A composer is a musician who creates music in any form or genre.
During the Middle Ages, composers predominantly worked for the church and religious services. In the Renaissance era, they began producing non-religious pieces for the aristocracy. Courtly love pieces were highly popular within the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Over the Classical era, music creators began to arrange public concerts for earnings. This trend continued in the Romantic period. In the 20th century, composers also began to work as professors in universities and conservatories.