51121 Conductors, composers and arrangers

What this occupation covers

Conductors, composers and arrangers conduct bands and orchestras, compose musical works and arrange instrumental and vocal compositions. They are employed by symphony and chamber orchestras, bands, choirs, sound recording companies, and orchestras for ballet and opera performances, or they may be self-employed.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 4 main duties for this code.

• Select and interpret musical works and lead bands, orchestras and choirs during rehearsals and performances.
• Create musical compositions such as television and film scores, theme music, songs, symphonies and music for interactive products such as video games.
• Adapt and modify musical compositions to convey desired themes and to suit particular instrumental and vocal performances.
• Conductors, composers and arrangers usually specialize in a particular genre of music such as classical, country, jazz or popular music.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 4 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 51122 Musicians and singers
• 51120 Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations

Excluded from this code

• Musicians and singers (See 51122 Musicians and singers)
• Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations (See 51120 Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

arranger · artistic director - music · author-composer-performer · band conductor · band director · bandmaster · chansonnier · choir director · choir leader · choirmaster · choral conductor · choral director · chorus master · composer · conductor · copyist - music · lyricist · maestro · motion picture musical director · music adapter · music arranger · music copyist · music director · music writer

Employment requirements

• A university degree in music or completion of a program at a music academy, conservatory or school of music is usually required.
• A period of specialized study related to conducting, composing or arranging is usually required.
• Experience as a musician is required.
• Musical and creative talent and ability, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, are important hiring criteria.