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Music Director & Composer

Creative

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.

Creative Arts & Media

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Use gestures to shape the music being played, communicating desired tempo, phrasing, tone, color, pitch, volume, and other performance aspects.
  2. 2Direct groups at rehearsals and live or recorded performances to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo.
  3. 3Study scores to learn the music in detail, and to develop interpretations.
  4. 4Apply elements of music theory to create musical and tonal structures, including harmonies and melodies.
  5. 5Consider such factors as ensemble size and abilities, availability of scores, and the need for musical variety, to select music to be performed.
  6. 6Determine voices, instruments, harmonic structures, rhythms, tempos, and tone balances required to achieve the effects desired in a musical composition.
  7. 7Experiment with different sounds, and types and pieces of music, using synthesizers and computers as necessary to test and evaluate ideas.
  8. 8Transcribe ideas for musical compositions into musical notation, using instruments, pen and paper, or computers.
  9. 9Audition and select performers for musical presentations.
  10. 10Plan and schedule rehearsals and performances, and arrange details such as locations, accompanists, and instrumentalists.
  11. 11Write musical scores for orchestras, bands, choral groups, or individual instrumentalists or vocalists, using knowledge of music theory and of instrumental and vocal capabilities.
  12. 12Position members within groups to obtain balance among instrumental or vocal sections.
  13. 13Perform administrative tasks such as applying for grants, developing budgets, negotiating contracts, and designing and printing programs and other promotional materials.
  14. 14Confer with producers and directors to define the nature and placement of film or television music.
  15. 15Meet with soloists and concertmasters to discuss and prepare for performances.
  16. 16Fill in details of orchestral sketches, such as adding vocal parts to scores.
  17. 17Explore and develop musical ideas based on sources such as imagination or sounds in the environment.
  18. 18Write music for commercial mediums, including advertising jingles or film soundtracks.
  19. 19Transpose music from one voice or instrument to another to accommodate particular musicians.
  20. 20Rewrite original musical scores in different musical styles by changing rhythms, harmonies, or tempos.
  21. 21Arrange music composed by others, changing the music to achieve desired effects.
  22. 22Assign and review staff work in such areas as scoring, arranging, and copying music, and vocal coaching.
  23. 23Coordinate and organize tours, or hire touring companies to arrange concert dates, venues, accommodations, and transportation for longer tours.
  24. 24Study films or scripts to determine how musical scores can be used to create desired effects or moods.
  25. 25Transcribe musical compositions and melodic lines to adapt them to a particular group, or to create a particular musical style.
  26. 26Create original musical forms, or write within circumscribed musical forms such as sonatas, symphonies, or operas.
  27. 27Collaborate with other colleagues, such as copyists, to complete final scores.
  28. 28Copy parts from scores for individual performers.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Maestro
  • Arranger
  • Composer
  • Conceptor
  • Conductor
  • Songwriter
  • Band Leader
  • Band Master
  • Choirmaster
  • Choir Leader

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationMaster's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Visual Art (PSV)Draws directly on Fine Arts — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Islamic / Moral StudiesDraws directly on Philosophy and Theology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Fine Arts94%

    Visual Art (PSV)

  • English Language76%

    English

  • Education and Training70%
  • Computers and Electronics68%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Customer and Personal Service62%
  • Philosophy and Theology62%

    Islamic / Moral Studies

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

18%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Broadcast Journalist / Media Producer

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Music Directors and Composers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue