Music
Music has many aspects attached to it like singing, composing original music, playing musical instruments and the like. Singers use their knowledge of voice production, melody, and harmony to interpret music and text. They perform in their own individual styles. Music directors and conductors direct, plan, and lead vocal or instrumental performances by musical groups such as orchestras and choirs. However, composers create original music; they transcribe ideas into musical notation, using rhythm, harmony and tonal structure.
Acting, Theatre and Drama
Drama or theatre is a platform for actors to act out stories, by combining speech, gestures, music, dance, facial expressions and sound. Theatre includes street plays, opera and ballet among others.
Actors, producers and directors explicitly convey ideas and create images in performing arts media like drama, film, television and radio. They translate writers’ scripts to entertain, or inform audiences. Producers are entrepreneurs who make the actual business and financial decisions involving television show, radio show, stage event or films. They select scripts; and depending upon the financial viability they determine the size and cost of the project. The producers select directors, actors and other key staff. However, directors are responsible for the overall creative and imaginative decisions of a production. They only approve the key elements of a production, including the set designs, costumes, music and choreography.
Dance
Dance is a type of performing arts that uses the human body to communicate through expression and body movements non-verbally. In fact it is an amalgamation of drama and music, wherein the artist performs by rhythmic movement of the body, in harmony with the background music or song. The art of creating a dance is called choreography. Dancers spend years learning dances and honing skills, as do most choreographers. Together, they then translate those skills into movement that expresses ideas and stories. Dancers most often perform as part of a group, although a few top artists perform solo. Choreographers create original dances and develop new interpretations of existing dances.
Training
Dancers need steady and long-term training; most dancers begin formal training at an early age, which continues till college days and even after. People earn bachelor’s and master’s degree in the dancing field. The curriculum for dance majors includes course work in choreography, dance history, dance production, dance performance, music, acting and various forms of Indian and western dances.
Similarly long-term training is associated with musicians or singers as well. Aspiring musicians like dancers, begin learning an instrument at an early age. Formal training may be obtained through an accomplished musician at home especially in the early (foundation) stage, if not at a music school. But in the later and advanced stage, it is always advised to opt for a performing arts school or college. Composers and music directors usually require a bachelor's degree in a related field. Courses typically include studying modules on music theory, music interpretation, composition, conducting, and performance, either with a particular instrument or a voice performance.
Talking about a career as an actor, in the theater or films, formal dramatic training is a must. Most aspiring actors go for a diploma or degree in acting given the tough competition in the field of acting nowadays. Producers and especially directors need experience in the field, either as actors or in other related jobs. Most aspiring actors, musicians or dancers have participated in school and college activities like theatre, dance and music competitions, on regular basis. Some directors have experience as actors or writers, while others gain experience in the field by assisting established directors. Many also have formal training in directing.
Generally speaking, many educational institutes and universities in India are offering courses in the field of performing arts at different levels including certificate level, undergraduate degree level, postgraduate degree and diploma level. Talking about eligibility, a candidate should have earned at least a 10th level certificate.
Career Prospects
Theatre, dance and music have a long tradition in Asia and constitute a core cultural resource in local communities. Since ages, performing arts have been used to communicate essential messages and skills from one generation to the next.
The scope of performing arts has widened in the past decade. With the advent of an increasing number of satellite channels, flourishing film industry, Internet, web and digitalisation of various techniques. Opportunities are galore in this field, though with stiff competition. As a result, many educational institutes and universities in India have included courses in the field of performing arts to their curriculum.