13 Music Teacher Resume Examples for 2025

As a music teacher, your resume needs to show both teaching skill and musical ability. In this article, we provide examples of good resumes for music teachers and offer strategic advice. Learn how to highlight your skills, credentials, and experience to impress hiring managers and secure your next job in education.

  Compiled and approved by Liz Bowen
  Last updated on See history of changes

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At a Glance

Here's what we see in the best music teacher resumes:

  • Show Impact Using Numbers: The best resumes use numbers to show impact. Common metrics: student pass rates, performance improvements, event participation, and program growth.

  • List Relevant Skills: Include skills on your resume that you have and are mentioned on the job description. Some popular ones are instrument proficiency, curriculum planning, music theory, music software, and ensemble directing. But don't include all of them, choose the ones you have and are mentioned in the JD.

  • Highlight Personalized Student Engagement: Best resumes show tailored lesson plans, individual growth plans, and customized assessments.

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When making a resume as a music education professional, place your education section where it will be most effective. If you have been teaching music for many years, you might list your work experience first. However, if you have recently earned a degree in music education or completed significant training such as a master's degree, showcase this near the top. It highlights your advanced knowledge and dedication to the field.

You should prioritize details in your education that align with teaching music. Include your degree, major, and any additional certifications such as music theory or instrument proficiency. Credentials like these show you have the required background and are well-equipped to teach music. If you are new to the workforce, your recent academic achievements in music will help establish your expertise. Omit less relevant education, like high school, unless it's your highest level of education.

Showcase performances and recitals

As a teacher in music, include any performances or recitals you have led or performed in. This displays your practical experience and ability to work with students in a live setting.

Mention any collaborations with other artists or institutions. This shows your ability to work well in team environments and build professional relationships.

Ideal resume length

For music teachers, your resume should be concise. If you have less than 10 years of teaching or relevant musical experience, aim to present your qualifications on one page. This helps you show your ability to prioritize what's essential. Ensure the most compelling information appears on the first page as hiring managers may only glance briefly at each application.

If you have a wealth of experience, spanning more than a decade, it’s appropriate to use a second page. Focus on your most recent and relevant experience, especially roles that involve teaching or directly influencing student learning and performance. Good use of space and a clear layout help keep your resume readable, so avoid small fonts and margins that make it hard to read.

Highlight your teaching methods

When applying for roles in music education, highlight your teaching methods. Explain how you engage students and adapt lessons to various learning styles. This shows potential employers you can teach effectively.

Include any experience you have with different musical instruments and any specialized techniques you use. This specificity can set you apart from other applicants.

Beat the resume screener

When you apply for jobs, remember that your resume might first be read by software called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). This is true for music teaching positions too. Make sure your resume makes it through this first check.

Here are two tips:

  • Use keywords from the job description. If the job asks for skills in 'curriculum development' or 'ensemble direction,' include these exact words.
  • Choose a simple format. An ATS can have trouble reading fancy fonts or layouts. Stick to standard fonts like Arial or Times New Roman and avoid using images or tables.

Include certification and training

When applying for a music educator position, your certifications and training are crucial. You must show you're qualified to teach. Include any music education degrees, certificates from recognized music institutions, or state teaching licenses. This tells a school that you meet the baseline qualifications for a teaching role.

Also, highlight any professional development courses or workshops you've attended. Say if these focused on new teaching strategies, special education, or technologies for music instruction. This shows your commitment to staying current in your field and improving your teaching skills.

Ignoring specific skills

When you apply for a job teaching music, it is important to show your unique abilities. Some of you may forget to list specific teaching skills and musical expertise on your resume.

Make sure you include:

  • Your experience with different age groups, as teaching methods vary from children to adults.
  • Knowledge of various music genres and instruments you can teach, as this makes you more fitting for diverse programs.

By doing this, you help employers see how well you fit their needs.

Tailor your teaching experience

You need to show work that fits the job. When you list your past jobs, pick the tasks that match what a music teacher does. This helps the person hiring see you're right for the job.

  • List instruments you teach, like piano or guitar, to show your skills.
  • Show you can plan lessons by giving an example, like created a year-long curriculum for beginner violin students.
  • If you’ve led groups, mention how many students you taught in a class to show you can manage a classroom, like led a class of 20 students.

Show achievements, not tasks

When you write a resume, it is better to show your achievements than to list your daily tasks. This tells us how you can add value and what you accomplished in your roles teaching music. Let's turn what you did every day into achievements that stand out.

Here's how you can adjust your resume:

  • Before: Taught weekly guitar lessons to groups of students
    After: Increased students' guitar proficiency by 40% over a 6-month period through weekly group lessons
  • Before: Prepared students for annual music concerts
    After: Directed 30+ students in annual concerts, with 100% participation and positive parent feedback

Use strong action verbs

When you're writing your resume, using strong action verbs can help you stand out. These verbs show what you have done in a clear and direct way. They make your resume more powerful and can give a better picture of your work as a music educator.

Think about the specific tasks you do as a music teacher and pick verbs that match those tasks. This will help the hiring manager see your skills and experience.

  • To show your experience leading music classes, use conducted, directed, orchestrated, led, coordinated.
  • For highlighting your skills in developing curricula, use designed, developed, implemented, crafted, structured.
  • To demonstrate your ability to work with students, use educated, taught, mentored, guided, trained.
  • To show your talent in organizing performances, use staged, produced, arranged, choreographed, managed.
  • For showcasing your skill in individual instruction, use customized, tailored, adapted, focused, shaped.

Want inspiration for other action verbs you can use? Check out synonyms to commonly used action verbs like Worked on, Utilizing, Assisted, Communicated, Achieved.

Show leadership in music teaching

As a music teacher, showing your growth and leadership roles is vital. If you've led a school band or directed musical productions, these are strong signs of leadership. Think about times you've guided students in group settings or taken charge of music-related events.

  • Directed school choir to 1st place in regional competition – demonstrates leadership in achieving a collective goal.
  • Developed new music curriculum adopted by the school district – shows initiative and leadership in educational innovation.

Remember to highlight any roles where you were in charge or helped others succeed. This might be leading workshops for other teachers or being promoted to head of the music department. These specifics will help you stand out.

Key skills for teaching music

When crafting your resume, it's important to highlight the specific skills that show you're a good fit for a music teacher role. You want to match your skills with those sought after in the job descriptions you're targeting. Here's a list of key skills to consider:

  • Instrument proficiency
  • Music theory knowledge
  • Curriculum development
  • Lesson planning
  • Classroom management
  • Performance direction
  • Music technology
  • Assessment and grading
  • Conducting ensembles
  • Special education

Include these skills in a dedicated section on your resume. This helps your resume pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which are used by many schools to filter candidates. Schools with music programs are looking for teachers who are not just good musicians but also effective educators. If you specialize in an area, like choral music or jazz studies, make sure you list that too. It shows you have a niche expertise.

Remember, you don't need to list every skill you have. Pick the ones that relate to the job you want. For example, if you're applying to teach in an elementary school, emphasize skills like early music education. For a high school position, advanced music theory might be more relevant. Think about where to place each skill on your resume. Some might go under your work experience to show how you've used them in practice. Others might fit best in the skills section. Always aim to show, not just tell, your qualifications.

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