How to hire musicians and singers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Perform before live audiences in concerts, recitals, educational presentations, and other social gatherings. • Play from memory or by following scores. • Play musical instruments as soloists, or as members or guest artists of musical groups such as orchestras, ensembles, or bands. • Practice performances, individually or in rehearsal with other musicians, to master individual pieces of music or to maintain and improve skills. • Provide the musical background for live shows, such as ballets, operas, musical theatre, and cabarets. • Seek out and learn new music suitable for live performance or recording. • Sight-read musical parts during rehearsals. • Specialize in playing a specific family of instruments or a particular type of music. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: No formal educational credential] • Strong speaking, active listening, monitoring, reading comprehension and critical thinking skills • Working knowledge of fine arts • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $47.80 an hour ($99,424 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for musicians and singers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to perform before live audiences in concerts, recitals, educational presentations, and other social gatherings. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to play from memory or by following scores. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to play musical instruments as soloists, or as members or guest artists of musical groups such as orchestras, ensembles, or bands. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to practice performances, individually or in rehearsal with other musicians, to master individual pieces of music or to maintain and improve skills. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What musicians and singers do
- Perform before live audiences in concerts, recitals, educational presentations, and other social gatherings.
- Play from memory or by following scores.
- Play musical instruments as soloists, or as members or guest artists of musical groups such as orchestras, ensembles, or bands.
- Practice performances, individually or in rehearsal with other musicians, to master individual pieces of music or to maintain and improve skills.
- Provide the musical background for live shows, such as ballets, operas, musical theatre, and cabarets.
- Seek out and learn new music suitable for live performance or recording.
- Sight-read musical parts during rehearsals.
- Specialize in playing a specific family of instruments or a particular type of music.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for musicians and singers
- Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 2 to 4 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Long-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +0.3% over ten years, little or no change · about 17,400 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay musicians and singers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| North Carolina | $120,557 |
| Minnesota | $111,571 |
| Illinois | $110,490 |
| Hawaii | $109,387 |
| Connecticut | $105,560 |
| Michigan | $76,190 |
| Texas | $69,867 |
| Ohio | $69,389 |
See musicians and singers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Music Directors and Composers
- Actors
- Choreographers
- Dancers
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
- Producers and Directors
- Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners
- Therapists, All Other
- Writers and Authors
- Sound Engineering Technicians
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.