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.
- • 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.
- • Audition and select performers for musical presentations.
- • Plan and schedule rehearsals and performances, and arrange details such as locations, accompanists, and instrumentalists.
- • Write musical scores for orchestras, bands, choral groups, or individual instrumentalists or vocalists, using knowledge of music theory and of instrumental and vocal capabilities.
- • Position members within groups to obtain balance among instrumental or vocal sections.
- • Perform administrative tasks such as applying for grants, developing budgets, negotiating contracts, and designing and printing programs and other promotional materials.
- • Confer with producers and directors to define the nature and placement of film or television music.
- • Meet with soloists and concertmasters to discuss and prepare for performances.
- • Fill in details of orchestral sketches, such as adding vocal parts to scores.
- • Explore and develop musical ideas based on sources such as imagination or sounds in the environment.
- • Write music for commercial mediums, including advertising jingles or film soundtracks.
- • Transpose music from one voice or instrument to another to accommodate particular musicians.
- • Rewrite original musical scores in different musical styles by changing rhythms, harmonies, or tempos.
- • Arrange music composed by others, changing the music to achieve desired effects.
- • Assign and review staff work in such areas as scoring, arranging, and copying music, and vocal coaching.
- • Study films or scripts to determine how musical scores can be used to create desired effects or moods.
- • Transcribe musical compositions and melodic lines to adapt them to a particular group, or to create a particular musical style.
- • Create original musical forms, or write within circumscribed musical forms such as sonatas, symphonies, or operas.
- • Collaborate with other colleagues, such as copyists, to complete final scores.
- • Copy parts from scores for individual performers.
- • Coordinate and organize tours, or hire touring companies to arrange concert dates, venues, accommodations, and transportation for longer tours.
- • Produce recordings of music.
- • Stay abreast of the latest trends in music and music technology.
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Arts, Entertainment, & Design
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
