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Conductors, composers and arrangers

National Occupation Code (NOC): 51121

Conductors, composers and arrangers conduct bands and orchestras, compose musical works and arrange instrumental and vocal compositions. They are employed by symphony and chamber orchestras, bands, choirs, sound recording companies, and orchestras for ballet and opera performances, or they may be self-employed.

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Job Duties for Conductors, composers and arrangers

  • Conductors
    • Select and interpret musical works and lead bands, orchestras and choirs during rehearsals and performances.
  • Composers
    • Create musical compositions such as television and film scores, theme music, songs, symphonies and music for interactive products such as video games.
  • Arrangers
    • Adapt and modify musical compositions to convey desired themes and to suit particular instrumental and vocal performances.

Employment Requirements for Conductors, composers and arrangers

  • A university degree in music or completion of a program at a music academy, conservatory or school of music is usually required.
  • A period of specialized study related to conducting, composing or arranging is usually required.
  • Experience as a musician is required.
  • Musical and creative talent and ability, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, are important hiring criteria.

Alternate Job Titles

  • Arranger
  • Artistic Director - Music
  • Author-composer-performer
  • Band Conductor
  • Band Director
  • Bandmaster
  • Chansonnier
  • Choir Director
  • Choir Leader
  • Choirmaster
  • Choral Conductor
  • Choral Director
  • Chorus Master
  • Composer
  • Conductor
  • Copyist - Music
  • Lyricist
  • Maestro
  • Motion Picture Musical Director
  • Music Adapter
  • Music Arranger
  • Music Copyist
  • Music Director
  • Music Writer
  • Musical Director
  • Orchestra Artistic Director
  • Orchestral Conductor
  • Orchestrator
  • Orchestrator-arranger
  • Singer-songwriter-composer
  • Songwriter
  • Stage Musical Director
  • Television Musical Director
  • Writer-composer-performer

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