Accompanists play music for and with Singers and instrumentalists in lessons, rehearsals, juries, recitals, concerts, and on recordings.

While most Accompanists play the piano, there are also Accompanists who play other instruments, such as guitar or harp. In modern contemporary popular styles, including jazz, Accompanists might be musicians playing other instruments like drums and bass in a rhythm section or as a backup band for a Singer.

Acclaimed pianist Dr. Ray Wong (The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Harvard University) told us that “pianists are the most in-demand due to the vast possibilities of the piano.”

Today, Accompanists who play the piano generally prefer to be called a “Collaborative Pianist” or “Collaborative Keyboardist,” since they will often perform as part of a group, for example in an orchestra or a chamber ensemble. In ensembles of all sizes, collaborative Pianists can serve in both a support role and as an integral part of the group.

Expert pianist Dr. Mark Livshits (Franklin and Marshall College, University of Delaware) said it’s all about making the main performer shine.

“…It is our job to frame the person we’re accompanying,” he told us. “If it’s chamber music, it’s to create the best texture and to let the musicians that we’re accompanying play with whatever kind of sound, texture, and dynamic they want, giving them as much leeway, within reason, to do whatever they need.”

What does a typical day look like for a collaborative pianist?

Dr. Alex Maynegre-Torra (Staff Accompanist, University of Texas – Austin Butler School of Music) said most of your work will happen on the weekends when performances typically happen.

“If you want an 8 to 5 job this won’t do,” he said. “Working in an academic setting, when you approach mid-semester you know that you will play many recitals after 5:00 p.m. Accompanists [even freelancers] are performers, and most performances occur during weekday evenings or weekends.”

Dr. Livshits said his days as a performer would often go from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., rehearsing, traveling to different cities, and performing.

Here are some key skills and responsibilities that you may need as a Collaborative Pianist (AKA accompanist):

• • Instrumental Accompaniment

Collaborative Pianists can usually play several musical instruments in addition to piano, like the guitar or violin, or any other instrument relevant to the performance. The choice of instrument depends on the musical style and the needs of the performance.

• • • Vocal Accompaniment

While not always required, it can help if a Collaborative Pianist can also sing background vocals and harmonies.

• • • • Rehearsal and Collaboration

Collaborative Pianists often work closely with the main artist or group during rehearsals and collaborative sessions. They help refine the musical performance by providing musical cues, adjusting tempo, and offering input on musical interpretation.

• • • • • Adaptation and Flexibility

Collaborative Pianists must be adaptable and flexible, as they may need to adjust their playing or singing in real-time to accommodate changes in the performance. This includes following the lead of the main performer or responding to cues during live shows.

• • • • • • Reading Sheet Music

Many Collaborative Pianists read sheet music, which allows them to quickly learn and perform new pieces of music. They may also be skilled in improvisation, especially in genres like jazz or folk music.

• • • • • • • Supporting Different Genres

Collaborative Pianists can work in many different genres, like classical, pop, jazz, musical theater, and more. The style of accompaniment can vary widely depending on the genre and the specific requirements of the performance.

• • • • • • • • Performance Enhancement

The main goal of a Collaborative Pianist is to enhance the overall performance, not be the star or draw attention to themselves.

Performing as a Collaborative Pianist is very different from performing as a soloist, since the focus is on playing music together with a group and usually in a supportive role. Nonetheless, Collaborative Pianists must have superior skills and talent, be familiar with a wide range of repertoire and musical styles, be able to sight-read and learn new music quickly, enjoy making music with other people, and be able to travel.

Collaborative Pianists usually work as freelancers, but there are also salaried staff positions available in schools, community choirs, orchestras, and churches. They work hard behind the scenes and on stage to make the music shine for each and every rehearsal and performance.

Freelance Accompanists also end up doing a lot of administrative work in order to find new clients and coordinate with existing clients for rehearsals and performances. Accompanists work with a wide range of people–from church organizations to schools and individual performing artists–so their employment network often contains Choir Directors, Opera Singers, University Music Teachers, Cantors, Church Organists, Copyist, students, and musical theatre Actors. Their work may find them accompanying ballet or theatrical rehearsals, backing performers for auditions, or performing with small chamber groups.

(Note: “Collaborative Keyboardists” is the term preferred by those in the profession. In this piece, we use the term “Accompanists” and “Collaborative Keyboardists” interchangeably simply because some readers are more familiar with the older term.)

In this piece, you’ll be hearing from the following experts:

• • • • • • • • Warren Jones (Manhattan School of Music Collaborative Piano Faculty)
              • Dr. Mark Livshits (Franklin and Marshall College, University of Delaware)
              • Dr. Alex Maynegre-Torra (Staff Accompanist, University of Texas – Austin Butler School of Music)
              • Rita Sloan (University of Maryland, Director of Collaborative Piano Program)
              • Dr. Ray Wong (The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Harvard University)

The money Accompanists can earn varies according to their location, skill level, and reputation. They can charge higher prices in large cities, on average ranging from $45-55/hour, while some in-demand players can charge $100/hour or more. When working for major artists the fees can go even higher, sometimes several thousand dollars for a single performance.

Generally, the larger the local market for their services, the more opportunities there are, but also the more competition. While the hourly rate might seem substantial, most Accompanists are not working eight hours a day. There’s the time spent getting organized and traveling around to the different locations, in addition to performing. Most rehearsals might last 2-3 hours, and a Pianist might work for several clients over the course of a day.

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There will always be a strong demand for Collaborative Keyboardists and other types of Accompanists who are easy to work with and can do a terrific job. Having a strong professional network is the best way for Accompanists to build a client list and increase their hours and their pay. Live music has been around for a long time and is not going away.

New and established artists will usually be on the lookout for good Accompanists and there will be jobs available at schools, colleges, universities, choirs, and churches. Private Teachers also often need Accompanists for their students, so networking with well-respected Teachers is a good practice.

Most of the public’s attention is usually focused on soloists and featured performers, so the job of Accompanist is not viewed as being nearly as “glamourous” in comparison. For musicians who don’t necessarily feel as comfortable being in the spotlight, however, working as an Accompanist has its benefits. They will have the opportunity to work with talented performers, providing a necessary service for which they will be greatly appreciated by their more prominent clients.

The job of Accompanist has many technical and artistic demands, and those who fully master the job will have plenty of chances to be involved with making beautiful music. Being an Accompanist may not be the most glamourous or high-paid job in the music industry, but as a career, it certainly offers the chance for artistic fulfillment and musical self-satisfaction.

Dr. Livshits said sometimes you have a remarkable experience during one performance, only to work with an unprepared student the next day.

“You live for those breakthroughs, and you also have to kind of summon the energy to know that you can get through those really tough moments,” he said.

To become a collaborative pianist, you need to meet people and play with other musicians, said teacher and pianist Warren Jones (Manhattan School of Music Collaborative Piano Faculty).

“Start making music with other people, and see if it suits you,” he said. “Some people do not easily work with others–that’s fine, no problem. But to develop a career as a Collaborative Pianist, you really need to enjoy and like making music together with other people!”

Where to find work as an accompanist:

• Local bands and artists in need of supporting musicians
• Community and university choirs
• Small theater groups
• K-12 schools to play at recitals, auditions, and other performances
• Dance companies that specialize in ballet
• Local recording studios that may need session musicians

The place to start is finding other musicians who need an Accompanist and honing the skills needed while learning to do the job well. If enrolled in a college or university, there will be many opportunities to accompany Singers and instrumentalists for lessons, juries, recitals, concerts, and recordings.

Not only are these all great opportunities to learn, being surrounded by talented students who are the future of the music industry will likely lead to professional opportunities down the road. After all, people like to work with people they know, and if you have the skills and are easy to work with, why wouldn’t they engage you for professional opportunities as well?

School is a terrific place to start building a network of musicians to rely on for opportunities when school is finished. Going to a college or university is also the way to meet well-respected Teachers who may send a steady stream of future clients. Getting started in a career as an Accompanist is easiest when surrounded by lots of other young musicians and their Teachers. Schools also have career development centers with resources students and recent graduates will find helpful for getting traction in launching their career.

Dr. Livshits said to say yes to jobs, even if you think they’re too small. “Small” jobs give you experience, and you also never know who’s listening.

“People hear you in the most unexpected ways,” he said. “I got my start just because I was the only person in my quintet in college who came prepared for the lesson. The Coach was a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and he passed along my name to the Conductor, and that’s how I got my start with him.”

Dr. Maynegre-Torra seconds this strategy.

“Word of mouth is the best way to get work,” he said. “If you do a good job playing for a music school, chances are that at some point a Teacher in a different school will call you to play for her/his students and so your business will start growing. That’s where your communication skills play a big role.”

Sometimes, even if you aren’t enrolled in a school, just hanging around at a school will put one in contact with students and faculty members who are in need of Accompanists. Hanging up a few posters on choice-located bulletin boards around campus should generate interest, as well as joining online forums or chat rooms where people tend to go when searching for an Accompanist. Having a website with videos of past work will also be helpful, so that prospective clients can find you and understand the skills you offer.

In the beginning, it’s a good idea to see what others are charging for their service and setting your own prices accordingly. You might use a sliding scale, giving discounts to talented performers who don’t have the resources to pay full price, while charging full price to those who can afford it. It’s not a good idea to put your fees much below the going rate, as you don’t want to undercut other professionals needing to make a living as a Collaborative Pianist. This is not a high-paying career, at least compared to many other roles people have in the music industry, and most musicians working as Accompanists are doing it as much for the satisfaction and enjoyment of making beautiful music with others as for the pay.

That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a reliable living in it. Many Accompanists work long hours, travel a lot, and spend a lot of time organizing their schedules and learning new music. It’s very hard work, and one can generate enough income to fund a decent lifestyle, but money is not always or even often the main motivator. As you climb the ladder of success, the pay should get better, along with the quality of the music and musicians one gets to work with.

The skills you’ll need to succeed as an accompanist include:

• Sight-reading sheet music
• Having a large repertoire of songs
• Ability to quickly learn new songs
• Strong grasp of musical theory
• Easy to collaborate with
• Ability to musically blend well with other musicians
• Punctuality
• Personable skills (good for networking)

Since Accompanists must frequently read from sheet music, written arrangements, and lead sheets, they must be strong readers of music. This includes sight-reading, which is a specific and separate skill from reading (though related), where an Accompanist must read from music they haven’t seen previously.

Dr. Wong said sight reading is the most important skill you need.

“Sight-reading is among the most important skills for Accompanists, and a great sight-reader will always be in demand!” he said.

Additionally, they must be able to interpret the written form idiomatically in the style to be performed. This means playing with the right rhythmic “feel” while providing what the Singer or instrumentalist needs to do their best job in a rehearsal or performance. If possible, they should learn the music well, including the performer’s part, so they can quickly adjust to accommodate eventual mistakes.

Beyond reading and stylistic interpretation, Accompanists must be able to follow a Conductor while reading. Performing with others requires attention to musical “cues,” or signals, from either a Conductor or musicians, for the piece being performed to keep together through any tempo or dynamic changes, stopping and starting, key changes, or other changes in the music. The more opportunities to work as an Accompanist, the more experience and skill one will acquire.

Collaborative Pianists and other Accompanists who work independently as freelancers, whether full- or part-time, must also develop strong administrative skills. This includes managing a hectic schedule, accounting for travel time, organizing a system for sheet music storage and retrieval, billing clients, and myriad other small, but crucial tasks required for being in business as a sole proprietor.

Music is a business, and the professional Accompanist must manage their career as a business. Some tasks, such as billing, might seem mundane, but are absolutely necessary for the work to be sustainable and income-producing. Keeping careful records and paying taxes are also obligatory. Owning the right equipment and clothing and maintaining it in good order is another work requirement.

Interpersonal skills, sometimes called “soft skills,” are especially important for the successful Accompanist. Getting right to the point: No one likes to work with a jerk, so don’t be one. Soloists and performers are already under a lot of pressure to always be at their best, so having an easy-going demeanor and approach will help them feel more comfortable.

Jones emphasizes the importance of being a good listener.

“Probably the most important skill and ability that a person can develop to be a Collaborative Pianist is to listen, listen, listen to one’s colleagues because that is the basis for really collaborating musically with someone else,” he said.

Piano teacher and expert pianist Rita Sloan (University of Maryland, Director of Collaborative Piano Program) agrees, saying listening in the moment is crucial.

“Really listen to them while you are busy playing,” she said. “That’s at the heart of it: to be able to hear yourself and your partner in real-time at the same time. The bottom line is how you play with other people, how you collaborate with them. That’s why it’s called collaborative piano.”

Working with an experienced and patient Accompanist should give the performer(s) confidence and allow them to focus on the music. Soft skills are an important part of being in business. This extends to your phone manner, email etiquette, looking people in the eye when you meet them, having a firm handshake, smiling during interactions with people, body language, and all the intangibles of getting along well with others in work situations.

Dr. Wong encourages aspiring collaborative pianists to have a diverse set of skills, not just piano.

“…I encourage people to do as many diverse musical activities as possible, since each thing that you do, each skill that you develop, helps all your other skills to be better!” he said.

First and foremost, a Collaborative Pianist must be an accomplished musician and an exquisite Pianist. They must be comfortable quickly learning new music in a plethora of musical styles, covering a wide range of repertoire.

There are very few programs for undergraduate degrees in collaborative piano, although some do exist. Most collaborative piano programs are at the graduate level, typically a Master of Music (M.M.) or a Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.), so undergraduate students seeking careers as Accompanists will initially study music and piano performance. Undeniably, one must play the piano exceptionally well before starting a career as a Collaborative Pianist.

Sloan said that, if you do get a degree in collaborative piano, it should be a graduate-level degree.

“The thing to remember is that you cannot (and should not!) get an undergrad degree in Collaborative Piano,” she said. “Most schools in the country don’t offer it. There might be a few that have it, but generally speaking, it should be a graduate-level training program because, during undergrad, a Pianist really needs to become the best Pianist they can possibly be.”

To earn a bachelor’s degree, courses taken include instrumental performance, reading, sight-reading, music theory, solfege, composition, counterpoint, music history, repertoire development classes, and perhaps improvisation techniques. This is in addition to private study with an instructor, plus participation in ensembles, orchestras, and other kinds of groups.

The coursework is designed to produce well-rounded musicians who are musically literate and can function as soloists and within groups at a high level. Moving on to graduate school, for the Master’s degree, students will have the opportunity to specialize in an area of their choice, such as collaborative piano. Most undergraduate programs are 3-4 years and the Master’s degree typically takes two years to complete.

Beyond core music studies, performance studies, and specialization at graduate level, by the time graduation is reached most Pianists will have some significant professional experience under their belt and will have put together a portfolio or website to promote their work to prospective clients.

Music is a business and learning the business of music is a crucial part of the training required to become successful as a full-time professional in the arts. Fortunately, there are many great books on the subject, and most schools also offer or require students to take courses in the business of music. For those who do not have the luxury of taking music business courses, but have the desire and need to learn, there are many excellent sources for learning about this crucial aspect of sustaining a career in music. Successful music industry professionals must ultimately learn about the many facets of entrepreneurship.

Collaborative piano offers a chance at a solid career in music, for those who have prepared themselves well. Pianists and others who work as Accompanists play an important role in music education, community orchestras, ballet and dance schools, and the professional world of recording and concertizing. Specializing in collaborative piano can be a way to participate in music as a performer in collaboration with top artists and ensembles. Those who excel as Accompanists will always be in strong demand if they are able to market themselves properly, maintain a list of clients, take on a Staff Accompanist position with a school or music company, and help their clients to really shine on the stage and in studio.

And the learning never stops, according to Dr. Livshits.

“Getting a college education in music is invaluable simply because your growth doesn’t stop once you graduate high school,” he said. “I still take lessons even though I finished my DMA four years ago, almost. Once in a while, I still see a Teacher just for kind of a tune-up. You have the upkeep.”

There are no professional associations specifically for Accompanists, although professional Pianists can benefit from the performance and networking opportunities found via the American Pianists Association. For online resources, Dr. Maynegre-Torra says, “The most comprehensive website I know that addresses many issues about collaborative piano is The Collaborative Piano Blog. It has many interesting articles about the profession and useful insight about practicing habits.”