Touring Artist

Touring artists bring live music to fans across the country and world, traveling from venue to venue. Music tours can be in any genre. They may last just one weekend or become a year-long commitment.

For smaller groups and independent artists, being a touring musician can require significantly more work and hours than the “rockstar” lifestyle depicted in media. Rehearsing, traveling, setup, merchandising, and building the tour itinerary falls to the group members if they do not have an agency assisting with the logistics. For these touring artists, the efforts required for this career lifestyle are paid off by the rush of performing onstage and chasing their dreams of sharing music with the world.

Musicians performing in larger or more established acts have careers that reflect other professional performers, with the addition of traveling. They often go on tour with a band, group, or orchestra they are already a member of or join new tours through word of mouth offers based on their experience level and professional reputation. These touring artists are among the best in terms of their ability to perform consistently under pressure at a professional level night after night. Being a quick learner with strengths in sight reading and memorization are required for learning new arrangements and performance setups with short notice. Degrees in performance paired with experience performing in live shows, orchestra pits, and other ensembles serve as the foundation for building a touring career in professional groups.