The qualifications you need to get a clarinet job range widely. If you want to teach in a public school, for example, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in music theory, clarinet, or a closely related subject and a teacher’s license for your state. Private instructors may also have formal training, or they may be self-taught. For concert clarinetists, you typically need a bachelor’s degree from a music conservatory or college and years of experience in an orchestra. Other jobs, such as being a session musician, do not typically have such formal requirements. Important skills include creativity, the ability to read music, and strong listening skills.