Music
Singer
Job Description
Singers are divided into different categories according to their vocal ranges: soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone and bass.
Singer may specialise in a particular field, e.g., opera, choir and folk music. Their duties include:
- Sing as soloists or members of vocal ensembles
- Interpret music with their knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm and voice production to achieve unique style of vocal delivery
Qualities and Qualifications
- Possess musical talents, e.g., a beautiful voice, excellent sense of pitch and musical expression
- Get along and communicate well with people from all walks of life
- Confident and determined to persevere
- Formal training is preferred
Career Opportunities
- There are very few people in Hong Kong seeking a singing career in classical music
- Most singers sing pop music as soloist or in groups
- May join choirs
Music Teacher
Job Description
- Teach singing techniques, music reading, instrumental playing and listening
- Assist students to develop skills in music reading and writing musical compositions
- Devise a progressive and systematic scheme of work for each level at the beginning of each school year and keep a record of the performance and coverage of individual classes
- Organise extra-curricular activities related to the subject, e.g., school choirs, choral groups, orchestras, school bands or instrumental groups for performances within the school or in community activities, concerts and festivals
Qualities and Qualifications
Patient and passionate to generate studentsˇ¦ interest in music
For teachers in primary and secondary schools:
- Have acquired formal training
- Obtained a Certificate in Education from the Hong Kong Institute of Education with music as elective subject; or
- Have a degree in relevant subjects (Hong Kong, British or equivalent)
Career Opportunities
- Teach in primary or secondary schools, other educational institutes or cultural bodies
- Teach students individually on part-time basis
Composer
Job Description
- Transcribe ideas into musical notation and write musical compositions
- Create musical ideas, applying knowledge of harmonic, rhythmic, melodic and tonal structure and other elements of music theory such as instrumental and vocal capabilities, etc
- Write film scores, commercial jingles and arrangements, and music for television programmes
- Perform other related duties such as teaching and performing
Qualities and Qualifications
- Possess talents and have acquired formal training in music
- Confident and determined to persevere
- Can write musical compositions to accommodate the strengths and weaknesses of different performers
- Composers for television and film scores should be able to manage time properly and work under great pressure
Career Opportunities
- Arrange, compose music or scores for films, TV programmes, singers or other commercial productions (e.g. advertisement)
- Participate in different activities related to music, such as teaching students how to compose or play musical instruments
Instrumental Musician
Job Description
Instrumental musicians are designated according to the instruments they play, such as organists, pianists or violinists. Their duties include:
- Play musical instruments as soloists or members of musical groups
- Study and rehearse music to learn and interpret scores
- Perform in an orchestra according to the instructions of conductors
- Most people who play orchestral instruments choose to pursue their full-time careers with professional orchestras. Some may work on a freelance basis, accepting jobs in occasional ensembles such as providing vocal/ instrumental backing for pop records
- May take up part-time jobs as music teacher
Qualities and Qualifications
- Can cooperate with others easily
- Have extensive and specialised training in music performance
- Excel in playing the instrument
- Have knowledge of different types of music
- Can cope with long hours of practice, irregular working hours and changing environment
Career Opportunities
- Provide backing for musical performances or productions (e.g. pop records)
- Join orchestra to perform locally or abroad
Orchestral Conductor
Job Description
- Direct instrumental music groups such as orchestras at rehearsals and performances to achieve the desired effects
- Select pieces of music to accommodate the talents and abilities of the group and to suit the types of performance
- Transcribe musical compositions to adapt them for particular styles
- Lead the orchestra to travel widely for performances in other countries
For more information concerning the work of other posts in the back stage, please refer to another section on ˇ§Broadcastingˇ¨.
Qualities and Qualifications
- Confident and determined to cope with the highly demanding, exhaustive and competitive working environment
- Have leadership skills to maintain discipline and inspire the musicians to perform the best of their abilities
- Possess extraordinary talents in music to win the confidence of the team members
- Have received extensive and specialised training in music history, theory and performance
- Possess a complete understanding of the music to be performed and the capabilities of the instrumentalists
Career Opportunities
Work in local orchestras, e.g., Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and Hong Kong Sinfonietta, or overseas orchestras