From Music Teacher to Music & Events Coordinator

Many music teachers reach a point where they want something different—they want to spend less of their energy managing student behaviour and more of their voice on the music itself!

A close friend of mine, who teaches secondary school music internationally, dreads going into school some days. Between back-to-back lessons, after-school clubs, and managing students who aren’t musically inclined, she feels exhausted by the end of every day.

If this sounds familiar, you might be asking: What else can music teachers do?

The good news is that music teachers have some of the strongest transferable skills of any educator. And the music industry and related fields are full of roles that value exactly what they bring.

What else can Music Teachers do?

The good news? Music teachers have some of the strongest transferable skills of any educator, and the music industry is full of roles that value exactly what they bring.

One career pathway that’s becoming increasingly popular is becoming a Music Tours & Events Coordinator (sometimes called a Music Trips Organiser, Performance Tours Manager, or Ensemble Travel Coordinator). But music teachers are also transitioning into corporate, arts, and administrative roles—including orchestra management, music education consultancy, and event production.

I interviewed a former music teacher who has made a career pivot and now she is a Music & Events Coordinator for a company.

Job roles Music Teachers can pivot into include:

• Music Tours Coordinator

• Performance Tour Manager

• Arts & Education Consultant

• Ensemble Travel Coordinator

• School Performance Tours Specialist

• Educational Groups Travel Consultant

🎵 What does your role entail as a Music & Events Coordinator?

My role is really varied, but essentially I coordinate events and manage projects from start to finish. My days involve planning timelines, organising meetings, communicating with stakeholders, and making sure every part of the project stays on schedule. Because of my teaching background, I’m good at breaking down tasks, managing people, and keeping everything moving.

🎻 Which Transferable Skills Can Music Teachers Bring To This role?

As music teachers we bring a rare blend of organisation, creativity and understanding of performing groups. This makes us well-suited for tours and events roles. Pivoting into this role also meant that I didn't leave the music world completely, but I love that it's it lot more hands-off then teaching students and I don't need to deal with assessments or reports!

🎶 How Can Music Teachers Transfer Into This Type of Role?

Honestly, music teachers have almost everything this job needs already. When you’ve planned concerts, rehearsals, school trips, and performances, you’ve essentially done the foundation of tour planning. You know how to coordinate large groups, work to tight schedules, and think ten steps ahead — that’s exactly what we do here.

Most music teachers don’t realise how much logistical work they do day-to-day. Risk assessments, booking coaches, coordinating sound checks, organising equipment… it all transfers perfectly into the travel and events world. The biggest shift is simply learning industry terminology, but the core skills are already there.

If a music teacher is interested in moving into this field, I’d say start by highlighting the event side of your teaching job on your CV.

How do I Land a Job as a Music & Events Coordinator?

1. Ensure that you perfect your resume - use the language that they use in the job ad.

2. Emphasise the events side of your teaching job - but frame it in a more corporate way

3. If you can't land a job as a Music & Events Coordinator, look at similar job roles such as Music Tours Coordinator, Performance Tour Manager, Arts and Education Consultant

4. I am always happy to help! Contact me with any questions!

Take a look at these blog posts to help you with applying for jobs:

• Perfect Your Resume: A Guide for Teachers Changing Careers

• Cover Letter Dos and Don’ts for Teachers Changing Careers

• Do Former Teachers Miss the Holidays After Leaving Teaching?

• How to Financially Plan For Leaving Teaching