You have a great audition tape, but your prospective employer wants to know a bit about you. You need a musician cover letter that sings your praises without going too far. This guide will help you hit all the right notes.
Average rating people’ve already rated it
A musician’s biggest selling point is, of course, their music. But depending on the type of job you’re looking for, a musician cover letter can lend lyrics to your beautiful music, giving you the edge when it comes time to offer interviews.
Especially if you want to teach, join an orchestra or work behind the scenes, your style and professional personality count along with your talent. Your musical style will be apparent in your audition, but your application documents can convey how you approach composing, interpreting, or teaching.
A cover letter should be no more than 400 words, but it should get across your excellent talents and why you are a great fit for the job. Within this guide, and its accompanying musician cover letter sample, you will read about:
Once every 2 weeks, our experts gather the best career & resume tips you can read in 15 minutes or less. Straight to your inbox!
By signing up you agree with our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Keep an eye on your inbox!Our newsletter is on its way. The best resume & job tips from our career experts will now be sent your inbox every 2 weeks!
If you’re looking for additional inspiration for cover letter writing, you can check out our related cover letter samples:
Musicians know all about patterns, so understanding that your musician cover letter should follow a pattern may make it easier for you to proceed with writing. The pattern for your letter is the sequence of elements it contains.
The format of a musician cover letter should contain the following parts:
For general information about how cover letters should be compiled, you can read the comprehensive cover letter guide, but the guide below is targeted specifically at making the most of each paragraph and section of a musician’s letter.
This musician cover letter example will give you a blueprint for writing your own cover letter:
Adaptable cover letter sampleI'm writing to express strong interest in the open musician position in Guitar Center as Band Director. As an accomplished and creative musician with over 10 years of professional performance experience, I'm confident I have the background and skills to thrive in this role.
As demonstrated on my resume, I have extensive experience performing as a guitar player across a variety of settings, including orchestral performances,chamber music concerts, jazz club gigs, studio session work, solo concerts, and more. Over the years, I have honed wide-ranging musical abilities in sight reading, music theory, improvisation, functional piano skills, and musical arrangement.
As a dedicated musician, I actively practice daily to continue refining and expanding my skills. I'm always seeking out new musical opportunities to collaborate with high-caliber ensembles like yours. I thrive when playing alongside other seasoned and talented musicians, and I look forward to contributing my strengths to complement your group's musical style if given the opportunity.
In addition to my performance abilities, I pride myself on being responsible, professional, positive, and team-oriented. I consistently receive high praise for my leadership, focus, creativity, and ability to collaborate effectively with conductors, composers, and co-performers. Above all, music is my greatest passion, and this shines through in the quality and artistic flair I deliver in every performance.
I welcome the chance to speak in person about how I could make a meaningful addition your musical organization. Please feel free to contact me to arrange a meeting or if you need any additional information. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Copy to clipboardBecause you’re in a creative business, you have a little more leeway in the design of a header for your musician cover letter, but keep in mind that above all else your information needs to stay legible.
Adding a logo or a musical symbol to the header—like a treble clef—is fine as long as it doesn’t interfere with your main purpose: making it easy for the hiring manager to contact you to schedule an interview. Your secondary goal is to make a memorable first impression that also complements the design of your musician resume to create a cohesive application package.
Your header should include your name, title or type of music/instrument you play, you best telephone and email contact information, social media accounts that showcase your performances or music and your city and state.
How you start your musician cover letter makes a difference. You greet the audience at the beginning of a concert to get them personally involved, and you should also greet your reader to get them personally involved in your application.
The best way to do this is by using their name. “Dear Mr./Ms./Dr.” and their last name is best if you are sure you know the correct title to use. If a little digging does not get you there, use the person’s full name instead.
You have an attentive audience now, so you need to choose your first words wisely. The introduction of your musician cover letter should hit you career high notes flawlessly and get your reader excited to hear the details of what makes you the best candidate for the job.
Make sure you address the specific job directly, explaining how you will harmonize well with the current staff and how your skills will enhance the musical program. Offer a sentence on the musical philosophy you will apply in the position you seek.
Finally, leave your reader with a hint about what is coming up in the body of your letter, which we will discuss next.
Adaptable cover letter introduction exampleI'm writing to express strong interest in the open musician position in Guitar Center as Band Director. As an accomplished and creative musician with over 10 years of professional performance experience, I'm confident I have the background and skills to thrive in this role.
Copy to clipboardThe middle part of your musician cover letter offers the highlights of your career in more detail. No need to describe everything you’ve done, instead choose two or three relevant achievements that relate to the job at hand.
Here are some ideas for the body of your letter:
You know your career and accomplishments best. Pick the ones that resonant and speak directly to the job you seek.
Adaptable cover letter middle part exampleAs demonstrated on my resume, I have extensive experience performing as a guitar player across a variety of settings, including orchestral performances,chamber music concerts, jazz club gigs, studio session work, solo concerts, and more. Over the years, I have honed wide-ranging musical abilities in sight reading, music theory, improvisation, functional piano skills, and musical arrangement.
As a dedicated musician, I actively practice daily to continue refining and expanding my skills. I'm always seeking out new musical opportunities to collaborate with high-caliber ensembles like yours. I thrive when playing alongside other seasoned and talented musicians, and I look forward to contributing my strengths to complement your group's musical style if given the opportunity.
In addition to my performance abilities, I pride myself on being responsible, professional, positive, and team-oriented. I consistently receive high praise for my leadership, focus, creativity, and ability to collaborate effectively with conductors, composers, and co-performers. Above all, music is my greatest passion, and this shines through in the quality and artistic flair I deliver in every performance.
Copy to clipboardThe conclusion of your musician cover letter is both your last song and your encore. You want to leave your reader feeling like they got enough information to know they want more (in the form of an audition or interview, of course).
Within the ending of your letter, you need to remind your reader of your main point (“Here’s why you should give me the job!”). If you have the space, a personal anecdote such as how you were introduced to music, how a teacher inspired you or why you are drawn to the instrument or genre of music that is your specialty.
Finally, sign off with “Sincerely” or “Regards” and your full name.
Adaptable cover letter conclusion and sign-off exampleI welcome the chance to speak in person about how I could make a meaningful addition your musical organization. Please feel free to contact me to arrange a meeting or if you need any additional information. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Copy to clipboardLooking for your first real gig? Never fear! You’re a musician, so you have probably played before some audience, composed music or performed another task relevant to the job you want now. Focus your cover letter on your passion and desire to start your career by gaining experience.
Writing a cover letter with no experience gives you the freedom to explain who you are and why you love music so much.
