Play musical instruments

Manipulate purpose-built or improvised instruments to produce musical sounds.

play musical instrument
produce music from musical instruments
perform using musical instruments
playing musical instruments

skill/competence

sector-specific

Play musical instruments is an essential skill of the following occupations:

Music therapist: Music therapists use music-therapeutic interventions to treat patients with behavioural disorders and pathogenic conditions to prevent, mitigate or eliminate symptoms and to change behaviours and attitudes requiring treatment. They promote and maintain or restore the development, maturity and health of the patient/client by music-therapeutic interventions. Music therapy especially provides help for people with with emotional, somatic, intellectually or socially induced behavioural disorders and pathogenic conditions, such as psychoses (schizophrenic disorders, bipolar disorders) and personality development disorders.
 
Music teacher secondary school: Music teachers at secondary schools provide education to students, commonly children and young adults, in a secondary school setting. They are usually subject teachers, specialised and instructing in their own field of study, music. They prepare lesson plans and materials, monitor the students’ progress, assist individually when necessary, and evaluate the students’ knowledge and performance on the subject of music through assignments, tests and examinations.
Music instructor: Music instructors educate students in specific theory and, primarily, practice-based music courses at a specialised music school or conservatory at a higher education level, including musical instruments and vocal training. They provide theoretical instruction in service of the practical skills and techniques the students must subsequently master in music. Music educators monitor the students’ progress, assist individually when necessary, and evaluate their knowledge and performance of music practice through assignments, tests and examinations.
Répétiteur: Répétiteurs accompany performers, usually singers, following the instructions of musical conductors in directing rehearsals and guiding the artists in the rehearsal process.
Music teacher: Music teachers instruct students in various musical genres and expression forms, such as classical, jazz, folk, pop, blues, rock, electronic etc. in a recreational context. They provide students with an overview of music history and repertoire, but primarily utilise a practice-based approach in their courses. In these courses, they assist students to experiment with different styles and techniques, in the musical instrument of their choice while encouraging them to develop their own style. They cast, direct, and produce musical performances, and coordinate the technical production.

Play musical instruments is optional for these occupations. This means knowing this skill may be an asset for career advancement if you are in one of these occupations.

Performing arts theatre instructor: Performing arts theatre instructors educate students in specific theory and, primarily, practice-based theatre courses at a specialised theatre, or acting, school or conservatory at a higher education level. They provide theoretical instruction in service of the practical skills and techniques the students must subsequently master in theatre. Performing arts theatre instructors monitor the students’ progress, assist individually when necessary, and evaluate their knowledge and performance of theatre practice through assignments, tests and examinations.
Primary school teacher: Primary school teachers instruct students on a primary school level. They develop lesson plans in line with curriculum objectives for the variety of subjects they teach, including mathematics, languages, nature studies and music. They monitor the students’ learning development and evaluate their knowledge and skills on the subjects taught through tests. They build their course content on the students’ knowledge of previous learnings and encourage them to deepen their understanding on the subjects they are interested in. They use class resources and teaching methods to create an inspiring learning environment. Primary school teachers also contribute to school events and communicate with parents and administrative staff.
Stringed musical instrument maker: Stringed musical instrument makers create and assemble parts to create stringed instruments according to specified instructions or diagrams. They sand wood, measure and attach strings, test quality of strings and inspect the finished instrument.
Musical conductor: Musical conductors lead ensembles of musicians directing them during rehersals and helping them atteining their best performance. They can work with a variety of ensembles such as choirs and orchestras. Musical conductors adjust the tempo (speed), rhythm, dynamics (loud or soft) and articulation (smooth or detached) of the music using gestures and sometimes dancing to motivate the musicians to play according to the music sheet.
Harpsichord maker: Harpsichord makers create and assemble parts to make harpsichords according to specified instructions or diagrams. They sand wood, tune, test and inspect the finished instrument.
Puppeteer: Puppeteers perform shows by manipulating puppets such as hand puppets or marionettes. Their performance is based on a script and the movements of the puppets have to be synchronised with the speech and music. Puppeteers may write their own scripts and design and create their own puppets.
Musical instrument technician: Musical instrument technicians maintain, tune and repair musical instruments such as pianos, pipe organs, band instruments, violins and other instruments.
Secondary school teacher: Secondary school teachers provide education to students, commonly children and young adults, in a secondary school setting. They are usually specialist subject teachers, who instruct in their own field of study. They prepare lesson plans and materials, monitor the students’ progress, assist individually when necessary and evaluate their knowledge and performance through assignments, tests and examinations.
Street performer: Street performers create street arts performances for outdoor spaces, using space and audience as a creative resource. They create their performance through playful exploration and experimentation with the purpose of entertaining and possibly also of sharing critical opinions concerning societal issues. They stimulate audience participation as a component of their performance whilst respecting the audience’s safety and integrity.
Singer: Singers are professional musicians, skilled in the use of their voice as a musical instrument, with different vocal ranges. They perform for live audiences and for recordings in different musical genres.
Variety artist: Variety artists are multi-disciplinary artists who master in at least two of the following disciplines: comedy, dance, singing, circus arts, object manipulation and illusionism. They perform solo or collectively, may appear in music variety shows, cabaret, musicals and other entertainment events. Their artistic performance is characterised by the blending of arts, styles and disciplines.  
Composer: Composers create new music pieces in a variety of styles. They usually note down the created music in musical notation. Composers may work independently or as part of a group or ensemble. Many create pieces to support film, television, games or live performances.
Guitar maker: Guitar makers create and assemble parts to build guitars according to specified instructions or diagrams. They work wood, measure and attach strings, test quality of strings and inspect the finished instrument.
Piano maker: Piano makers create and assemble parts to make pianos according to specified instructions or diagrams. They sand wood, tune, test and inspect the finished instrument.
Stand-up comedian: Stand-up comedians tell humorist stories, jokes and one-liners typically described as a monologue, act or routine. They often perform in comedy clubs, bars, nightclubs and theatres. They may also use music, magic tricks or props to enhance their performance.
Harp maker: Harp makers create and assemble parts to create harps according to specified instructions or diagrams. They sand wood, measure and attach strings, test quality of strings and inspect the finished instrument.
Keyboard musical instrument maker: Keyboard musical instrument makers create and assemble parts to create keyboard instruments according to specified instructions or diagrams. They sand wood, tune, test and inspect the finished instrument.
Organ builder: Organ builders create and assemble parts to build organs according to specified instructions or diagrams. They sand wood, tune, test and inspect the finished instrument.
Drama teacher: Drama teachers instruct students in a recreational context in the various theatrical genres and dramatic expression forms, such as comedy, tragedy, prose, poetry, improvisation, monologues, dialogues etc. They provide students with a notion of theatre history and repertoire, but mainly focus on a practice-based approach in their courses, in which they assist students in experimenting with and mastering different dramatic expression styles and techniques and encourage them to develop their own style. They cast, direct and produce plays and other performances, and coordinate the technical production and the set, props and costume usage on stage.
Violin maker: Violin makers create and assemble parts to create violins according to specified instructions or diagrams. They sand wood, measure and attach strings, test quality of strings and inspect the finished instrument.
Musician: Musicians perform a vocal or musical part that can be recorded or played for an audience. They have know-how and practice of one or many instruments or using their voice. The musician can also write and transcribe music.

References

1. Play musical instruments – ESCO