Teaching artists or live performers? Early careers after a Jazz Master’s graduation in French-speaking Switzerland

This article presents the results of the “Jazz Alumni” survey conducted in 2022 on the career beginnings of the musicians who obtained a jazz master’s degree at HEMU—Haute école de musique in French-speaking Switzerland between 2011 and 2017. Based on a mixed-methods diachronic approach, the study included 45 graduates (38 men and 7 women). Like most performing artists, they experience professional instability and are faced with low incomes compared to their level of training. Our study indicates that jazz graduates predominantly rely on teaching to mitigate the risks associated with the precarious nature of their profession, thereby improving their working conditions and generally avoiding non-musical work. Further findings identify two distinct approaches to balancing teaching and performing. Possible explanations for these different career paths include socialization to different national regulatory regimes and gender inequalities.