A vast amount of scholarship demonstrates that musicians are employed in a variety of music, music-related, and non-music related areas. However, this research is largely focused on musicians generally and rarely analyses specific instrument groups. This is despite the impact a musicians’ instrument has on the type of work available to them. As a result, this exploratory study analysed Australian classical brass musicians’ career development. As part of a larger study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 Australian classical brass musicians who were working in one or more music or music-related areas. Participants were undergraduate students (n =4), early-careerists (n = 5), or in the mid-career stage (n =14). Interview analysis revealed that education and orchestral performance work were the most common. However, within each stage participants completed and became more accepting of a wider range of work. Undergraduate musicians taught brass instruments privately (within their own private studios) and were narrowly focused on orchestral performance work. Early-career participants were similarly focused on orchestral work, although for most this was rare, meaning that education formed a substantial part of their careers. During this stage, difficulties breaking into the industry also caused some participants to pursue non-music work. By the mid-career stage, even though orchestral performance remained the most common type of performance work, participants also performed jazz, chamber and solo music to achieve a higher level of musical fulfillment. During this stage, participants also taught a larger age-range of students, with many working with students from primary school to tertiary study. These participants were also more likely to work in music-related or non-music areas. The results of this exploratory study suggest that Australian classical brass musicians’ career development, especially the broadening of work activities, is consistent with the general research. The more diverse performance work completed by mid-career participants highlights discrepancies between orchestral-focused undergraduate training and music industry realities. Thereby reiterating scholars’ call, and providing a brass musicians perspective, for more diverse tertiary curricula that reflects industry realities if undergraduate musicians are to be effectively prepared for their careers.