Music Directors and Composers
Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications · Performing Arts
Pay and outlook shown for
New workers start near $27,970; experienced workers reach $130,290. About 480 people do this job in Texas.
Job outlook
U.S. projection, 2024 to 2034.
- Employment change
- -0%
- Openings a year
- 4,300
- Employed in 2024
- 47,300
Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree · Experience: Less than 5 years
Alamo Colleges programs that lead here
No program is mapped to this career yet. Many careers start from a transfer pre-major or a related program.
Browse all programsSkills this career uses
The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.
- Active Listening3.6
- Speaking3.6
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Reading Comprehension3.5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Coordination3.8
- Writing3.5
- Active Learning3.4
What the work is
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.
- 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.
Education people in this job have
Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.
- High school or less9%
- Some college6%
- Associate degree8%
- Bachelor's degree26%
- Master's degree30%
- Doctoral or professional21%
Job zone 4, considerable preparation: Usually a bachelor's degree, sometimes a strong associate plus experience.
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