There are many intriguing opportunities for high school students who play musical instruments. By the time students are in high school, most kids have played their instrument of choice for more than a few years. They have mastered a standard scale in all keys and can often sight-read music. High school students are given many opportunities to be tutors, camp counselors, international touring artists and more with their talents. These opportunities can lead to college music scholarships, summer jobs, internships, recording contracts and more.
Tutors
Although the old stereotype of music teachers and tutors reflects a stodgy grown-up teaching elementary school-age children how to play the violin or tickle the ivories, in reality there are many opportunities for high school and college students. Younger children often respond better to people closer to their age. The teen is also closer in time to learning music theory and remembering different tricks and tips on how they learned to play their instrument of choice. For parents seeking a music teacher for their youngsters, an older student is less expensive than a professional and can pass on plenty of valuable information that is sufficient for learning until they know whether their child is serious about music. Not only do the older student teachers enjoy the money, they have additional experience to put on applications for college scholarships.
Camp Counselors
For students considering teaching as a career, taking a summer job as a camp counselor is a good start. It gives them a chance to learn how to interact with younger children while spending their summertime playing instruments they love and making new friends. This also gives high school students a chance to spend some independent time away from home before taking the big step of going off to college. It is also a way to help earn some college money. There are many openings as camp counselors in fine arts camps, as well as those specifically designed for marching band, orchestra, ensembles, horns, percussion and just plain music camp.
International Tours
Travelling orchestras organized through band and fine arts camps seek out high school students who can play well and want to spend the summer on tour in Europe. They offer students a chance to travel and see the world while honing their musical skills and learning more about a professional career as a musician. International programs typically seek out students who have good manners, have a solid character, and are responsible and mature.
Teens with promising musical talent who have demonstrated an interest in music and have taken advanced training or have involved themselves in tours, camps and tutoring programs are often the first to receive music scholarships for college.