works on a Music Performance Resume

Summary of Works

August 2023–June 2024

• Karelia Overture—J. Sibelius
• Symphony No. 5—D. Shostakovich
• Concerto for Orchestra—B. Bartok

August 2022–June 2023

• Julius Caesar, Overture, Op. 128—R. Schumann
• "Amitié Sainte"—G. Bizet
• "Arrêtez! Arrêtez!"—G. Bizet

August 2021–June 2022

• Symphony No. 8—J. Bruckner
• Overture to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg—R. Wagner
• Concierto de Aranjuez—J. Rodrigo

As for how to list them, it’s very simple. Write the dates, the name of the piece, and the composer’s first initial and last name.

As for my personal input, I recommend separating these performances into one-year periods, as I did in the example. It greatly helps with the clarity of your musician resume.

The next thing is, what if you’re not a musician yourself? How should a music composer showcase his body of works? That’s what the “Original Compositions” section is for. See the example:

Music Composer Resume Example

Original Compositions

• Deep Within a Hound’s-Tooth Mood, Large Head Records, June 2018
• Gliding and Complaining, Big Desert Funk Productions, August 2017
• Whither Squirrels, Ortega Sound, September 2015

Or, if you’re a music teacher or a music producer, just list your relevant resume accomplishments like you would on a standard resume. See the examples below:

Teaching Experience Music Resume Example

Work Experience

Music Teacher

Albert N. Frappier High School

August 2016–May 2019

• Managed classrooms of 25+ music students.
• Selected, researched, taught, and conducted 5 live orchestra performances.
• Managed fundraising for over $20,000 per year for the music program.
• Three of my students were accepted to the Juilliard School in New York.
• Cut costs by 12% by reusing books and materials.

Work Experience

Music Teacher

Albert N. Frappier High School

2016–2019

• Managed classrooms.
• Selected, researched, taught, and conducted orchestra performances.
• Managed fundraising for the music program.
• Cut costs by reusing books and materials.

See how major of a difference simple numbers can make? Both of these resumes showcase classroom management skills, live performance, fundraising, and cost-cutting. But the first one presents them as proud accomplishments, while the second makes a flat sound by only listing them as responsibilities.

For an audio engineer, the rule is the same.

Work Experience Musical Resume Example

Work Experience

Audio Engineer

Crunchy Soundz Productions

August 2016–May 2019

• Conducted live sound engineering for 10 concerts and events, ensuring optimal sound quality and clarity for audiences of up to 500 attendees.
• Led audio engineering for an in-demand roadhouse band.
• Mixed live audio with 10+ instruments and mics for crowds of 150+ every Friday and Saturday night.
• Cut transportation costs by 10% through better planning and use of space relations.

Work Experience

Audio Engineer

Crunchy Soundz Productions

2016–2019

• Head audio engineer for in-demand roadhouse band.
• Mixed live audio.
• In charge of all packing, unpacking, and setup. Cut transportation costs 10% through better planning and use of space relations.
• Sound mixing skills written up positively in PlayOut blog.

The second example again shows some common resume mistakes. It doesn’t show impact by not using action words, which makes even the solitary quantified achievement look weak. The bullet points are also not presented well, and they include several small errors.

Expert Hint: According to Data USA, the main industries that employ the largest number of musicians are religious organizations, performing arts, spectator sports, and all kinds of universities and schools. You may find some opportunities to gain experience in these places.

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4. List Music Resume Skills

Music is a broad term, and although it’s a general term for a skill, you’ll need to be more granular on a resume for music.

Music jobs are like compositions. Each has its own needs. Custom-fit your resume for music positions by finding the right skills to put on a resume and resume keywords in the job ad.

List up to 10 skills that are the best matches for the specific job you’re applying for. Here are some categorized music skills you might want to consider:

Performance skills:

• Symphony
• Pit Orchestra
• Chamber Music
• Concertos
• Opera
• Quartets
• Conducting
• Ensembles
• Instrument-Specifc Skills
• Orchestral Performances

Soft skills:

• Interpersonal Skills
• Collaboration
• Leadership Skills
• Communication Skills
• Creative Thinking
• Active Learning
• Adaptability
• Positivity

Technical skills / Hard skills:

• Audio Recording Software
• Acoustics
• Track Mixing
• Electronics
• Pro Tools
• Digital Audio
• Pitch, Timing, Rhythm
• Live Audio
• Recording Studio Equipment
• Music Theory

5. Conduct the Perfect Music Resume Education Section

Yes, you can absolutely be a great musician who has never stepped foot in music school. But, even if that’s the case, the resume education section isn’t optional.

If you want your work experience to take the front row, just list the essentials—Degree, school name, years.

But if you’d like to showcase achievements from the time you were at school, add bonus bullet points underneath. That’s especially beneficial for entry-level resumes for musicians. You can add extra projects, awards, club memberships, or relevant coursework. Anything that elevates your resume and is relevant to music is fair game.

See the examples below:

Music Resume Examples: Education Section

Education

Bachelor of Music

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

August 2020–June 2024

• Viola concentration.
• Participated in performances, helping the school win the Nationals 2 years in a row.
• President, Frances Millikan Reitz Student Group.

Education

Bachelor of Music, University of Florida

Graduated in 2024

• Club violist
• Performed in concerts

Remember what I said about the impact and elevating your resume? Being a president of a student group proves valuable leadership skills, and winning the Nationals is a massive feat, proving the music skills of the entire orchestra, yourself included.

Expert Hint: “Educating a whole musician” entails the need to develop not just technical skills but also critical thinking, entrepreneurial abilities, and a holistic understanding of the music industry. Also, most musicians have Bachelor’s Degrees. So consider getting one to open up more opportunities.

6. Harmonize Your Music Resume with Added Sections

In a concert hall, you’re expected to do exactly as you rehearsed and perform in perfect unison with the rest of the orchestra. There is no place for individualism and trying to be different from the others.

But that’s not the case on your music resume. Here you need to focus on making yourself be seen by the reader. Do it by adding a couple of bonus sections. For example:

• Certifications
• Awards
• Teachers (If they are known and recognized)
• Scholarships
• Memberships
• Classes
• Volunteer work
• Freelancing
• Publications
• Foreign languages
• Media mentions
• Additional activities
• Hobbies and interests

See these music resume examples:

Music Resume Examples—Other Sections

Awards

• Irwin Hoffman Music Scholarship, March 2023
• John Canarina Music Fellowship, December 2021

Teachers 

• Daniel Sweaney
• Victoria Chiang

Volunteer Experience

• Volunteer viola player, Fayetteville Presbytarian Church.

Certifications

• Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP)
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

Publications

• Advancements in Machine Learning Algorithms for Predictive Maintenance in Industrial IoT Systems

If you’re that second candidate, kudos to you. You’ll make the perfect software engineer, but not a musician. On the other hand, the first sample has the perfect tonality for a musician.

One more thing before we cross the finish line. Write a cover letter to supplement your music resume. Put your soul into it and explain why the job matters to you.

And that’s it. You now know how to write a music resume. If you need to refresh your memory on any part of this guide, give it an encore… or reread.

Expert Hint: Music resumes have some unusual sections that you often need to include. And most resume builders don’t have a “Teachers” or “Summary of Works” sections. Fortunately, you can customize ResumeLab’s sections without problems, so adapting our templates to work for a music resume takes no time at all.

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Key Points

Here’s how to write a music resume:

• Begin with our music resume template. Add musical accomplishments from your school and work experience.
• List music skills like orchestra experience or track mixing. Show your achievements and body of work in your bullet points.
• Write a music resume objective with a medley of your best attributes.
• Add resume sections like certifications or additional activities to show you’re molto vivace.

Do you have questions on how to write good resumes for music jobs? Not sure how to showcase your experience on your music resume? Leave a comment. I’ll be happy to reply!

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