DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
27-2041 Music Directors and Composers
Occupational Description:
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.| Percentiles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| Minnesota | 140 | 32 | $31.05/hr | $5.06/hr | $10.21/hr | $17.34/hr | $23.16/hr | $39.43/hr | $64.10/hr |
| U S | 10,580 | 476 | $31.41/hr | $1.32/hr | $11.21/hr | $16.18/hr | $25.10/hr | $36.43/hr | $60.81/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change 2023 - 2025 | |
| Producers and Directors | 1,360 | $31.32/hr | 1.5% |
| Art Directors | 1,000 | $48.84/hr | 0.4% |
| Writers and Authors | 860 | $30.19/hr | 0.3% |
| Musicians and Singers | 480 | $27.93/hr | 1.2% |
| Actors | 420 | $15.15/hr | 1.7% |
| Costume Attendants | 210 | $23.84/hr | 1.0% |
| Film and Video Editors | 190 | N/A | 1.6% |
| Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Motion Picture | 180 | $22.12/hr | 1.5% |
| Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners | 110 | $15.95/hr | 1.5% |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | N/A | $27.21/hr | 1.8% |
Tasks for Music Directors and Composers
- Directs group at rehearsals and live or recorded performances to achieve desired effects, such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo.
- Issues assignments and reviews work of staff in such areas as scoring, arranging, and copying music, lyric and vocal coaching.
- Positions members within group to obtain balance among instrumental sections.
- Auditions and selects vocal and instrumental groups for musical presentations.
- Engages services of composer to write score.
- Transcribes musical compositions and melodic lines to adapt them to or create particular style for group.
- Selects vocal, instrumental, and recorded music suitable to type of performance requirements to accommodate ability of group.
- Composes musical scores for orchestra, band, choral group, or individual instrumentalist or vocalist, using knowledge of music theory and instrumental and vocal capabilities.
- Transposes music from one voice or instrument to another to accommodate particular musician in musical group.
- Transcribes musical parts from score written by arranger or orchestrator for each instrument or voice, using knowledge of music composition.
- Copies parts from score for individual performers.
- Determines voice, instrument, harmonic structure, rhythm, tempo, and tone balance to achieve desired effect.
- Adapts musical composition for orchestra, band, choral group, or individual to style for which it was not originally written.
- Creates original musical form or writes within circumscribed musical form, such as sonata, symphony, or opera.
- Transcribes or records musical ideas into notes on scored music paper.
- Develops pattern of harmony, applying knowledge of music theory.
- Creates musical and tonal structure, applying elements of music theory, such as instrumental and vocal capabilities.
- Determines basic pattern of melody, applying knowledge of music theory.
- Synthesizes ideas for melody of musical scores for choral group, or band.
