Data & Research
 
* ELMI Occupation Profile - Music Directors and Composers *
 
Music Directors and Composers
(O*NET 27-2041.00, SOC 27-2041)
What they do
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.
 
Also called:
Arranger, Choir Director, Composer, Conductor, Music Composer, Music Director, Music Producer, Orchestra Director, Producer, Songwriter
 
 
Wages
Vermont - 2023
Percentile1HourlyYearly
10% $ 24.31   $50,560  
25% $ 28.17   $58,590  
Median $ 29.00   $60,320  
75% $ 51.93   $108,020  
90% $ 53.47   $111,220  
 
Average $ 39.37   $81,880  
1 What are Percentile Wages?
More at CareerOneStop
 
Industries of Employment
United States - 2020
IndustryPercent of total
  • Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations
70%
  • Self-employed workers
20%
  • Educational services; state, local, and private
5%
  • Performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries
4%
  • Motion picture and sound recording industries
1%
More at BLS
 
Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about:
  • Fine Arts
    Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Education and Training
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Computers and Electronics
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Customer and Personal Service
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
More at O*NET
 
Skills
People in this career often have these skills:
  • Active Listening
    Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Speaking
    Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical Thinking
    Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Judgment and Decision Making
    Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Reading Comprehension
    Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
More at O*NET
 
Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments:
  • Artistic
    Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
  • Enterprising
    Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
  • Social
    Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler
 
Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need:
  • Dependability
    Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  • Integrity
    Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Attention to Detail
    Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Initiative
    Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
  • Independence
    Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
More at O*NET
 
Tasks
On the job, you would:
  • 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.
More at O*NET
 
Related Occupations
More at O*NET
 
 
Career Video
Watch at CareerOneStop with transcript or at YouTube.
 
Projected Employment
 Vermont
2020 employment 33
2030 employment 36
Annual percent change
(compounded)
0.9%
Annual projected job openings
(due to change and separations)
4
More at Occupational Projections
 
Education and Experience:
  • Typical education needed for entry
    Bachelor's degree
  • Work experience in a related occupation
    Less than 5 years
  • Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
    None
Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications
 
Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
 
  • Physical activity is Important
  • Level of activity is Low
Importance
Low   High
Level
Compare Occupations at O*NET
 
Job Zone
Considerable Preparation Needed
  • Specific Vocational Preparation Range
    (7.0 to < 8.0) - A typical worker will require over 2 years up to and including 4 years of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP
 
Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have?
Education level Percent of
U.S. Workers
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate
  23%
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate
  30%
Bachelor's degree   24%
Associate's degree   8%
Certificate or some college,
no degree
  6%
High school diploma
or equivalent
  4%
Less than high school diploma   5%
More at O*NET
 
Abilities
People in this career often have talent in:
  • Hearing Sensitivity
    The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
  • Fluency of Ideas
    The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Information Ordering
    The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Originality
    The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Written Comprehension
    The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
More at O*NET
 
Work Activities
In general, what you might do:
  • Thinking Creatively
    Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Getting Information
    Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Scheduling Work and Activities
    Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
More at O*NET
 
Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day:
  • Coordinate musical rehearsals or performances.
  • Study details of musical compositions.
  • Create musical compositions, arrangements or scores.
  • Determine presentation subjects or content.
  • Audition or interview potential performers or staff members.
More at O*NET
 
Other Resources
  • CareerOneStop
    resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
  • O*NET Online
    nation's primary source of occupational information
 
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This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

BLS

This page includes information produced in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and State Occupational Projections programs.

 
 
 
 
Vermont.gov State of Vermont Department of Labor