The Bio and Resumé

Your bio and resume are important! Plan to review and rework them from time to time, and take care to adapt them as is appropriate for each situation.

If you are just getting started, the links below will help. This advice has been used in classes at Peabody, and can be handy for everyone.

Writing a Bio

The purpose of a bio is to inform the readers and to impress the readers. A bio is written in a formal style. Aim for one paragraph. As you add new items in the future, your bio will grow, but it is essentially a brief statement about you. Think of it as a summary containing essential facts and highlights of your musical career.

To write your one-paragraph bio, do the following:

1. Make a list of information you might include:
   • Place of birth
   • Age you began your musical studies
   • Education/teachers before entering Peabody
   • Current teacher/program at Peabody
   • Summer festivals
   • Honors such as scholarships and prizes in competitions
   • Performances (solo recitals, appearances with orchestras, etc.)
   • Master classes
   • Employment as a musician
   • A special instrument you play: for example, "a 1777 Sebastian Klotz violin"
2. Choose a pattern. The two typical patterns are to:
   • Begin with when and where you were born or your first musical training and end with what you are doing now.
   • Begin with the present and then tell about your life before coming to Peabody.
3. Draft the bio using formal language and writing in the third person. The traditional way to refer to yourself is by using Mr., Miss, or Ms. Some people choose to refer to themselves by initially using first and last names and then using the first name.
4. Make sure that your bio is factually accurate and correctly written. Names of teachers, competitions, etc., should be spelled correctly. Check grammar, punctuation, and capitalization to make sure they are correct. Read the bio out loud and listen to it. Work to improve any awkward sentences. Use a variety of sentence patterns.
5. Write a formal draft to hand in to your teacher. Proofread the draft yourself and ask someone else to read it to make sure there are no errors.

Writing a Resumé

To write your one-page resumé, create a worksheet and go through the following steps:

• Select categories. For example, Education, Scholarships/Awards, Performances, Master Classes, Private Study, Summer Study.
• Fill in information within categories. Write names of schools, teachers, competitions, etc.
• Organize. Put categories in an appropriate order, beginning with education. Put information within each category in reverse chronological order. That means the most recent information comes first in each category; then work backwards in time. If you have too much information, delete the oldest (for example, don�t list what you did when you were in middle school).
• Edit. Check spelling of names of teachers, schools, competitions, etc., to make sure you have written them correctly. Check to make sure that you have written dates consistently. Don't write a date one way (January 2007) and then a second date a different way (1/07). Check to make sure that you have listed items in reverse chronological order in each category.
• Arrange information so the page is visually attractive. Appearance is crucial. Center information. Make sure spacing is consistent. If you don't have a lot to put on your resume, leave plenty of space between categories and use a larger font. Use a font that is easy to read. Use boldface for headings. Your resume should look beautiful.

Style Guide for Bio and Resumé

• Write United States, not USA.
• Spell out state names. Don't use abbreviations: Maryland, not MD
• Write first-year student, not first year student; second-year student, etc.
• Write master class, not masterclass.
• Spell out numbers under 10. ('studied for six years, not 6 years')
• If you begin a sentence with a number, spell out the number (Twenty-year-old, not 20-year old)
• For the Education category in your resume:
  • Choose one of the following to refer to Peabody:
    • Peabody Conservatory
    • Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
    • Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University
  • Choose one of the following to describe your current status:
    • Name the year that you entered after listing Peabody (200_ to present}
    • Identify your class: First-year student (sounds better than freshman)
  • DO NOT put the year you expect to graduate if it's a long time away (Bachelor of Music degree, 2011 or B.M., 2011)
  • Use the following as appropriate:
    • Bachelor of Music degree program
    • B.M. in _______________ Performance
    • a bachelor's degree

FAQ

What is the most important information on my resume?

Your name, your instrument, and your contact information (telephone, e-mail address).

What if I don't have much to put on my bio or resume?

Begin with what you have now. You will soon be able to add items, as you perform, participate in master classes and summer festivals, etc.

What if I have done so much that I can't put it all in a one-page resume?

Be selective. A one-page resume is the most useful, so that is what we ask you to do.

What if I am a singer?

Singers usually put personal information (height, weight, hair and eye color) on a resume. They also will list the roles they have sung and/or performances as a soloist.

What about references?

We do not ask you to include references on the resume that you do for us. However, when you begin to use the resume to apply for specific opportunities, you will want to furnish references, either on the resume itself or in a cover letter that you send with the resume. Before giving someone's name as a reference, you should always ask permission.

Should I put in non-musical skills and experience?

Sometimes you might do this. You might want to list the languages that you speak, for example. If you play another instrument or have studied dance, you might want to give information. We are asking you to present yourself as a musician, so other types of experience (as a life guard, babysitter, etc.) are not appropriate.

Can I use the same resume for everything?

Often you will want to tailor your resume to fit a specific opportunity. You can easily do this by moving the categories around. For example, if you are applying for a chamber music program, you might want to go into more detail about your chamber music experience and list this information directly under education.

Should I list what I plan to do in the future?

You might cite specific plans such as an opera role, but usually a resume lists what you have done in the past and what you are currently doing.