Anyone who sings, writes or creates music can be referred to as a musician. They differ only in the nature of their work. Performer or not, they generally spend a lot of time developing their craft alone or with their bands and musical ensembles.
The first of the categories under musician is an instrumentalist, who plays a particular instrument, wind, percussion or strings, be it in a rock band, a jazz combo or even in a symphony orchestra. Whether he plays in a music rehearsal studio or in a large theater, he is considered an instrumental musician.
The next category is a singer, who is an expert at music interpretation through the use of voice. Singers are further classified according to vocal range – alto, soprano, bass, and tenor. They may also be known as belonging to a particular genre – pop, rock, country, rap, opera, and many others.
A composer, on the other hand, makes original songs, operas, TV jingles, film scores, musicals, etc. From scratch, they use a combination of notes to produce melody, harmony and rhythm. Composers may or may not be performers. Very close to a composer is the description of an arranger, someone who adapts compositions to a different style that can fit a band, an orchestra, or an individual, for instance. The melody remains, but the volume, tempo and instruments used may differ.
Lastly, there’s the conductor or musical director, who leads an ensemble. Under their watch are glee clubs, orchestras, and chorales.
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