Music Director Vacancy Announcement
After a very successful first season, Founding Artistic and Music Director Jaemi Blair Loeb must leave Houston for an exceptional professional opportunity. Therefore, the Houston Heights Orchestra is seeking a new Music Director, who will also transition into the role of Artistic Director. This is a volunteer position, though the successful candidate is free to seek grants and other funding for their own salary.
About the Houston Heights Orchestra
The HHO is a volunteer orchestra which was founded in the summer of 2011 and is currently made up of a mix of music students, professional musicians, and amateurs. The players cover a wide range of ability levels, ages, socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities, and commitment levels. The goal of the orchestra is for the players to have a great time making music and to share that fun with the audience. We put on slightly informal concerts and always invite the audience to meet the performers in post-concert receptions. We combine social activities with rehearsal (we start rehearsals with potluck dinners and end with a regular outing to Onion Creek) and foster a culture of camaraderie. Our musical standards are not the same as a professional orchestra, but we are committed to performing at our best and consistently improving. While we hope to develop into a group with more financial resources, we do not aim to become a professional or semi-professional orchestra. We have, in one season, already become a well-supported part of the community and plan to develop that role as a civic organization. You can learn more about the Houston Heights Orchestra, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, at www.HoustonHeightsOrchestra.org or www.facebook.com/houstonheightsorchestra.
Job Description (Music Director)
- Program and conduct all rehearsals, sectionals, and performances- Act as advocate for orchestra in the community
- Oversee all logistics (equipment, setup, venue agreements, etc.)
- Oversee all marketing and promotional campaigns
- Work with Advisory Board, Volunteer Staff, and Board of Directors for administrative needs
- Oversee communications with players
- Recruit playersfrom the community
- Administer New Music Project and conduct reading sessions, as necessary
- Oversee development of chamber music program
- Work with the Composer-in-Residence to commission and premier new works
Job Description (Artistic Director)
- Develop long term strategic plan for financial sustainability with Advisory Board, Volunteer Staff, and Board of Directors
- Oversee budgeting and spending
- Develop partnerships with local businesses, schools, and community centers
- Build profile of orchestra within the community
- Engage guest soloists and additional players (as needed)
- Direct and implement fundraising campaigns and events
- Responsible for overall health and well-being of orchestra
- Develop long term recruitment strategies
Qualifications
- Significant conducting experience- Experience working with volunteer groups
- Extensive knowledge of (or potential for extensive knowledge of) the Houston music scene, both professional and amateur
- Energy and enthusiasm for building a new group
- Ability to work in an ever-changing musical environment
- Commitment to an alternative model of orchestral music
To Apply
Send application materials to 738 E. 8th St., Houston, TX, 77007 or HoustonHeightsOrchestra@gmail.com. Electronic submissions are preferred. All materials must be received no later than June 1, as live auditions are planned for the month of June. The successful applicant will begin involvement in planning and programming as soon as they are selected, but regular Monday night rehearsals will begin in mid-August.
Requested Materials:
- Cover letter that specifically addresses your interest in working with a volunteer orchestra
- Resume
- Conducting video (15-30 mins)
- General description of an adventurous event or program that you’d like to try to do with the Houston Heights Orchestra. This description need only be one or two paragraphs. “Adventurous” can apply either to the event type or to the repertoire and should not be taken as only a euphemism for programming new or obscure works.