Organizational Background
At the Harmony Program, music changes lives every day. Through collective music-making, children from under-served communities explore new avenues and realize their full potential.
For over 15 years, the Harmony Program has distinguished itself by serving children in need, reaching them within their own communities, providing them with instruments and intensive, high-quality musical training, and helping to develop in them the life skills that support their healthy development — musically, academically, and socially. The Harmony Program also recruits and trains accomplished musicians as its teachers and provides them with formal professional development training, observation and evaluation, access to a network of their peers, and competitive compensation for their services, with the goal of instilling in them a long-term commitment to community outreach and education.
The Harmony Program is inspired by Venezuela’s national youth orchestra system, “El Sistema.” Committed to improving society through music, El Sistema has gained international acclaim for the breadth of its reach, the quality of its musicians, and the power of its positive influence on the young lives it touches. In the spirit of El Sistema, the Harmony Program emphasizes the influence of music-making on social development, encourages learning through ensemble playing, fosters a supportive community for program participants and families, and requires of all involved a high degree of commitment to daily music study.
Jobs, Duties, Responsibilities
The Harmony Program is seeking a full-time Director of Performance to oversee a portfolio of performance opportunities that include private lessons/audition preparation, chamber music, a network of ensembles, and our annual summer camp; and to build and maintain relationships with a variety of cultural partners, including the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Juilliard School, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, among others. The Director of Performance will report to the Executive Director and be an integral member of a ten-person staff.
The priorities of the Director of Performance include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Develop a vision and strategy for moving students along our music pathway, from beginner lessons to advanced performance, collaborating with our Director of Education in identifying opportunities for student advancement;
- Expand participation levels in our performance opportunities, including our ensemble network, summer camp, and winter intensive, through marketing and outreach, across the city and among existing students and families;
- Assess student ability levels to choose appropriate repertoire for each ensemble;
- Oversee effective recruitment, application, and enrollment processes and collect, manage, and report program-related data to the Executive Director and Board of Directors;
- Work with Executive Director to develop annual program budgets, providing quarterly updates;
- Manage the scheduling of all private lessons, rehearsals, concerts, and special events;
- Build and nurture relationships with cultural partners, designing coaching, master classes, side-by-side performances, and other collaborative opportunities;
- Attend to all details of performances, including securing venues, food, transportation, and chaperones, as necessary;
- Develop methods of evaluating student satisfaction and progress.
Qualifications
Interested candidates should have the following qualifications:
- Minimum of five years of leadership experience and relevant work experience, including ensemble-building, project and staff management, and outreach;
- A graduate degree in arts administration or music education/performance;
- Demonstrated experience in project planning, management, budgeting, and assessment;
- Vision, creativity, and an ability to conceptualize and execute ideas;
- Superior communication skills, both written and oral;
- Strong time management and organizational skills;
- Collaborative spirit, engaging demeanor, professionalism, and enthusiasm for organizational mission;
- Database management skills and facility with Microsoft and Google suites.
This is a full-time salaried position based in New York City. The annual salary range is $90,000 to $100,000 per year, depending on years of experience and expertise.
Interested candidates should email a cover letter and resume to HR@harmonyprogram.org. Please include “Director of Performance” in the subject line. Competitive salary and benefits package.
