October 2008

Dear Parents,

Our school music department will be using SmartMusic® to help students learn concert music and develop essential skills. We highly recommend students purchase a SmartMusic home subscription as it will greatly assist their development. Since teachers will be requiring students to complete SmartMusic assignments, a SmartMusic home subscription is a great tool for your student’s musical development.

Please visit www.smartmusic.com where you can view a four-minute video that explains SmartMusic and how it motivates and engages students, builds student confidence, and enriches the student’s total music experience.

What is needed to use SmartMusic?

SmartMusic works on your PC or Macintosh and requires an Internet connection to activate your subscription and receive and send assignments securely online. System requirements and support contacts are listed at www.smartmusic.com.

What does SmartMusic cost?

You can purchase a full-year subscription through our school’s account or directly from SmartMusic for only $30 per year. Microphones cost $19.95 and are required for assignments, tuning, recordings, and assessments. Macintosh computers also require a USB microphone adaptor. You can order your SmartMusic subscription, microphone, and mic adaptor (as necessary) by going to www.smartmusic.com and clicking the Order Now button.

How do I get started?

Here are the easy steps to purchase and activate your SmartMusic subscription. While you must be online to activate, receive, or post assignments and to download music, no web browser is required, and you can practice off-line at any time. If you run into any questions, SmartMusic tech support is free!

1. Visit www.smartmusic.com and follow the on-screen instructions to order your subscription, microphone, and free installation disc.
2. When you receive SmartMusic at home, install SmartMusic with the installation disc and launch the program.
3. You will be prompted to activate your subscription using the e-mail address and password that you creat...

Whether your interests lie in music education, performance, industry, or any number of other venues, the field of music provides countless opportunities for finding a fulfilling and rewarding career. On these pages are a collection of resources designed to help students, parents, teachers, and all those curious, in discovering the many possibilities. You may want to begin by reading our Glossary of Careers for complete descriptions of numerous music career options. Our "Careers in Music" online brochure also gives insight into specifics for 16 career fields, such as the recommended training, skills, personal qualifications, and average salaries. As you continue to explore the other pages, the information and resources you will find delve deeper into performing and teaching careers, the music industry, the study of music, continuing education, teacher certification, and much more.

The links below provide a further look into music careers in general, after which we hope you will visit the other areas of "Careers in Music". Then, as you ask yourself "Should I study music?" take a moment to read "What it Takes To Be a Music Major". These links and more found on our web site will help you in making the decision on going into the music field.
Note: Web sites linked from this site are listed for information purposes only. Their inclusion does not constitute endorsement of their content by MENC: The National Association for Music Education.

Berklee College of Music - Concise descriptions of music related careers of all kinds.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - The "Occupational Outlook Handbook" provides helpful information about several music careers, including salary and employment outlook. Under "Occupations", click on "Occupational Outlook Handbook", and look under M for music careers.

These publications and others found on Amazon.com.

MENC Publication "Exploring Careers in Music, 2nd Edition" An in-depth guide to music careers, featuring a section on technology, a directory of resources, and ...