In the Air Force:
Band; Premier Band - The USAF Band Manager; Regional Band Apprentice, Flute; Regional Band Apprentice, Trombone; Regional Band Craftsman, Euphonium; Regional Band Craftsman, String/Electric Bass; Regional Band Helper, Bassoon; Regional Band Helper, Saxophone; Regional Band Journeyman, Bagpipe; Regional Band Journeyman, Piano
In the Army:
Army Music; Bandmaster; Musician; Special Band Musician
In the Marine Corps:
Band Officer; Bandmaster; Basic Music Officer; Director/Assistant Director, The President's Own, U.S. Marine Band; Drum Major; Enlisted Conductor; Member, "The Commandant's Own," U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps; Musician; Small Ensemble Leader; Staff Officer, The President's Own, U.S. Marine Band; U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps Officer
In the Navy:
Arranger; Ceremonial Conductor-Drum Major; Conversion NEC MU Musician Basic; Enlisted Band Leader; LDO - Bandmaster; Music Director; Musician; Unit Leader
The music that delights audiences at concerts, musicals, movies, or in recordings… is the product of composers’ and music directors’ hard work and talent. Music directors—also called conductors— lead orchestras, choirs, and other musical groups during performances and recording sessions. They select musical arrangements and compositions to be performed, and study musical scores to prepare for rehearsals. They ensure that musicians play with one coherent sound, balancing the melody, rhythm, and volume. Composers write original music that orchestras, bands, and other musical groups perform. They may also write lyrics. Composers often study different musical styles, though some focus on one genre, such as classical or hip hop. They also may write for musical theater, compose movie scores, or write commercial jingles. Most music directors work for schools and religious organizations, or are self-employed. Performances often require some travel and evening and weekend hours. Composers work in offices, recording studios, or at home. Though they may work anywhere in the country, many jobs are in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Chicago. Music directors need a master’s degree in music theory, composition, or conducting; choir directors may need only a bachelor’s degree. Popular music composers submit recordings of their music to bands, singers, record companies, or movie studios. They often post recordings of their music online on their own website, or social media.
What they do:
Conduct, direct, plan, and lead instrumental or vocal performances by musical artists or groups, such as orchestras, bands, choirs, and glee clubs; or create original works of music.
On the job, you would:
Use gestures to shape the music being played, communicating desired tempo, phrasing, tone, color, pitch, volume, and other performance aspects.
Direct groups at rehearsals and live or recorded performances to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo.
Study scores to learn the music in detail, and to develop interpretations.
Arts and Humanities
music, dance, visual arts, drama, or sculpture
English language
Education and Training
teaching and course design
Engineering and Technology
computers and electronics
Business
customer service
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
talking to others
People and Technology Systems
thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Verbal
read and understand what is written
communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
come up with lots of ideas
create new and original ideas
Hearing and Speech
tell the difference between sounds
pay attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds
Memory
remember words, numbers, pictures, or steps
People interested in this work like activities that include creating, designing, and making your own rules.
They do well at jobs that need:
Dependability
Integrity
Attention to Detail
Initiative
Cooperation
Independence
You might use software like this on the job:
Presentation software
MediaShout
Microsoft PowerPoint
Music or sound editing software
Audacity
ZynAddSubFX
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
master's degree or bachelor's degree usually needed