All About Music Directors
Job Description: Direct and conduct instrumental or vocal performances by musical groups, such as orchestras or choirs.
Life As a Music Director: What Do They Do?
- Confer with clergy to select music for church services.
- Perform administrative tasks such as applying for grants, developing budgets, negotiating contracts, and designing and printing programs and other promotional materials.
- Engage services of composers to write scores.
- Transcribe musical compositions and melodic lines to adapt them to a particular group, or to create a particular musical style.
- Direct groups at rehearsals and live or recorded performances to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo.
- Audition and select performers for musical presentations.
Featured schools near , edit
Music Director Needed Skills
When polled, Music Directors say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Related Job Titles
- Music Supervisor
- Music Director
- Music Pastor
- Liturgical Music Director
- Choir Teacher
What Kind of Music Director Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 74,800 jobs for Music Director in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 4,300 new jobs for Music Director by 2026. There will be an estimated 7,700 positions for Music Director per year.
The states with the most job growth for Music Director are Colorado, Utah, and North Carolina. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Kansas, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Music Director Salary
The average yearly salary of a Music Director ranges between $21,640 and $112,820.
Music Directors who work in Minnesota, Georgia, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.
How much do Music Directors make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $75,050 |
| Arizona | $57,810 |
| California | $64,600 |
| Colorado | $50,800 |
| Connecticut | $77,550 |
| District of Columbia | $77,220 |
| Florida | $72,420 |
| Georgia | $73,470 |
| Hawaii | $51,230 |
| Illinois | $40,220 |
| Indiana | $66,460 |
| Iowa | $52,430 |
| Kansas | $55,290 |
| Kentucky | $49,610 |
| Louisiana | $53,600 |
| Maryland | $58,570 |
| Massachusetts | $56,200 |
| Michigan | $51,180 |
| Minnesota | $88,570 |
| Mississippi | $53,000 |
| Missouri | $60,590 |
| Montana | $29,100 |
| Nebraska | $46,650 |
| New Jersey | $73,320 |
| New Mexico | $48,440 |
| New York | $66,120 |
| North Carolina | $48,920 |
| Ohio | $44,920 |
| Oklahoma | $38,530 |
| Oregon | $46,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,010 |
| Rhode Island | $64,200 |
| South Carolina | $53,700 |
| Texas | $61,210 |
| Utah | $57,780 |
| Vermont | $56,130 |
| Washington | $71,980 |
| Wisconsin | $71,350 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Music Directors
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Music Directors:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Publisher
- Apple Final Cut Pro
- Avid Audio Pro Tools
Becoming a Music Director
Individuals working as a Music Director have obtained the following education levels:
What work experience do I need to become a Music Director?
Where Music Directors Work
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being a Music Director may also be interested in:
References:
Image Credit:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.