Music Director job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

O*NET occupation

Music Directors and Composers

O*NET-SOC 27-2041.00

Preparation

Job Zone 4 of 5

considerable preparation

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$73,710

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Music Directors and Composers (O*NET-SOC 27-2041.00). O*NET 31.0 lists “Music Director” as a job title for this occupation only (evidence: O*NET's Sample of Reported Titles (titles job holders report), O*NET job-incumbent data and the SOC Index). Figures on this page are for that occupation. TryHired has no separate career page for this title yet.

1. Use gestures to shape the music being played, communicating desired tempo, phrasing, tone, color, pitch, volume, and other performance aspects. importance 4.8 of 5
2. Direct groups at rehearsals and live or recorded performances to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo. importance 4.7 of 5
3. Study scores to learn the music in detail, and to develop interpretations. importance 4.6 of 5
4. Apply elements of music theory to create musical and tonal structures, including harmonies and melodies. importance 4.5 of 5
5. Consider such factors as ensemble size and abilities, availability of scores, and the need for musical variety, to select music to be performed. importance 4.5 of 5
6. Determine voices, instruments, harmonic structures, rhythms, tempos, and tone balances required to achieve the effects desired in a musical composition. importance 4.4 of 5
7. Experiment with different sounds, and types and pieces of music, using synthesizers and computers as necessary to test and evaluate ideas. importance 4.3 of 5
8. Transcribe ideas for musical compositions into musical notation, using instruments, pen and paper, or computers. importance 4.2 of 5
9. Audition and select performers for musical presentations. importance 4.2 of 5
10. Plan and schedule rehearsals and performances, and arrange details such as locations, accompanists, and instrumentalists. importance 4.1 of 5
11. Write musical scores for orchestras, bands, choral groups, or individual instrumentalists or vocalists, using knowledge of music theory and of instrumental and vocal capabilities. importance 4.0 of 5
12. Position members within groups to obtain balance among instrumental or vocal sections. importance 3.9 of 5
13. Perform administrative tasks such as applying for grants, developing budgets, negotiating contracts, and designing and printing programs and other promotional materials. importance 3.9 of 5
14. Confer with producers and directors to define the nature and placement of film or television music. importance 3.9 of 5
15. Meet with soloists and concertmasters to discuss and prepare for performances. importance 3.8 of 5
16. Fill in details of orchestral sketches, such as adding vocal parts to scores. importance 3.8 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Thinking Creatively, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Getting Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates and Scheduling Work and Activities.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• 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.

Knowledge areas: Fine Arts, English Language, Education and Training, Computers and Electronics and Customer and Personal Service.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Anvil Studio. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists less than 5 years of work experience in a related occupation as typical.
• Training on the job: BLS lists no typical on-the-job training once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 4 of 5 (considerable preparation). A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board.

The most common answer among music directors surveyed by O*NET is a master's degree (28%).

Job title: Music Director
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Music Director to 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.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- 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.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists less than 5 years in a related occupation as typical; adjust to this role]
- Strength in active listening, speaking and judgment and decision making
- Working knowledge of Fine Arts and English Language
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Office software]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

For Music Directors and Composers, the median annual wage was $73,710 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $35.44. BLS estimates about 12,540 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Music Directors and Composers to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,200 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

• Read a real music director posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Use gestures to shape the music being played, communicating desired…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only music director work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (active listening and speaking): a real situation, what you did and what changed.