Musician Interview Questions & Answers
A musician is an instrumentalist, singer or composer who creates and/or performs music. This can be recorded in a studio or performed live, either as a soloist or in a group of musicians. It may involve working as a salaried member of a group or could be in the form of freelance work for several organisations. Musicians usually specialise in a particular type of music although many now branch out into different genres and work in more than one area of the profession.
This is called a portfolio career. The job requires high levels of skill, expertise and dedication, especially since competition to work in this field is high. Most musicians do their job as they have a passion for music and a strong desire to perform.
Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Musician or
an employer preparing to interview candidates for Musician position,
these Musician interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.
Musician Interview Questions
Below are a list of some skill-based Musician interview questions.
- What made you want to become a musician?
- Which instruments did you play in high school?
- What accomplishments do you see yourself achieving in the next five to 10 years?
- Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
- What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
- Do you have any weaknesses that you're actively working to improve on?
- Which instrument is your favorite to play and why?
- What is it about music that makes you feel passionate?
- Describe your favorite and least favorite part about being a musician.
- Which instrument is your least favorite to play and how do you make sure you play it well?
- What do you like most about playing music?
- What inspired you to start playing and making music?
- Describe your creative process when you write new music.
- Who's your ideal musician to collaborate with and why?
- Are there any musicians who inspire you? What qualities do you admire about them?
- Describe your favorite venue for performing.
- Which skills have you gained that help you perform effectively as a musician?
- Tell me about your favorite performance in your career.
- Describe your worst performance. What did you learn from this experience?
- Which qualities do you think make a great musician?
- Is there another musician you've mentored or trained? Describe what you've done to help them.
- Have you ever taught anyone how to play an instrument? Describe this experience.
- What's the best piece of advice another musician ever gave you?
- What's your process for dealing with performance anxiety?
- How would you handle traveling and being away from your home for an extended time period while you were on tour?
- What would you do if your audience looked tired or bored during your performance?
- Tell me what your first music teacher was like. What lessons did you learn from them that you still use today?
- Have you ever participated in any music competitions? Did you win any prizes?
- What would you do if you made a mistake during a performance?
- How would your previous bandmates describe you and your work ethic?
- Are there any past instructors you look up to? What qualities did they have that you admire?
- What would you do if the audience was reacting negatively or being distracting during your performance?
- Do you follow a process or ritual before a performance to get rid of nerves or performance anxiety?
- What type of musician would you prefer to collaborate with?
- What are the essential qualities that make a good musician?
- What was the best concert you’ve seen and why?
- Describe the worst performance you have seen. What would you change about it?
- How would you go about energizing a tired audience?
- Describe a time you got into an argument with a coworker. What happened?
- Please explain your creative process
- What’s an average day like for you?
- Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
- Do you collaborate with others? What is that process?
- Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans
- What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? Why?
- Have you ever dealt with performance anxiety?
- Tell me about your favorite performance venues
- What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
- Who are your greatest melodic impacts?
- What makes your music special?
Musician Interview Questions and Answers
Every interview is different and the questions may vary.
However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.
Below are some common questions you'd expect during Musician interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.
- What is Your Greatest Weakness?
- What is Your Salary Expectation?
- Tell Me About Yourself
- Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
- Are You a Leader or a Follower?
- What is Your Greatest Strength?
- Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
- Why Should We Hire You?
- What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
- Why Do You Want This Job?