Board Opportunities – Exultate Chamber Singers

Choirs Ontario; Toronto; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent choral organization in Toronto is seeking dedicated individuals to join their Board of Directors. Board members oversee the organization's mission, engage in fundraising, and contribute to strategic direction. Ideal candidates should possess strong skills in charitable fundraising, legal advising, and social media marketing. This is a volunteer position with a time commitment of approximately 5 hours per month, including meetings and committee work.

Qualifications

• Strong background in charitable fundraising and donor relations.
• Experience in legal and governance advising.
• Proficiency in social media marketing and communications.

Responsibilities

• Shape and uphold Exultate’s mission and mandate.
• Select, support, and evaluate the Artistic Director and Operations Manager.
• Monitor and approve the annual budget.
• Ensure adequate resources and effective financial management.
• Support and contribute to fundraising and development efforts.
• Maintain legal and ethical governance standards.
• Recruit and orient new board members; assess board performance.

Skills

Charitable fundraising and donor relations

Legal and governance advising

Social media marketing and communications

Job description

Board Member Opportunities Exultate Chamber Singers is an adult, mixed-voice chamber choir located in the heart of downtown Toronto. The ensemble is enriched not only by the strong musicianship of its members but also by their varied ages, cultural backgrounds, and academic and professional credentials. Together they form a passionate, committed ensemble with a wide-ranging repertoire. The choir is a three-time winner of the Healey Willan Grand Prize in the CBC National Radio Competition and was awarded first place in the chamber choir category of Choral Canada’s 2019 National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs. In addition to presenting its annual concert series, Exultate has made regular appearances around Ontario, toured in Canada, collaborated with dozens of artists, released six albums, and enjoyed airplay on CBC Radio. Exultate's most recent album, At First Light, showcases new Canadian choral music commissioned by the choir in recent years.

Mission Statement Exultate Chamber Singers strives to consistently achieve high quality performances of a broad repertoire of challenging music for chamber choir and to actively contribute to the development of the local and broader Canadian choral community.

Mandate

• To engage audiences through concerts and special performances.
• To support the creation and performance of Canadian choral music through commissions, selective programming, touring, and special events, with an increasing awareness of diversity in the artform.
• To engage in meaningful collaborations with musical and community partners.
• To contribute to the continued musical development of singers, composers, and conductors both in Exultate and the larger choral community.

Artistic Director Mark Ramsay
Dr. Mark Ramsay is Assistant Professor of Music Education and Coordinator of Choral Activities at Western University’s Don Wright Faculty of Music. In addition to his teaching duties at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, he is the conductor of Western University Singers. Mark is also the artistic director of Toronto’s award winning Exultate Chamber Singers and a former editor of Choirs Ontario’s publication, Dynamic. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in choral conducting from University of Toronto where he was a student of Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt. Before moving to Toronto, Mark completed his Bachelor of Music Education (piano) at UPEI, worked for ten years as a high school music teacher and curriculum specialist in Summerside, and was the music director at Trinity United Church and conductor of the Summerside Community Choir.

Role of the Board of Directors The Board of Directors upholds the mission and mandate of Exultate Chamber Singers by overseeing the organization’s financial health, strategic direction, and capacity to achieve its artistic goals. Board members support staff through committee work, ensure the organization is adequately resourced, and bring a mix of internal (chorister) and external expertise to guide operations. Directors serve on a volunteer basis and are not compensated.

Key Responsibilities

• Shape and uphold Exultate’s mission and mandate
• Select, support, and evaluate the Artistic Director and Operations Manager
• Monitor and approve the annual budget
• Ensure adequate resources and effective financial management
• Support and contribute to fundraising and development efforts
• Maintain legal and ethical governance standards
• Recruit and orient new board members; assess board performance

Desired Qualifications of a Board Director Exultate Chamber Singers is committed to building a Board of Directors with a diverse mix of skills, knowledge, professional experience, and history of engagement with the arts. In addition, Exultate is specifically looking for candidates with a strong background in:

• Charitable fundraising and donor relations
• Legal and governance advising
• Social media marketing and communications

Board Meetings and Time Commitment The Board of Directors meets a minimum of 4 times per year via Zoom on weekday evenings for 1 hour. Board Directors are expected to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) generally held in person each November. Between meetings, Board Directors are expected to participate in committee work and respond promptly to matters of business that may arise. They will be asked to volunteer their time in other ways, including fundraising and front-of-house duties at concerts. The total time commitment is approximately 5 hours per month.

Board terms are 2 years, commencing at the AGM of each calendar year. Board terms may be renewed twice, for a maximum of six consecutive years.

Application Process Interested parties are invited to submit an introductory message to the Board Chair at [e-mail] with a brief one page statement of interest in serving as a Board Director. The Nominating Committee will review the candidates and may request a résumé in addition to a video conversation as part of the review process.