There are a variety of accompanist jobs available, some of which are more demanding than others. An accompanist is frequently required in places of worship, visual and performing arts centers, schools, special auditions, and other places and events. The pay for accompanying varies greatly depending on your location and the venue, with some paying per job and others paying a salary or hourly rate.
Examine your piano abilities before looking for an accompanist position. At all levels, you must be a quick and accurate sight reader as an accompanist. You must also be able to follow a soloist or director for musical cues, while keeping in mind that the performers’ interpretation is up to them. As a result, you must be able to follow instructions quickly, as too much talking will slow down a rehearsal or audition, causing performers and directors to become irritated.
A place of worship is one of the most common places to look for an accompanist job. Many religious institutions have music departments that include vocal choirs, handbell choirs, orchestras, and bands. Both rehearsals and performances frequently necessitate the use of an accompanist. Most of the time, this is a salaried job with set hours. Despite the low to average pay, accompanists usually only work four to six hours per week, usually in the evenings or the morning of the religious service.
Accompanists are also employed by schools. Several accompanists on salary are typically employed by large music programs to accompany classes, private lessons, and performances. The accompanist job at a school may require up to 40 hours per week, including some nights and weekends for performances and rehearsals, depending on the specific requirements. Average remuneration.
An accompanist may be hired on a full-time, part-time, or as-needed basis by professional performing groups or performing arts centers. During auditions, an accompanist may be hired for a day or weekend to accompany singers and instrumentalists auditioning for roles in upcoming productions. Performing arts groups may hire an accompanist for rehearsal and performance during the weeks leading up to the performance. In some cases, the accompanist is only required for rehearsals because the performance will be performed with a full band or orchestra.
The compensation for accompanying in some large cities or areas with prestigious music programs may be significantly higher than in other areas. Nonetheless, accompanying is not a financially rewarding position. Because many arts centers and schools operate on a shoestring budget, relying primarily on donations and sponsorships, accompanist jobs are typically low-paying.