Table 1Transition record

music directortocomposer

A music director already meets 55% of what the composer role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.

From music director

55%

Overlap1

To composer

13 Skills carried over

7 Required, not held

47.8 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 47.8

This move: 47.8 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the composer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the music director profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 13 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A composer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a music director background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held work out orchestral sketches communication, collaboration and creativity
already held evaluate musical ideas communication, collaboration and creativity
already held film music techniques arts and humanities
already held organise compositions communication, collaboration and creativity
already held develop musical ideas communication, collaboration and creativity
already held rewrite musical scores communication, collaboration and creativity

All 13 carried skills, including the 9 the composer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 11 missing skills fall into 3 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 7 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held select elements for a composition required
required, not held complete final musical scores required
required, not held create musical structures required
required, not held define creative components required
required, not held describe artistic experience required
required, not held develop an artistic framework required
required, not held transpose music required

optional, not held use digital instruments optional
optional, not held play musical instruments optional

02 arts and humanities 1 supplementary

optional, not held music literature optional

03 working with computers 1 supplementary

optional, not held edit recorded sound optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a composer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 13 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held create musical forms skill
already held develop musical ideas skill
already held evaluate musical ideas skill
already held read musical score skill
already held rewrite musical scores skill
already held study music skill
already held transcribe ideas into musical notation skill
already held work out orchestral sketches skill
already held write musical scores skill
already held film music techniques knowledge
already held organise compositions skill
already held record music skill
already held supervise music groups skill

4 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held use digital instruments optional
optional, not held edit recorded sound optional
optional, not held music literature optional
optional, not held play musical instruments optional

23 held skills the composer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role attend music recording sessions skill
not needed by the target role compose music skill
not needed by the target role conduct musical ensembles skill
not needed by the target role connect music fragments skill
not needed by the target role coordinate music components of the work skill
not needed by the target role coordinate music with scenes skill
not needed by the target role demand excellence from performers skill
not needed by the target role film production process knowledge
not needed by the target role guide analysis of a recorded performance skill
not needed by the target role improvise music skill
not needed by the target role manage musical staff skill
not needed by the target role musical genres knowledge
not needed by the target role musical instruments knowledge
not needed by the target role musical notation knowledge
not needed by the target role musical theory knowledge
not needed by the target role orchestrate music skill
not needed by the target role organise musical events skill
not needed by the target role participate in music studio recordings skill
not needed by the target role plan musical performances skill
not needed by the target role position musicians skill
not needed by the target role promote music skill
not needed by the target role set up basic recording skill
not needed by the target role strive for excellence in musical performance skill

1 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held music literature optional

Index

Other moves recorded from music director

Full index of moves from music director

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.