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Singing teacher

Singing teachers teach vocal skills, singing, music theory and musical appreciation to individuals and groups.

Annual Salary

variable

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

35 to 37 variable

You could work: freelance / self-employed; managing your own hours

4.3%
Future employment

There will be 4.3% more Singing teacher jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

Your day-to-day duties may include:

  • coaching individuals for a particular role in a play or musical
  • planning lessons and organising resources
  • teaching vocal and breathing exercises and techniques
  • instructing in melody, harmony and improvisation
  • helping students to prepare for music exams
  • organising performances
  • practising, to keep up your own ability
  • keeping accounts, if self-employed

Working environment

You could work at a client's home, in the community, at a college, from home or at a school.

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • applying directly
  • specialist courses run by professional bodies
University

You could do a degree course at a conservatoire, music college or university. Subjects include:

  • popular music
  • performing arts and musical theatre
  • creative musicianship - vocals
  • vocal teaching

You should choose a course which concentrates on performance rather than theory.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths
  • 2 or 3 A levels including music, or equivalent qualifications
For more information
Direct application

You may be able to work as a private music teacher with or without qualifications, if you've got exceptional vocal ability. A teaching qualification would also be helpful though not essential.

Other routes

You can take graded singing exams and qualifications, like the Level 4 Certificate for Music Educators, offered by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Trinity College London.

The certificate course is aimed at people who are new to teaching music to children, and covers the purpose of music education and promotes best practice. It has been developed for:

  • instrumental and vocal teachers working privately with schools
  • primary teachers
  • community musicians
  • professional musicians who do educational work

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

More information

Career tips

You should get as much experience of singing a wide range of music as possible. Joining singing groups or choirs can help with this.

You'll also find it useful if you can play a musical instrument, preferably a piano or guitar.

Professional and industry bodies

You can join the Association of Teachers of Singing for professional recognition, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.

Further information

You can search for jobs in schools through the Teaching Vacancies service.

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You could run your own singing or voice coaching business.

You could also combine private teaching with part-time or casual work for colleges, schools and other organisations.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • knowledge of the fine arts
  • knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
  • knowledge of English language
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to work well with others
  • leadership skills
  • the ability to teach pupils how to do something
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
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