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Music Directors and Composers

Conduct, direct, plan, and lead instrumental or vocal performances by musical artists or groups, such as orchestras, bands, choirs, and glee clubs; or create original works of music.

What you’d do

  • Use gestures to shape the music being played, communicating desired tempo, phrasing, tone, color, pitch, volume, and other performance aspects.
  • Direct groups at rehearsals and live or recorded performances to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo.
  • Study scores to learn the music in detail, and to develop interpretations.
  • Apply elements of music theory to create musical and tonal structures, including harmonies and melodies.
  • Consider such factors as ensemble size and abilities, availability of scores, and the need for musical variety, to select music to be performed.
  • Determine voices, instruments, harmonic structures, rhythms, tempos, and tone balances required to achieve the effects desired in a musical composition.
  • Experiment with different sounds, and types and pieces of music, using synthesizers and computers as necessary to test and evaluate ideas.
  • Transcribe ideas for musical compositions into musical notation, using instruments, pen and paper, or computers.

Skills that matter

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Critical Thinking
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Learning

How to get there

Considerable preparation: most need a four-year bachelor's degree

Also called

  • Choir Director
  • Conductor
  • Music Composer
  • Music Director
  • Arranger
  • Composer

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