Job Description / Duties

Brooklyn Youth Chorus seeks collaborative and creative Part-Time Chorus Conductor Teaching Artists with a background in children’s/youth choral education (pedagogy, curriculum, repertoire, and voice technique) to conduct one, or more, of its weekly treble training division classes. Classes are held after school Monday - Friday, and Saturday mornings and afternoons. Available classes may include Preparatory Division (7-9 year olds), Pre-Teen Division (10-12 year olds) and/or Teen Division (13-18 year olds). Teaching Artists will work collaboratively to choose repertoire, lead rehearsals and performances, and nurture a diverse student body. This position will include training with Brooklyn Youth Chorus Founder and Artistic Director, Dianne Berkun Menaker in her Cross-Choral TrainingR pedagogy. The position is seasonal, late August-May, with school-wide performances in December and May. Conductors are contracted annually with opportunities for growth both during season and from year to year. In support of Brooklyn Youth Chorus’s goals for diversity and inclusion, we seek applicants who will contribute to the development of our diverse community. Applicants from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Choral Conductor Teaching Artist will:
● Train with Founder & Artistic Director to become proficient in her trademarked Cross-Choral Training pedagogy.
● Collaboratively select developmentally- and artistically-appropriate repertoire.
● Lead weekly rehearsals from September through May built on Founder & Artistic Director’s proprietary Cross-Choral Training pedagogy.
● Work closely with the Director of Choral Education and School Administrator to meet programmatic needs of the organization.
● Work with the program team on individual chorister progress, attendance, annual assessments, and behavioral issues.
● Participate in monthly conductor faculty meetings.
● Engage in annual training and professional development sessions both
classroom-specific and institutional.
● Conduct your class level during annual winter (December 15-16, 2023) and spring (May 17-19, 2024) all-school performances. Conducting duties may be shared with a co-conductor of different sections of the same class level.
● Administer annual vocal assessments for all choristers enrolled in your classes.
● Provide chorister recruitment support by working with the School Administrator to lead audition sessions, open houses, etc. throughout the year.

Qualifications / Required Skills

● Belief in the mission and core values of Brooklyn Youth Chorus
● An experienced music educator and choral conductor with a minimum of 2-3 years of relevant experience
● Training and experience with music teaching methods (Kodály, Dalcroze, Orff, etc.), philosophy, and pedagogy, with fluency in moveable 'do' solfege and metric counting
● An understanding of vocal pedagogy and/or functional voice training specializing in children’s/adolescent voices
● Knowledge of and experience teaching and conducting a diverse choral repertoire
● Expertise in teaching music of the Black diaspora and/or music of other specific cultural heritages strongly preferred
● Strong interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with a small faculty and team
● Flexibility to work some nights and weekends
● Experience working with young people from diverse backgrounds
● Willingness and ability to learn and implement Brooklyn Youth Chorus’ proprietary Cross-Choral Training pedagogy.
● Must hold a Bachelor's degree or higher or equivalent experience
● Full COVID-19 inoculation by start date

Additional Information

EQUITY & INCLUSION
Brooklyn Youth Chorus is committed to access, equity, diversity, and inclusion in all areas including artistic and education programs and recruitment of choristers, volunteers, staff, and its Board of Trustees.
We stand for absolute respect for each individual; an appreciation and understanding of the broad spectrum of all our differences be they cultural, racial, religious, socio-economic, or based on sexual identity, gender, physical or intellectual ability; and the ability to experience bonds of friendship through the joy of music. We celebrate open-mindedness and critical thinking, and seek to create opportunities for students to explore and embrace these important values together. We recognize that a diverse community is an asset that must be continually cared for, preserved, and enhanced, with constant attention, for the benefit of all its members.

Salary: Seasonal base compensation $3,500-6,900 per class depending on weekly rehearsal duration (60, 90, or 120 minutes)

Contact Information

Please send a resume, cover letter, two stylistically contrasting conducting performance videos, and one classroom teaching or rehearsal video to resume@brooklynyouthchorus.org

Employer Profile

Brooklyn Youth Chorus is an award-winning music education and vocal performance program for New York City children ages 5-18 of all levels of experience. Composed of training divisions leveled by age and ability and performing ensembles that participate in professional-level concerts and recordings, Brooklyn Youth Chorus is a collective of young singers that reimagine choral music performance through artistic innovation, collaboration, and an incredibly versatile repertoire. The Chorus combines intensive voice training and musicianship study with exceptional performance experiences. Children of diverse backgrounds come to the Chorus to share their love of singing, make new friends, and achieve and surpass their musical goals. Brooklyn Youth Chorus believes every voice matters and is committed to building and sustaining a diverse and inclusive community based on respect for each individual and an appreciation of our differences. To ensure access for all students the Chorus provides broad financial support for both chorus and private lesson tuition. Founded in 1992 by Artistic Director Dianne Berkun Menaker, Brooklyn Youth Chorus has served over 10,000 students over its thirty year history and continues to reach hundreds of singers each year in its core after-school and public school outreach programs. Classes take place at our Cobble Hill headquarters and neighborhood locations in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Cobble Hill, and Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn. www.brooklynyouthchorus.org