If you’ve got a passion for music, you might think that the best (and only) option for making music a career is to study either performance or production. While as a music lover it is always an added bonus to understand your passion at a deeper level, some creatives also love music for the thrill of live performance. Live music and performance have become a crucial part of our social fabric, coming in the forms of live theatre to sold-out stadiums by some of the biggest musicians in the world.
Now that live music and touring are back post-pandemic, people skilled in live music event production are in high demand! Going to school to study live music event production at Musicians Institute means that you will take classes in sound reinforcement, engineering, stage work, lighting, video, rigging, live broadcast, and staging. Being that the skillset is so varied, you have so many opportunities available to you to make a living doing what you love and with a degree you were actually passionate about.
If you’re ready to make a music career your reality, read below for the top live event jobs you can get with a live music event degree from Musicians Institute!
Front of House Engineer
The Front of House Engineer or FOH Engineer is mostly responsible for mixing the sound for the audience to enjoy at a concert. The FOH engineer controls the levels of all the individual instruments that are mic’d up on the stage, from the lead singer to each band member and their instruments. Depending on the artist or production, FOH have varying levels of creativity in their mixing, and they can sometimes have full control to very little at all.
Monitor Engineer
While the FOH engineer mixes the sound from the stage to the PA so the audience can hear, the monitor engineer is the person that mixes for the individual performers to hear what they’re playing! This job will require an engineer to mix multiple tracks at a time, depending on how many performers are on the stage.
Show or Event Producer
Concert producers handle the backstage work that goes on before and during a concert to ensure the show goes off smoothly and efficiently. He focuses on managing the technical and staffing aspects of the show, while the promoter takes care of getting people to buy tickets. To do his job properly, a concert producer must be organized and able to manage all aspects of the production, including acts, crew, sound, lighting and other technology.
Technical Director
The technical director operates the video switcher and other equipment needed to assist a director of a show in a control room. A large part of this role is making sure audio and visual equipment is running well to deliver the highest quality results for the event.
Stage Manager
Stage managers are the main liaisons between the creative and technical departments in a production, whether its a theatre or concert production. Most of their duties include assisting the director during rehearsals, and being responsible for all backstage activity once the show opens. The stage manager is also responsible for the communication between designers, stage crew and technicians.
Venue Manager
Venue managers are the coordinators in charge of managing concert halls, conference centers, theaters, outdoor spaces, etc. They handle all of the venue bookings and supervise the operations of the venue to make sure it is running smoothly while an event is happening. They’re also responsible for managing the property maintenance and supervising all staff members.
Lighting Designer
Working as a lighting designer means collaborating with a show’s director, stage manager, set designer, etc. to create the lighting atmosphere for a production, whether its a concert, theatre show or more. This job could also translate to working for full music tours, large party events, sports events, so there is a lot of opportunity depending on what interests you.
Lighting & Video Technician
As an AV technician, you will be responsible for organizing and installing media equipment such as projectors, microphones, video monitors, and sound boards. Lighting and video technicians also work with event coordinators/producers to gauge the requirements for the event and properly connect and lay the electrical and sound cables that will make it go as smooth as possible for the performers and the audience.
Touring Manager
A Touring Manager is responsible for making sure that a band or production runs smoothly while out on a tour. This person must be highly organized and is responsible for everything from travel plans, working with venue managers, handling media appearances, and so much more! Many people with live music event background go into this field because many of the skills overlap, and being a tour manager with stage and venue experience will ensure that the band gets exactly what they need to put on the best show.
Musicians Institute is the leader in contemporary music education offering certificates to Masters degrees in programs spanning instrument performance, electronic production, music business, and everything in between.
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