Founded in 2006, Music Haven is a nationally recognized tuition-free after-school arts program that provides free one-on-one lessons, group classes, instruments, mentorship, and instruction
to nearly 100 students from the Greater New Haven area. In addition to its educational offerings, Music Haven also curates a wide variety of educational and school concerts, family-friendly community concerts, a subscription chamber series, and other community-building events through music. Music Haven’s resident musicians serve as
performers, teachers, mentors, and program directors. We seek an individual who gets our mission and aligns with our commitment to social justice and racial equity in the arts.
The position of Resident Musician at Music Haven is varied, engaging, intense, and fulfilling. As Resident Violist, you will be part of the Haven String Quartet and will perform approximately 20 concerts yearly, split between family-friendly concerts, community events, interactive
workshops designed by the Haven String Quartet, and evening-length recitals from September through June. Concerts and events regularly fall outside of the 10-6 p.m. hours, with multiple weekend events a month.
Resident Musicians also maintain a full teaching and mentoring schedule to serve Music Haven’s nearly 100 students. This includes teaching one-on-one lessons, small group classes, coaching chamber groups, leading studio classes, and directing medium to large-sized group classes. To balance this workload of teaching and performing, one weekday is typically a “flex day,” where one does not teach or rehearse.
The time is evenly split throughout the year, performing as part of a professional ensemble and maintaining a full teaching schedule. Days typically begin with a rehearsal from 10:00 am-1 pm at Music Haven or perhaps leading a small group class off-site at a New Haven Public School, with a break in the early afternoon, and then teaching on-site from 2:30-6 pm.
Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Rehearsing and Performing
● Rehearse and practice in preparation for concerts, workshops, recording sessions,
and recitals.
● Perform a regular evening-length concert series, as well as additional community concerts and interactive workshops throughout the region.
● Resident Musicians currently perform 15+ concerts throughout the year.
● In partnership with the Artistic Director, collaboratively determine
mission-oriented concert goals, performance schedule, repertoire, arrange venues, and set-up for performances.
● Design, prepare, market, and deliver education and family-friendly workshops
throughout the region.
Teaching and Mentoring
● Teach and mentor a studio of approximately 15-20 students, including one-on-one lessons and group classes of varying sizes.
● Design, prepare, and teach group classes and ensembles of 5 to 30 students.
● Coach student chamber groups and sectionals.
● Plan, prepare, and hold Studio Recitals and performances throughout the year.
● Plan, prepare, and execute student-forward community engagement projects and concerts as part of a thoroughly designed year-long group class curriculum.
● Communicate and meet with parents to maintain engagement, attendance, and
student progress; be the point of contact between Music Haven and families.
● Evaluate and document student progress through parent-student-teacher meetings, juries, and studio recitals, and update and maintain student records.
Organizational Support Work
Additional responsibilities and duties are assigned as needed based on interest and skill set through the collaborative assignment process.
Some examples include:
● Advising and coordinating Music Haven Fellows activities.
● Overseeing relationships and coordination with volunteers, practice buddies, and interns.
● Organizing and planning workshops and run-out concerts, including communication and coordination with venues and clients.
● Collaborative maintenance of instrument library.
Preferred Experience and Qualifications:
Music Haven is committed to creating an accessible, supportive environment and an
educational experience that recognizes diversity and cultural competence as integral components of our program. Candidates who can contribute to that goal are encouraged to apply and should identify their strengths in the following areas:
● Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and
socioeconomic backgrounds.
● Demonstrates and supports a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion with an
understanding of cultural differences.
● Incorporates an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens into the work that we do.
● Can serve and advocate for individuals of all ethnicities, genders, ages, and
backgrounds.
● Teaches using equitable and inclusive pedagogy.
● Demonstrates excellent musicianship and artistry as a teacher/performer.
● Bachelor’s degree in music performance or music education required; master’s
preferred.
● Has strong classroom management skills.
● Has a strong interest in social change through music.
● Demonstrates strong interpersonal and communication skills.
● Has strong knowledge and experience teaching viola to beginner and intermediate students ages six to 18.
● Bilingual (Spanish) is a plus.
Work schedule: Due to frequent night and weekend events and concerts, one day of the week is considered a flexible work day. Resident Musicians are expected to be on-site four days a week. Occasional out-of-state and out-of-town travel for concerts and workshops. Resident Musicians have vacation weeks during December and April school vacations and 8 full weeks off in the summer (Mid-June through mid-August). In addition, Music Haven observes the New Haven Public
Schools calendar and suspends all teaching programming when school is not in session.
Salary and Benefits: This is a 40 hr./week position with a salary of $53,000. Benefits include 401K, health, dental, life insurance, health & wellness stipend, and generous paid time off.
Please submit a cover letter, resume, a recent recording of two contrasting solo works (either audio or video; digital submissions encouraged), and a 10-minute teaching video to Toccara
Joyce, Operations Manager, toccara@musichavenct.org, by January 22, 2024. Highly qualified applicants will be invited to Music Haven to interview and audition with members of the Haven
String Quartet and/or Haven Piano Trio, and to teach a trial lesson in March/April of 2024. If you are selected for an audition and an in-person interview and traveling from out of state, Music
Haven will provide a travel reimbursement of up to $500. The position start date is late August 2024. The position will remain open until filled.
All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religious creed, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual
orientation, veteran status, intellectual disability, mental disability, or physical disability.