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Career Details : Music Directors

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Description

Direct and conduct instrumental or vocal performances by musical groups, such as orchestras or choirs.

Experience

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Education

A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Training

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Tasks

  • 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 and 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.

    Related Careers

    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Job-Required Social Interaction
    • Objective or Subjective Information
    • Responsibility for Outcomes and Results
    • Supervise, Coach, Train Others
    • Coordinate or Lead Others

    Related Majors

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    Accompanying/Chamber Musicadd Accompanying/Chamber Music to MyFSA
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    Applied Music/Instrumentaladd Applied Music/Instrumental to MyFSA
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    Choral Musicadd Choral Music to MyFSA
    Christian Education/Church Musicadd Christian Education/Church Music to MyFSA
    Church Musicadd Church Music to MyFSA
    Church Music/Youth Ministriesadd Church Music/Youth Ministries to MyFSA
    Clarinetadd Clarinet to MyFSA
    Classical Guitaradd Classical Guitar to MyFSA
    Conductingadd Conducting to MyFSA
    Contemporary Christian Musicadd Contemporary Christian Music to MyFSA
    Contemporary Improvisationadd Contemporary Improvisation to MyFSA
    Dance Accompanyingadd Dance Accompanying to MyFSA
    Directingadd Directing to MyFSA
    Double Bassadd Double Bass to MyFSA
    Ethnomusicologyadd Ethnomusicology to MyFSA
    Euphoniumadd Euphonium to MyFSA
    Fluteadd Flute to MyFSA
    French Hornadd French Horn to MyFSA
    General Musicadd General Music to MyFSA
    Guitaradd Guitar to MyFSA
    Harpadd Harp to MyFSA
    Harpsichordadd Harpsichord to MyFSA
    Historical Performanceadd Historical Performance to MyFSA
    Instrumental Musicadd Instrumental Music to MyFSA
    Instrumental Performanceadd Instrumental Performance to MyFSA
    Instrumentsadd Instruments to MyFSA
    Jazzadd Jazz to MyFSA
    Jazz Compositionadd Jazz Composition to MyFSA
    Jazz Performanceadd Jazz Performance to MyFSA
    Jazz Studiesadd Jazz Studies to MyFSA
    Jazz Studies/Contemporary Mediaadd Jazz Studies/Contemporary Media to MyFSA
    Jazz/Commercial Musicadd Jazz/Commercial Music to MyFSA
    Keyboard Instrumentsadd Keyboard Instruments to MyFSA
    Keyboard/Orchestral Instrumentsadd Keyboard/Orchestral Instruments to MyFSA
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    Musicadd Music to MyFSA
    Music Education/General/Choraladd Music Education/General/Choral to MyFSA
    Music Performanceadd Music Performance to MyFSA
    Music Performance/Pedagogyadd Music Performance/Pedagogy to MyFSA
    Music Performance/Voice/Piano/Organadd Music Performance/Voice/Piano/Organ to MyFSA
    Music Synthesisadd Music Synthesis to MyFSA
    Music Technologyadd Music Technology to MyFSA
    Music Theatreadd Music Theatre to MyFSA
    Music/Applied Music Educationadd Music/Applied Music Education to MyFSA
    Music/Businessadd Music/Business to MyFSA
    Music/Elective Studies in Businessadd Music/Elective Studies in Business to MyFSA
    Music/Instrumentaladd Music/Instrumental to MyFSA
    Music/Keyboardadd Music/Keyboard to MyFSA
    Music/Languageadd Music/Language to MyFSA
    Music/Sound Recordingadd Music/Sound Recording to MyFSA
    Music/Technologyadd Music/Technology to MyFSA
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    Musical Artsadd Musical Arts to MyFSA
    Musical Instrumentsadd Musical Instruments to MyFSA
    Musical Studiesadd Musical Studies to MyFSA
    Musical Theatreadd Musical Theatre to MyFSA
    Musicologyadd Musicology to MyFSA
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    Orchestral Musicadd Orchestral Music to MyFSA
    Orchestral Performanceadd Orchestral Performance to MyFSA
    Orchestral/Band Instrumentsadd Orchestral/Band Instruments to MyFSA
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    Violaadd Viola to MyFSA
    Violinadd Violin to MyFSA
    Vocal Musicadd Vocal Music to MyFSA
    Vocal Performanceadd Vocal Performance to MyFSA
    Voiceadd Voice to MyFSA
    Voice Performanceadd Voice Performance to MyFSA
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