Mary Smith
123 Fake Street, City, State, Zip Code
E: email@email.com P: 000-000-0000
Professional Summary
Concertmistress in the Charlottesville Orchestra who is also the first-chair violinist. Dedicated to diligently practicing all pieces to ensure they are ready for upcoming performances, listening to the concerns of fellow musicians and the conductor, and upholding the orchestra’s professional reputation and image. Experienced in orchestral and quartet settings, and lead master classes for high school students each summer. Consistent team player who interacts well with other orchestral members to resolve issues and maintain consistent performance quality standards.
Skills
- -Strong desire to perform all pieces of music to the best of my abilities and achieve that aspiration through carefully planned practice sessions and a constant dedication to excellence.
- -Goal-oriented mindset, especially when learning new pieces or developing musicianship techniques.
- -Fluent speaker and writer of the Italian language.
- -Skilled in musical composition, ear training, and sight-reading.
- -Competent communicator, particularly when interacting with other members of an orchestra or teaching difficult technical concepts to fellow musicians.
Work Experience
Concertmistress
January 2015 – present
Company Name
- Perform orchestral works for audiences ranging from 50-10,000 people.
- Collaborate with other musicians to meet minimal performance standards and achieve a cohesive sound.
- Lead a 100-person orchestra made up of string, wind, brass, and percussion instruments.
- Assist the conductor with the goal of guiding musicians through complex pieces.
- Serve as a proper role model for other musicians to follow.
Violinist
January 2011 – January 2015
Company Name
- Participated in the string section of the orchestra.
- Set a good example for fellow members of the orchestra by practicing sufficiently and always being ready to perform.
- Taught other musicians how to successfully play some of the more difficult parts of assigned pieces and recommended practice standards to follow.
- Represented the orchestra during a European tour.
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance
December 2010
James Madison University
City, State
Private music lessons twice a week from January 1998
38930
Hobbies and Interests
I teach master classes for high school violin students every summer. I play at the Music Resource Center’s annual fundraising gala. I am a full member of the Central Virginia Orchestral Society. I go to local schools and talk about my music career to encourage students to potentially pursue their own music performance goals.
Questions for Your Musician CV
1. How do you write a music CV?
You begin with a professional summary that describes who you are and what you do. Follow that with a list of your skills, including hard and soft skills. List your work experience in reverse chronological order. Create bullet points that specify some of your responsibilities and achievements for each position you held. Add a section for your education and degrees, and wrap it all up with hobbies and interests. Take a look at our music CV sample for examples of each section.
2. How many skills should you put on a music CV?
Five to eight skills are sufficient for a CV. The quality of the skills is more important than the quantity. It’s a good idea to mention technical, skills such as transposition and arranging, as well as soft skills that are imperative to music-making, e.g. collaboration and discipline.You can tailor your skills to the job description. For example, if you are applying to an elementary music program, put down your Orff and Kodály training. However, if you have interest in a position with a symphony orchestra, leave that off and instead add your excellent sight-reading abilities.
3. Should you include references on a music CV?
As you can see from our music CV sample, it is not required to list references on your CV. Hiring managers expect that you will bring references with you to an interview. The exception is when a job description specifically asks for them. If this is the case, you need to add them.When it’s necessary to include references, they can go at the bottom of your CV in their own section. Write the name, job title, and phone number of each person. Two or three references is usually enough.
4. What can you do to make your music CV stand out?
Stellar CVs that catch the eye of hiring managers are clean, clear, and easy to read. Use bold headers for each section and bullet points to make your lists line up nicely. Include important industry buzzwords that signal you are a professional musician, such as rehearse, practice, polish, and perfect.Since you are in an artistic field, a little color or graphics can also set your CV apart. Judicious use of color gives a creative edge to your document and adds personality. Don’t go overboard, however; the primary goal of your CV is to convey important information. Study our music CV sample for more ideas on how to use color.
5. How do you write the experience section of a music CV?
List your jobs and performing experience in reverse chronological order. Keep the most important gigs only. There’s no need to mention playing banjo for Grandma Jo’s 100th birthday bash. Write the position you held, the name of the performing organization, and the years you were there. You may put teaching experience here, as well. Both private studio lessons and school positions are welcome. If you need additional help to get your CV off the ground, try our resume builder and create a personalized CV in minutes.