Most commonly reported Work Activities

•   Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
•   Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
•   Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
•   Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
•   Processing Information Compiling, coding, categorising, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
•   Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
•   Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
•   Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
•   Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
•   Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Working Life

Singers specialise in either classical or popular music. Classical singers may work in the opera or as part of a choir. Popular singers may sing jass, pop, rock or blues. All singers spend a lot of time practising and attending singing lessons.  
 
Until they have had enough success to employ a manager or agent, most singers have to organise their own bookings, negotiate fees and contracts, and organise and plan performances.  
 
As well as giving live performances, singers may spend time in recording studios, making CDs and recordings for radio, film and television. As they become more successful, they may spend time touring, promoting their records and giving concerts. Successful popular singers also have to appear in videos to accompany their songs.  
 
Performing requires creativity and imagination and the job could be very demanding. You will have to cope with standing for many hours rehearsing.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Perform before live audiences in concerts, recitals, educational presentations, and other social gatherings.
• Sing a cappella or with musical accompaniment.
• Interpret or modify music, applying knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm, and voice production to individualise presentations and maintain audience interest.
• Specialise in playing a specific family of instruments or a particular type of music.
• Sing as a soloist or as a member of a vocal group.
• Observe choral leaders or prompters for cues or directions in vocal presentation.
• Memorise musical selections and routines, or sing following printed text, musical notation, or customer instructions.
• Play musical instruments as soloists, or as members or guest artists of musical groups such as orchestras, ensembles, or bands.
• Sight-read musical parts during rehearsals.
• Play from memory or by following scores.

Further Information

• Singing Teacher- from: N.C.S. [UK]

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

 Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

 Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

 Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Professional singing in the classical field is the branch with the most clearly developed pattern of formal training. Aspiring professionals usually concentrate on developing all-round musicianship. For instance, they may combine the study of singing (e.g. sight-reading and musical theory) with the playing of at least one musical instrument.  
 
Many singers take a specialist course at a music college or a music degree at an institution of higher education. Many of the major colleges and universities throughout the country offer such courses.  Interested candidates should check prospectuses.  

Sample Education and Training Pathways
A number of courses are available throughout the country that focus on learning and skills that may be useful for this career. The examples and links below may guide you in your research. 

Further Education (FET)
Further Education & Training (FET) Courses are delivered by local ETBs, ranging in duration from several weeks up to 20 months. Courses are designed to meet the labour market needs and often include a large element of work experience.

Example search terms include: music performance, sound engineering, radio broadcasting, drama, musical theatre, event management.

Search for FET Courses

PLC Courses (FET)
PLC courses are full-time courses, one or two years duration, with awards at Level 5 and 6 on the NFQ. They are offered nationally in Schools and Colleges of Further Education.

Example search terms include: music performance, sound engineering, radio broadcasting, drama, musical theatre, event management.

Search for PLC Courses

Higher Education CAO (Undergraduate) 
Higher Education courses at Levels 6 to 8 on the NFQ, delivered in Universities and Technological Universities & Institutes. Courses run from 2 – 5 years and places are allocated on a points-based system, processed by the Central Application Office.

Example search terms include: musical theatre, drama. music performance.

Search for CAO Courses

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €17k - €51k

Income can vary greatly depending on profile and stage in career, many will earn much less if working part time. Income can be derived from performing stage, royalties, performing online, licencing.

Data Source(s):
Payscale/ Indeed/ DEASP/ IMRO

Last Updated: February, 2024

Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Artists; Authors; writers; translators; Actors; entertainers; presenters; Dancers; choreographers; Musicians Arts officers; producers; directors; Photographers; audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators; Graphic designers Product; clothing and related designers.

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment grew strongly between 2021 and 2022, with an additional 7,300 persons employed. As illustrated in the CSO Census data below, employment is spread across a number of roles; since 2016, the strongest growth, in absolute terms, was for graphic designers and authors, writers and translators.

New employment permits issued for this occupation in 2022 were primarily for film/TV and animation/visual effects (VFX) roles but also for linguistics experts in the ICT sector. There was also a high volume of recent job hires in line with the recent employment increase. The data does not point to overall issues with recruitment for these roles.

• Irish Association of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (IASCA)

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• Musicians' Union of Ireland

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