Composers
Job description
These individuals compose music for various productions. They write songs and symphonies for events or concerts. They make instrumental and vocal arrangements. They are self-employed or work for:
- Production companies
- Film studios
- Television or radio stations
- Music schools
- Cultural centres
- Performance venues
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Noise
Main tasks
- Evoke specific emotions through the creation of a piece of music.
- Adapt melodies to evoke specific themes.
- Compose music to accompany interactive products (e.g. video games).
- Teach musical composition techniques to music school students.
Advancement and mobility
- These individuals may specialize in one style of music (classical, country, jazz, etc.).
- Composers often work as arrangers.
Training and requirements
Formation
Also required
- Experience as a musician.
Sometimes required
- Specialized training in musical composition is usually required.
- An audition demonstrating musical talent and artistic ability is required.
- A portfolio demonstrating creative skills is usually required.
- Membership in the Guilde des musiciens et musiciennes du Québec (GMMQ [Quebec Musicians' Guild]) (professional union) is sometimes required.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Technological design
- Quality control analysis
- System analysis
- Operation analysis
- Result evaluation
- Data collection
- Operations and control
- Teaching
- Programing
- Coordination
- Judgment and decision-making
- Systems evaluation
- Material resource management
- Negotiation
- Solving complex problems
- Human resource management
- Time management
- Active learning
- Information processing
- Monitoring operations
- Equipment maintenance
- Financial resource management
- Social perception
- Oral expression
- Critical thought
- Service oriented
- Reading comprehension
- Active listening
- Equipment selection
- Troubleshooting
- Mathematics
Abilities
- Auditory attention
- Hearing sensitivity
- Originality
- Idea generation
- Control accuracy
- Selective attention
- Visualization
- Information organization
- Sound origin identification
- Memorization
- Information processing speed
- Time sharing
- Perception speed
- Classification
- Mathematical reasoning
- Speech recognition
- Deductive reasoning
- Inductive reasoning
- Verbal skills
- Spatial orientation
- Reaction time
- Awareness of issues
- Oral comprehension
- Speech clarity
- Overall coordination of the body
- Written expression
- Near vision
- Speed control
- Depth perception
- Basic numeracy
- Response orientation
- Peripheral vision
- Written comprehension
- Processing flexibility
Knowledge and attributes
- Autonomy
- Spoken and written bilingualism (French and English)
- Versatility
- Rigour
- Attention to detail
- Knowledge of computer science, digital and electronics
- Tolerance to stress
- Creativity
- Commitment to quality
- Knowledge of the arts
- Knowledge of communication and media
Interests
- Direct, organize, and manage
- Draft, communicate, and inform
- Work in the arts, culture, music, or leisure
- Create, design
- Work in computer science or information and communication technologies (ICT)
- Carry out research
- Self-employment
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Artistic
- People with this profile prefer to express their emotions and thoughts through various art forms. They like to use their imagination.
- Investigative
- People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
- Enterprising
- People with this profile prefer having responsibilities, influencing others and responding to challenges.
Appellation d’emploi liée (à traduire)
Conductors, composers and arrangers (CNP 51121)
Skill type
Art, culture, recreation and sport
Last update: January 29, 2026
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