Steps for Learning - Activity One: Making a Living as a Musician | Parents & Teachers
  







  












  
  



  


    
    
     

    

		

			

				

		

        
        
                  

                                      
Steps for Learning - Activity One: Making a Living as a Musician

                                                          
 
        
        

          


  
  
  
  

    
The purpose of this activity is to help students reflect on the financial struggles of being an artist.


1. Ask the class to brainstorm answers to the following question:

    

  • How do musicians make money? 
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Record their answers on the board. If possible, invite a local musician or a school music instructor to talk to the class about how it is often a struggle to make a living as an artist. 


2. As a class, read aloud the Thinkquest article that describes the financial struggles the Mozart family faced. (Scroll to "Financial Struggles.") Lead a class discussion comparing how musicians made a living during Mozart's time and how musician make a living in current times. Create a class chart highlighting the comparisons.