The Maybelle Center is building a city where all people experience a sense of belonging–and “all” includes Portlanders living with mental illness or economic poverty. Since 1991, we’ve created inclusive opportunities to experience belonging that help reverse human isolation and its root causes, so people feel like they matter and play a role in our shared future. Find out more at maybellecenter.org.

 We are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated choir director to provide musical guidance and direction to our community choir members. The Choir Director’s responsibilities include preparing for each choir rehearsal and performance, teaching voice control techniques to choir members, help recruit choir participation and provide communication about choir practices and performances. Promptly resolving conflicts among choir members and offering trauma informed support. You should also be able to work with various accompanists to enhance musical pieces as needed during performances and have experience in building and nurturing community partnerships for collaborative projects and performances throughout the city. . The Choir Director will work alongside the Program Coordinator in areas of outreach.

To be successful as a Choir Director for the Maybelle Center, you should be fun, creative, assertive, and passionate about music and have an understanding about the importance of accessible arts programming, bringing focus and importance to the experience of participating in rehearsals and performances, so the experience itself supports our mission of belonging. Ultimately, an outstanding Choir Director should be able to interpret various styles of learning music at all levels of experience and demonstrate exceptional communication, leadership, and organizational skills at all times. Maybelle Center will provide training around trauma informed care and de-escalation techniques.

Choir Director Responsibilities:

• Instructing choir members to warm up before rehearsals and performances.
• Work alongside staff and members in areas of outreach and community engagement.
• Work alongside members, deciding on appropriate musical pieces for the choir to perform based on venue, occasion, and the skill level of choir, with input from choir participants.
• Provide sheet music as necessary for choir participants (per agreed budget)
• Co- establishing and enforcing member relationship/participation agreements.
• Scheduling choir rehearsals and encouraging that choir members attend rehearsals regularly. Outreach calls and communication to members.
• Providing the necessary guidance and direction during choir rehearsals to assist choir members in achieving the correct tone, pitch, rhythm, tempo, and harmony.
• Understand Maybelle’s mission and our member-led approach.

 

Choir Director Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in music, music education, or related field is preferred.
• Proven experience working as a choir director.
• Sound musical knowledge.
• The ability to interpret various styles of music.
• Ability to play keyboard and provide accompaniment during rehearsals if volunteers are unavailable.
• Strong leadership and listening skills.
• Adaptability in teaching techniques for a variety of learning needs and experience.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Effective communication skills.
• A passion for music.
• Patient, creative, and assertive.

 

Job Conditions and Compensation:

This position is for an independent contractor. Seasonal (January-June, with a summer break July-August). The choir rehearses once per week with additional rehearsal time leading up to performances. We average 3 community performances a year, often with other community choirs and orchestras, with additional smaller scale community outreach and member engaged performances throughout the season. An exact performance schedule can be decided once position is filled. A specific amount of time spent preparing for each choir session and providing communication and outreach will vary. Evening and weekend work for concert nights and during our annual fundraiser is expected. An adjusted schedule and additional pay allowed for concert days. Rehearsals take place in a small classroom on site at the Maybelle Center and currently are held Monday’s 11:00am-12:30pm. The contracted Choir Director will receive a compensation of $150 for each 90-minute rehearsal and performance time in 15 minute increments at the rate of $100 per hour.

HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates should email a résumé and cover letter, to jwyant@maybellecenter.org with “Maybelle Choir Director + Name” in the subject line. All documents should be in PDF format and should not exceed 10 Mb total.

Maybelle Center believes that our staff should reflect the diversity of our community. We welcome all.

More Info about our organization maybellecenter.org.

Location
Portland, OR

Contact Email
jwyant@maybellecenter.org

More Info
http://www.maybellecenter.org

Location
Portland, Oregon

Contact Email
jwyant@maybellecenter.org