Arts and music

Musician CV: example and template

This example is for orchestral, session and concert musicians, band members, musical theatre musicians, instrument teachers and music school and academy graduates.

An orchestra manager, a band leader or a producer wants to know what you play, in which genres, who you have performed with, whether you sight-read and where they can listen to recordings. We show you how to describe this on your CV.

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Example CV: musician

All the details in this example are fictional. Treat it as a model of layout and wording, and replace the content with your own experience.

Piotr Gajda

Musician, guitarist

Wroclaw +48 123 456 789 piotr.gajda@example.com recordings: link to a music profile

Professional profile

Guitarist with a music academy degree and 10 years of concert and session experience. I play electric and acoustic guitar in pop, rock, funk and jazz, sight-read and write arrangements. I play in a musical theatre orchestra and record sessions for artists and ads.

Work experience

Guitarist

09.2019 - present

Musical theatre orchestra, Wroclaw

Guitar parts in 6 musicals, more than 300 performances.
Playing from the score under a conductor with a click track in the monitors.
Changing instruments during the show: electric guitar, acoustic guitar and mandolin.
Rehearsals with the orchestra and soloists before premieres.
Depping in orchestras at other theatres.

Session and touring musician

06.2015 - present

Freelance, Wroclaw and across Poland

Guitar recordings on 25 albums and in ads.
Concert tours with 3 artists, about 150 concerts.
Arranging and producing recordings in a home studio.

Education

Master of Arts, jazz and popular music, guitar

2010 - 2015

Academy of Music in Wroclaw

Skills

Electric and acoustic guitar
Sight-reading
Pop, rock, funk and jazz
Studio recordings
Arranging
Teaching guitar

Workshops and courses

Jazz workshops abroad, 2018
Music production course, 2021

Languages

English: B2

Additional information

Own equipment, driving licence, category B

I hereby consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes necessary to carry out the recruitment process, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 (GDPR).

How to write a musician CV

Professional summary

Write which instrument you play, in which genres, for how long and where: orchestra, band, studio, tours. Add sight-reading, because in orchestras and theatres it is often a requirement. Put the link to recordings in the header.

Music school graduate, violinist with experience in a chamber orchestra and a string quartet playing at weddings. I sight-read and play classical and film music. I am looking for work in an orchestra or on recordings.

Experience: duties and achievements

Describe orchestras, bands, productions, recordings and tours. Give numbers: concerts, performances, albums. If you write arrangements or produce, add it, because these skills open up new jobs.

Weaker: Playing in an orchestra.

Better: Guitar parts in 6 musicals, more than 300 performances.

Weaker: Recordings.

Better: Guitar recordings on 25 albums and in ads.

Weaker: Concerts.

Better: Concert tours with 3 artists, about 150 concerts.

Skills worth listing

List instruments, genres, sight-reading, studio work, arranging and production. In your soft skills show preparation and punctuality, because in professional music rehearsal and recording time is expensive.

Professional skills

Instruments
Sight-reading
Genres
Studio
Arranging
Teaching

Personal skills

Preparation
Punctuality
Teamwork
Listening to others
Flexibility

Education, workshops and awards

List music school or academy, workshops with the names of the teachers, competitions and awards. Recordings matter more than a list of diplomas, so add a link.

Musician CV with no experience

Describe music school, bands, school orchestras, competitions and recordings. Give your instrument and genres.

Record a short demo and take dep work. First jobs often come through recommendations from other musicians.

Tailoring your CV to the job offer

An orchestra looks for sight-reading and playing under a conductor, a concert band for stage experience and your own equipment, and a recording studio for quick work and a good sound. Move to the top what the audition is about.

The most common mistakes on a musician CV

No link to recordings.
No instruments or genres.
Leaving out sight-reading.
Concerts and recordings with no numbers.
A general "playing in a band" with no context.
A CV longer than two pages.

Questions and answers

What should a musician put on a CV?

Instruments, genres, orchestras and bands, recordings, tours, sight-reading, arrangements, education, workshops and a link to recordings.

Does a musician need to read music?

In an orchestra and musical theatre usually yes. In popular music bands it is an asset.

Can you work as a musician without a music academy?

Yes. On your CV show concerts, recordings, bands and what you have learned at workshops.

Should a musician put teaching on a CV?

Yes, as separate experience. Many musicians combine performing with teaching.

Create a musician CV in the builder

In the CV Majster builder you enter your details step by step and see right away what the document looks like. You can copy the wording from this page and adapt it to yourself. The finished CV as a PDF costs a one-off PLN 5, with no subscription, and you see the preview before you pay.

Go to the CV builder