Career as a Music Composer

Typical Job: Creating music for a variety of fields. Typically you can work on films, with someone who wishes to create a musical or opera.

Typical Work
Typically a composer creates original music. A composer does not usually perform the music in a band, orchestra or as a soloist. Typically they write, compose and produce the music, it will then be performed by an orchestra, a band, a singer, a musical or as a score in a movie. Some composers also perform the music that they write. Composers are typically hired by music producers (to help write a score or song for a movie, musical, opera, orchestra, or TV commercial). Composers are often self-employed and sell their compositions to these various sources.

Education Needed
To be a composer requires no formal training but you will need knowledge of some instruments as well as knowledge in writing music, and how to use melody, tempo, and tone structure. While it is not required that you need no post secondary education, often composers will have obtained a degree in music composition. You can also receive special education in high school by attending an applied arts or music school. A post secondary degree may be an asset in obtaining work, but important is the quality of work you compose. Some of the top music schools in the world are listed below:

Skills and Interests
Obviously you will need a variety of music skills as a composer. Knowledge of numerous instruments can help you to compose music because you will know how they complement each other. You need skills in writing music that can be read by other musicians, and skills in melody, tempo and tone structure. A major skill that is necessary is the ability to write songs that are original and fit the requirements of your employer. As a composer you will work for a variety of employers composing numerous styles of music so knowledge of various musical styles is also a necessary skill. Interests should include writing music, performing music, listening to music, working with others, and being self-employed.

Salary Range
$15,000 (part time, writing jingles) - $300,000(composer of major musicals or movie scores)

Associations and Organizations
American Society of Composers http://www.ascap.com/index.html
Canadian League of Composers http://www.composition.org/eng.htm
SACEM, France http://www.sacem.fr/cgi-bin/portl/portailSacem/jsp/ep/home.do?a=1
SOCAN, Canada http://www.socan.ca/

Other music career choices

Other career choices