Graduate, Master of Music, taking position after retirement (8)
I believe the answer is:
bachelor
'graduate' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'master of music taking position after retirement' is the wordplay.
'master of music' becomes 'Bach' (composer Johannes Sebastian Bach).
'taking' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'position' becomes 'role' (I've seen this in another clue).
'after retirement' is a reversal indicator.
'role' back-to-front is 'elor'.
'bach'+'elor'='BACHELOR'
(Other definitions for bachelor that I've seen before include "Single person" , "Single man" , "Unmarried person" , "Unmarried male" , "Unmarried man (with a degree?)" .)