Responsibilities
Composers create musical works. These can be commissioned works as well as non-commissioned compositions that you offer to music users.
Typical Places of Work
Composers find employment, for example
- with symphony and radio orchestras, bands and choirs
- with ballet groups
- in opera and playhouses
- at theater and concert organizers
- in music clubs, music colleges, academies, music schools
- at advertising, internet and multimedia agencies
- at production companies for cinema and television films
- in music publishers
Salary
The salary level for Composer in Germany is:
up to None EUR per month
Задачи
What is it about?
Composers create musical works. These can be commissioned works as well as non-commissioned compositions that you offer to music users.
Inspiration and implementation
Whether they create operas, symphonies, chamber music works, musicals or pop songs: composers translate musical ideas into sound worlds. They know the effect of tone sequences, timbres and rhythms. They develop their inspiration into artistic ideas, which they translate into music. They test out musical structures such as melodies and chord progressions, mostly on keyboard instruments, supplement and vary them and finally record them in musical notation. This is increasingly done with notation programs. Especially in the area of light music, they also use sequencer programs that can be used to create MIDI files that make it possible to listen to the arrangement. In order to realize electroacoustic works such as sound installations or live electronics, they may develop their own software.
Stylistic diversity
Stylistically, composers are offered a wealth of musical forms. In addition to orchestral works for concerts and operas, another major form is the musical. More extensive compositions are also used in the film industry. Beyond the more "classically" oriented areas, innovative and experimental styles, e.g. in electronic music, are conceivable.
In addition, light music offers a wide field of activity. While various varieties of jazz can be extremely demanding, when it comes to works of popular music, in addition to originality in the instrumental, vocal and electronic timbres, what is most important is catchiness. The enrichment with other stylistic elements, e.g. world music, also ensures challenges and variety in the compositional work.
Soundscape and sound design
Composers who have the appropriate qualifications also create application-related music. In the area of music design, they create complete compositions as well as individual sound sequences or background noises for computer games, online applications, film and television productions or advertising jingles. They often arrange sounds with the help of special computer programs.
Acquisition, editing and music education
Until clients approach composers, they have to develop an appropriate name. To this end, they research current trends in their preferred genre and create their own works that take up and advance developments. Further career opportunities include music publishing or as a music editor for the press, radio and television. They also promote and train young talent, for example by holding composition courses.
