Find out what bands and live acts are playing at venues near you to get a sense of all the musical styles you can explore in your own town.

Career

Explore the music scene near you.

Take advantage of music resources at school by joining band or taking a music class, or start learning on your own with online tutorials.

Education

Take a music class.

Watch violinist Robert Gupta talk about the transformative and healing power of music. 

Watch a TED Talk about the power of music. 

Music Directors

Direct and conduct instrumental or vocal performances by musical groups, such as orchestras or choirs.

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Second Interest High-Point

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Third Interest High-Point

First Interest High-Point

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Musicians, Singers, and Related Workers

Music Directors and Composers

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers

Use gestures to shape the music being played, communicating desired tempo, phrasing, tone, color, pitch, volume, and other performance aspects.

Direct groups at rehearsals and live or recorded performances to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo.

Plan and schedule rehearsals and performances, and arrange details such as locations, accompanists, and instrumentalists.

Consider such factors as ensemble size and abilities, availability of scores, and the need for musical variety, to select music to be performed.

Study scores to learn the music in detail, and to develop interpretations.

Position members within groups to obtain balance among instrumental or vocal sections.

Confer with clergy to select music for church services.

Transcribe musical compositions and melodic lines to adapt them to a particular group, or to create a particular musical style.

Audition and select performers for musical presentations.

Meet with soloists and concertmasters to discuss and prepare for performances.

Assign and review staff work in such areas as scoring, arranging, and copying music, and vocal coaching.

Perform administrative tasks such as applying for grants, developing budgets, negotiating contracts, and designing and printing programs and other promotional materials.

Plan and implement fundraising and promotional activities.

Coordinate and organize tours, or hire touring companies to arrange concert dates, venues, accommodations, and transportation for longer tours.

Collaborate with music librarians to ensure availability of scores.

Conduct guest soloists in addition to ensemble members.

Meet with composers to discuss interpretations of their work.

Engage services of composers to write scores.

Acoustic guitars

Audio interfaces

Computer laser printers

Conducting batons

Copy machines

Desktop computers

Electronic organs

Expression pedals

External hard drives

Flash drives

Foot switches

Handbells

Keyboard synthesizers

Laptop computers

Musical instrument digital interface MIDI sequencers

Personal computers

Pianos

Pipe organs

Portable loudspeakers

Sustain pedals

Tablet computers

Apple Final Cut Pro

Apple MainStage

Avid Audio Pro Tools

MediaShout

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft Word

MIDI Maestro

Music Director Pro

I got into a lot of trouble when I was younger. I went to prison twice. 

Owner

<p>In Austin, the UK team interviews Cliff Antone, owner of the famous Antone's Blues Club. En route to Phoenix, the team makes a pit stop to talk with truck driver Darius. Finally in Phoenix, they meet with Pam Gaber, founder of the non-profit group Gabriel's Angels.</p>

Austin - Phoenix

But we kind of look at the people so happy doing what they do for a living that it isn't work. It's just they go to work- >> That's me, you found the right guy. >> But in our way, we wanna kind of ask, how did you get there? >> I grew up on the Texas-Louisiana border, which is Port Arthur, Texas, where Janis Joplin was from and Johnny Winters and those musicians. It's Texas but it's really Louisiana Cajun. So I came from a real diverse but low-down blues and background. >> What did it kind of mean to you, like growing up? Did it have like a profound effect on your life? >> It did. The blues and the American soul music of James Brown and Otis Redding and that stuff, that's what I listened to growing up. It was the only thing I could ever do is hear music. I couldn't hear what was going on in school or anything because I had music in my head all my life. You know, we were very young. We were in our early twenties and we didn't know nothing about a club. And so, we just knew music. So it just happened like the Field of Dreams, the movie, if you build it they will come. Well that's what happened people just started coming and helping us. We didn't even really have any money. People would come in and say oh I got a walk in cooler, I got two air conditioner units, or I will do the electrical work, I'll do the plumbing work, pay us when you can. It was like magic, it just happened. It was funny because the older blues guys would come to town and they'd never met me and they'd say like, where's Mr. Anton. I said, I'm Mr. Anton. And I looked about like y'all, and they said well, where's your father? I said, well, he lives in Port Arthur, why? They said well who owns this. I said, I do. And they would get a laugh out of it, but they took us in because they could see that we were purists. We weren't in it for business. We were in it for the blues. So, all the great ones, the great Muddy Waters, Albert King, those kind of people, you know? 

Chance

Confidence

Desire

Hard Work

In It For The Blues

[MUSIC] But we're kinda and so happy doing what they do for a living that it isn't work. It's just that they go to work. >> That's me. You found the right guy. >> But in a way, it's like we wanna kind of ask, how did you get that? >> I grew up on the Texas, Louisiana border, which is Port Arthur, Texas where Janis Joplin was from and Johnny Winters and those musicians. And it's Texas but it's really Louisiana Cajun, so I came from a real diverse but low down blues and Zydeco background. >> What did it kind of mean to you growing up? Did it have a profound effect on your life? >> It did. The blues and the American Soul music of James Brown and Otis Reading and that stuff. That's what, that's what I listened to growing up, it was the only thing I ever could do, was hear music. I couldn't hear what was going on in school or anything because I had music, in my head all my life. You know, we were very young, we were in our early 20s, and we didn't know nothing about a club, and so we just knew music. So it just happened like the Field of Dreams, the movie, if you build it, they'll come, well that's what happened. People just started coming and helping us, we didn't really have any money. And people would come in and say, oh, I got a walk-in cooler or I got two air conditioner units or I'll do the electrical work, I'll do the plumbing work, pay us when you can. It was like magic, it just happened, it was funny, because the older blues guys would come to town, and they'd never met me. And they'd say, like, where's Mr Antone, I said, I'm Mr Antone, and I looked about like y'all. And he said where's your father? I said, well he lives in Port Arthur, why? He said, well, who owns this? I said, I do, and they would get a laugh out of it but they took us in because they could see that we were purist. We weren't in it for the business, we were in it for the Blues, so all the great ones, Great Muddy Waters, Albert King, those kind of people. >> Like what I want to do in my life is be a musician, I'm already a musician, but what I actually want to do is to perform. I don't know why, but I've got massive like confidence issues and stuff like that. >> You gonna be a musician, well what's the chances of making it? About like hitting the lottery, it's hard. >> What if you're prepared to do that? >> God bless you man, if it's a burning desire and you can't think of nothing else, you might have a chance, but it's got to be such a desire. If you think you do and you're willing to roll the dice, then you go do it, but you'll never find out unless you do try it. That's the other side of the coin, your life is gonna be about the decisions you make, that's what it's gonna come down to. >> I mean you're saying don't take the chance. >> I say, go to school and get all the degrees you can get, get into business, make all the money you can get. Then start a band or a nightclub, don't do it the hard way like we did. >> Does that mean that if you went back, you'd do it differently? >> I probably would have went to school. >> Why? >> I'll tell you this, I've been in a lot of trouble in my life, I've been to prison twice, there's just no reason to have to go through anything that hard. But I didn't see it when I was a kid, we just wanted to bring the Blues, so we did anything we could to get the, the Blues was the lowest thing in America. And that's all we loved was the Blues, what I believe the most is that you only get out of it what you put into it, that's it. There ain't no easy way and no one's gonna help you out there, that's the problem, if you got no money, how do you start out in this world? It's tough, the reality of money, money is not my God, music is what I love, but the landlord don't wanna hear that. >> Are you happy with what you've done? >> I'm so happy, but, I paid a huge price, I've chosen this road, and I haven't really made any money doing this, but I've made the best music in the world, you know? 

Community

Money & Financial Security

Interview

He's saying don't take the chance? >> I'd say go to school and get all the degrees you can get. Get into business, make all the money you can get. Then start a band, or a nightclub, don't do it the hard way like we did. >> Does that mean that if you went back, you'd do it differently? >> I probably would've went to school. >> Why? >> I'll tell you this, I've been in a lot of trouble in my life. I've been to prison twice. There's just no reason to have to go through anything that hard. But I didn't see it when I was a kid. We were just wanted to bring the blues, so we did anything we could to get the money. The blues was the lowest thing in America. That's all we loved, was the blues. What I believe the most is that you only get out of it what you put into it. That's it. There ain't no easy way. And no one's gonna help you out there, you know. That's the problem. If you got no money, how do you start out in this world, you know? It's tough. The reality of money, money's not my God, music is what I love, but the landlord doesn't wanna hear that. >> But are you happy with what you've done? >> Oh, I'm so happy, but I paid a huge price. I've chosen this road and I haven't really made any money doing this, but I've made the best music in the world. [MUSIC] 

Paying The Price

Like what I want to do in my life is be a musician. I'm already a musician, but what I actually want to do is to perform. I don't know why, but I've got massive confidence issues and stuff like that. >> You're gonna be a musician. Well, what's the chances of making it? About like hitting the lottery. It's hard. >> But what if you're prepared to do that? >> God bless you man. If it's a burning desire and you can't think of nothing else, you might have a chance, but it's got to be such a desire. If you think you do and you're willing to roll the dice, then you go do it. But you'll never find out unless you do try. That's the other side of the coin. Your life is gonna be about the decisions you make, that's what it's gonna come down to. 

Massive Confidence Issues

[Cliff] [Southern accent] You gonna be a musician? Well...what's the chances of makin' it? About like hittin' the lottery. [Roadtripper] [British accent] I mean, are you saying, "Don't take the chance"? [Cliff] I say go to school and get all the degrees you can get, get into business, make all the money you can get. Then start a band or a night- club. Don't do it the hard way like we did. [Roadtripper] Does that mean that if you went back, you'd do it differently? [Cliff] I probably would've went to school. [Roadtripper] Why? [Cliff] I-I'll tell you this: I've been in a lot of trouble in my life. I've been to prison twice. There's just no....there's just no reason to have to go through anything that hard, you know? But I didn't see it when I was a kid. If it's a burning desire and you can't think of nothin' else, you might have a chance. If you think you do and you're willing to roll the dice, then you go do it, but you'll never find out unless you do try, you know? That's the other side of the coin. 

Cliff Antone

Owner

Videos

Cliff Antone

Milestones

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Entrepreneurship

Music

Accomplishing Goals

Hurdles

Challenges I Overcame

Formerly Incarcerated