The Complete Guide to Becoming A Music Director and Composer

Chapter 1: What Does a Music Director and Composer Actually Do?

If you're reading this book, you've probably imagined yourself as a music director or composer. Maybe you see yourself standing in front of an orchestra, baton in hand, or hunched over a piano in a dim studio, writing a theme that will make an audience cry. That's the fantasy. And it's not wrong — those moments do happen. But they are a tiny fraction of what this job actually is. Before you invest years of study and a significant amount of tuition money, you deserve to know what the day-to-day reality looks like. So let's start there: what does a Music Director and Composer actually do?

At its core, the role is about two related but distinct responsibilities. A composer writes original music. A music director leads musicians in performing music — which might be music they wrote, but is often music written by someone else. Many people hold both titles simultaneously, which is what this book focuses on. In practice, that means your week might involve writing a jingle for a local car dealership, then rehearsing a 12-piece band to play it live at a corporate event. Or you might spend six months scoring a documentary series, then turn around and conduct a pit orchestra for a community theater production of a musical. The common thread is that you are the person responsible for the music — from its creation to its final performance.

Let's get specific about