composer
composerskom-POH-zer
A person who writes music, especially as a professional occupation.
A composer creates original music by organising melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre into a coherent work. In classical music, the composer writes a score that performers interpret, and the great composers — Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Stravinsky — form the backbone of the Western concert repertoire. Composers work across all genres: orchestral, chamber music, opera, film, television, and video games. The compositional process may involve pen and paper, a piano, or a DAW. A composer must understand instrumentation, orchestration, counterpoint, and form. In popular music, the distinction between composer and songwriter blurs, as artists often write melody and lyrics together. Film composers create underscores that support narrative and emotion without overpowering dialogue.