Resume template · Updated October 2026
Musician resume template
Short answer
Daniel suits a working musician: skills print before experience in a three-column grid, so styles, reading, software and gear are seen first, under softer grey heading pills. The fictional sample is a New Orleans pianist who music directs three musicals a season, leads a six-piece event band, plays recording sessions and teaches 20 private students, with a short list of selected performances.
Download the musician sample
Leon is a fictional pianist. Replace every detail with your own before you send it.
The files are made in your browser by Resumity's own exporters, from this sample. The builder opens it as your own resume: click any line to replace it. Free plan, no watermark.
Why Daniel suits a musician resume
Daniel prints skills ahead of experience in a three-column grid, which suits a musician whose styles, reading ability, software and instruments decide most hires; the first column carries the playing skills. Its rounded grey heading pills give a softer, less corporate look than a page built from rules, which fits theatres, schools and bands.
Second choice: Leslie. Leslie puts experience ahead of skills under one blue accent; choose it for orchestra administration or school posts where your positions matter more than your instrument list.
What goes in each section, in Daniel's order
Daniel prints its sections in a fixed order, the same in the PDF and the Word file. Here is that order for this sample, and what to put in each section.
- Professional Summary. Instrument or voice, styles, and the mix of work you do (performing, music direction, session work, teaching). Add how many gigs or services you play a year; it shows a working career rather than an ambition.
- Skills. Playing skills in the first column (styles, doubles, reading, improvisation), software and gear in the second (Logic Pro, Sibelius, MainStage), working skills in the third. The grid has no labels, so keep each column to one kind of skill.
- Work Experience. One entry per steady role, with freelance playing grouped under one heading. Give counts (productions, gigs, students, recordings) and responsibility: leading the band, hiring players, handling contracts and pay.
- Education. Degree, principal instrument and year. A well-known private teacher can be named in the detail line if they matter in your field.
- Selected performances. Three to five selected performances or recordings with your role, the kind of venue and the year. Choose the ones closest to the job: pit work for a theatre, recordings for a studio.
The sample resume as text
The same content as the files above, so you can copy a line or compare it with your own.
Leon Abernathy
Pianist, Keyboardist and Music Director
New Orleans, LA | leon.abernathy@example.com | (504) 555-0133 | portfolio.example.com/leon-abernathy
Pianist and keyboardist with ten years of professional work in jazz, R&B, gospel and musical theatre. Music directs three productions a season, leads a six-piece event band that plays about 120 dates a year, records keyboard parts for local artists and teaches 20 private students.
Experience
Music Director and Keyboardist, Crescent Bend Theatre Company, New Orleans, LA (09/2021 to Present)
- Music direct three musicals a season, running vocal rehearsals and leading a pit of five to nine players from the keyboard.
- Wrote reduced arrangements for a seven-piece pit when the budget dropped from nine players.
- Coach about 25 cast members a production on harmonies, diction and style.
Freelance Keyboardist and Bandleader, Self-employed, New Orleans, LA (06/2016 to Present)
- Play about 120 dates a year across jazz clubs, weddings, corporate events and Sunday services.
- Lead a six-piece event band, handling bookings, set lists, contracts and pay for the players.
- Recorded keyboard parts for 15 albums and singles by local artists, many of them remotely in Logic Pro.
Piano Instructor, Bayou Community Music School, New Orleans, LA (08/2018 to Present)
- Teach 20 private students aged 8 to 60, from beginners to college audition level.
- Prepared two students who were admitted to university jazz programs in 2025.
Selected performances
- Music director and keys for a classic Broadway revival, 18 performances, 2025
- Trio set at a city jazz festival, 2024
- Keyboards for a touring R&B singer's Gulf Coast dates, 2023
Education
Bachelor of Music, Jazz Studies (Piano), Lafitte Conservatory of Music (05/2016)
Skills
Jazz, R&B and gospel piano, Music direction from the keyboard, Sight-reading and chart writing, Pit reductions and arranging, Vocal coaching, Logic Pro, Sibelius, MainStage, Nord Stage 4, Bandleading, Client and venue communication
How to make the sample yours
Cut toward the job in front of you
For a teaching post, lead with students and their results; for a theatre, with productions music directed; for a hotel or cruise contract, with repertoire range and sets a night.
Group freelance work honestly
One "Freelance Keyboardist" entry with gig counts and a few examples reads better than ten one-night entries.
Add recordings with a link
Put a link to recordings in the header and list credits by artist type and your role (keys, arranger, music director).
Keep repertoire off the page
A repertoire list belongs on a separate sheet for auditions; the resume names styles and genres.
Show the business side
Bookings, contracts, payroll for players and invoicing tell a venue or school you are reliable as well as talented.
Keywords to keep where they are true
Terms this kind of resume is usually searched for. Use the posting's exact wording, and only for work you have done.
- musician
- pianist
- keyboardist
- music direction
- live performance
- sight-reading
- session musician
- bandleader
- arranging
- music education
- private lessons
- Logic Pro
- Sibelius
- ensemble leadership
Mistakes to avoid
- Listing every gig instead of a yearly count and a few examples.
- Leaving out teaching and admin work that shows reliability.
- Links to recordings you do not have the rights to share.
- A full repertoire list pasted into the resume.
How the sample PDF reads in text extractors
We exported this sample with Resumity's PDF exporter in Chrome on 2026-10-29 and read the file back with three open-source text extractors. This shows whether software that turns a PDF into text can recover it; it is not a test of any commercial applicant tracking system. How we test templates.
| Extractor | Name, email, phone | Headings | Bullets intact |
|---|---|---|---|
| pdf.js 4.10.38 | All found | 5 of 5 | 8 of 8 |
| pdftotext (Xpdf) 4.00 | All found | 5 of 5 | 8 of 8 |
| pypdf 6.13.0 | All found | 5 of 5 | 8 of 8 |
Frequently asked questions
How do I list freelance gigs on a musician resume?
Group them in one entry with dates, gigs a year, the kinds of events and two or three examples. Bandleading and contracting deserve a bullet of their own.
Is a performance resume different from a music teacher resume?
In emphasis, yes. A performance resume leads with ensembles, productions and recordings; a teaching resume leads with students, curriculum and results. The sample mixes both, so cut it toward the job.
Should I include my repertoire?
Not on the resume. Keep a separate repertoire list for auditions and name your styles and genres here.
Do I need a music degree?
Not for most performing work. If you have no degree, list your training under education: private teachers, summer programs, workshops.
How long should a musician resume be?
One page, with links to recordings and a fuller performance list on your website.
Will applicant tracking systems read this Daniel PDF?
The sample PDF read back with its contact details, all 5 section headings and all 8 bullets intact in three open-source text extractors (pdf.js, pdftotext and pypdf). Commercial systems such as Workday, Greenhouse or Taleo were not tested, and each employer configures its own.
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