"Music Director" - Part 1
Job Description, Duties and Jobs

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Duties / Tasks	Activities	Skills	Abilities	Knowledge

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Basic Job Description:

Direct and conduct instrumental or vocal performances by musical groups, such as orchestras or choirs.

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Job Duties and Tasks for: "Music Director"

Collaborate with music librarians to ensure availability of scores.

Engage services of composers to write scores.

Meet with composers to discuss interpretations of their work.

Perform administrative tasks such as applying for grants, developing budgets, negotiating contracts, and designing and printing programs and other promotional materials.

Transcribe musical compositions and melodic lines to adapt them to a particular group, or to create a particular musical style.

Confer with clergy to select music for church services.

Coordinate and organize tours, or hire touring companies to arrange concert dates, venues, accommodations, and transportation for longer tours.

Plan and implement fund-raising and promotional activities.

Audition and select performers for musical presentations.

Conduct guest soloists in addition to ensemble members.

Consider such factors as ensemble size and abilities, availability of scores, and the need for musical variety, in order to select music to be performed.

Direct groups at rehearsals and live or recorded performances in order to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo.

Meet with soloists and concertmasters to discuss and prepare for performances.

Plan and schedule rehearsals and performances, and arrange details such as locations, accompanists, and instrumentalists.

Position members within groups to obtain balance among instrumental or vocal sections.

Study scores to learn the music in detail, and to develop interpretations.

Use gestures to shape the music being played, communicating desired tempo, phrasing, tone, color, pitch, volume, and other performance aspects.

Assign and review staff work in such areas as scoring, arranging, and copying music, and vocal coaching.