What can you do with a music degree in India?

by Aaft Performing Art Aaft- School of performing art

If you’re reading this post, you are probably considering a degree in music, or already have one. While misconceptions make it out to be a field where there are very few job options available, music degrees actually open up several avenues which you can explore.

Music degree holders in India are in wide demand in several fields. Read on to find out more about just what jobs your music degree can introduce you to.

1. Performance

Performance is one of the most obvious career paths if you have a music degree. Whether you specialize in Western classical music, Indian classical music, or any other genre, you can pursue a career as a solo artist, a member of a band or an ensemble, or a session musician.

With performance-based careers, tenacity, good social skills, and the will to prove yourself are key. You could perform live concerts, record music for film and television, or create your own albums. Being a performer is one of the most fulfilling ways in which you can showcase your passion for music to the world.

2. Music Education

Music education is another option that you could easily explore as someone with a degree in music. You could become a private music teacher, a teacher at a school of music or conservatory, or even a professor at a university.

With a music degree, you have the knowledge and skills necessary to teach music theory, history, composition, and performance to students of all ages and skill levels. You might need to venture into a diploma in music education, and if you’re interested in teaching at a university level, you could go on to do a Ph.D. in your music field of choice.

3. Music Production

Music production has been a rapidly growing field in India for the past decade or so, with the rise of digital music and streaming platforms. If you’ve been listening to mainstream Bollywood music, you would have heard new and innovative methods of production being used in the songs. Music production allows you to involve yourself in this new direction being taken by the music.

With a music degree, you could work as a music producer, audio engineer, or sound designer, creating and producing music for a variety of media. You could work in a recording studio, for a film or television company, or even start your own music production label. There are specializations available in this field too, with music diploma courses and certificate degrees on offer for audio engineering, sounds cape designing, and so on.

4. Music therapy

If you’re interested in psychology along with music, music therapy could be an avenue for you to explore. Music therapy is a field that uses music to improve the physical, emotional, and cognitive health of patients. This field could be especially rewarding if you’re someone who likes working with people on a one-to-one basis.

As someone with a music degree, an additional degree in counseling or clinical psychology will help you to become a music therapist. You would be working with patients in hospitals, clinics, or other healthcare settings. You could use music to help patients with mental health disorders, developmental disabilities, chronic pain, and other health issues.

5. Music Journalism

If you have a passion for music and writing, you could pursue a career in music journalism. With a music degree combined with a certificate degree in print reporting or journalism, you’ll have the knowledge and expertise to write about music theory, history, performance, and more.

With music journalism, you’ll remain on top of all the new developments happening in the field. You could write for music magazines, newspapers, and online publications, or even start your own blog or podcast. All you need is your degree in music and the ability to communicate effectively and engagingly.

Conclusion

These are not the only careers available to you as someone with a music degree. The degree provides you with a range of transferable skills which are highly valued in many industries. For example, you’ll develop strong communication and teamwork skills through working with other musicians and working on projects.

You’ll also develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills by analyzing compositions and coming up with your own music. These are indispensable skills in any field and can help you in starting a career just about anywhere.