Trombonists can find work in education, instrument making and repair, and performance. Education jobs include teaching at universities, high schools, or running a private studio. Instrument making and repair jobs require different levels of expertise. Performance jobs are highly competitive and may require networking and advertising skills. Many trombonists have multiple jobs to fill income gaps.
Trombonists can use their skills in a variety of trombone jobs, which fall into three categories: education, maker, repair, and performance. These types of jobs are similar for other instrumentalists and vocalists.
The main need of a trombonist is constant work. For many trombone players, this translates to trombone jobs in education. Some trombonists who earn a master’s or doctorate in education are lucky enough to become employed as full-time trombone assistants or teachers. These trombonists not only teach individual lessons, but also provide guidance and assistance to groups such as trombone quartets or trombone choirs. These teachers generally enjoy the highest rate of pay of any trombone teacher because they have a higher education level and a reliable number of students and hours to work.
The next option for a trombonist interested in trombone jobs based on education is to teach in middle or high school. Although some secondary schools are large enough to employ more than one music director, trombone-playing directors generally do not focus solely on trombone students. Instead, they have to work with many different instruments as the school expects them to lead the band(s).
If a trombonist wants to teach but doesn’t want to be in college, high school, or high school, he may choose to open a private trombone studio and teach. This is a good option for trombonists who want great flexibility and independence, as the trombonist has control over how many students to take and when to schedule lessons. The disadvantage of these trombone works is that the number of students is not necessarily constant. Students can drop out or join the studio at any time, and students who travel frequently are required to drop out of regular classes during the summer months or other vacation periods. It can be difficult to earn a steady income.
Outside of education, the next best option for a trombone player who needs steady employment is sometimes working in a music store or manufacturing company as an instrument developer or repairman. Those working in music stores must be able to demonstrate trombones to potential buyers and must understand which features must be matched to the specific needs of students. They need to have excellent communication and service skills and can help place orders or track inventory. Trombone repairmen in music stores need to have a basic understanding of how the trombone works in order to fix basic problems like slipping or a dented bell.
Working as a trombone maker is more complex than being a basic repairman. In a manufacturing position, a trombonist needs to build trombones from scratch. He should know from the start what qualities he wants in the instrument and how the materials and shape of the trombone will contribute to the desired sound and projection. The manufacturer may ask the trombonist to help develop new trombone models that solve problems in earlier instruments.
The next group of trombone jobs are performance-based jobs. Ideally, a trombonist will have a formal position with a professional band or orchestra. The problem is that these jobs open only slightly, with competition being fierce when vacancies are available. If a trombonist is lucky enough to land one of these positions, he commits to playing with the group that signed him typically just three years or less, depending on the contract offered; there is no guarantee that the group will hire you back when your contract expires. The trombonist is free to re-test everyone else, however, and many groups simply extend players’ contracts if they are satisfied with the level of play demonstrated.
Some trombonists manage to work as members of small ensembles, such as a trombone quartet. These trombone players do not have a steady performing job and their income is completely dependent on their ability to land solo jobs or “gigs”. This requires excellent networking and advertising skills. Even when a trombonist is incredibly talented and communicates well, ensembles that feature trombone are not as popular as other smaller ensembles, such as string or woodwind quartets.
An important consideration is that many trombone players do not have just one trombone job. For example, even if a trombonist is a teacher, he may teach additional classes outside the university or play in various ensembles. This helps a trombonist to fill income gaps when needed or to raise their level of compensation to a more desirable level.
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