Rehearsal Assistant – Hamilton Children’s Choir

Choirs Ontario; Hamilton; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A community-focused music organization in Hamilton is seeking Rehearsal Assistants to provide support during rehearsals and performances. This role offers hands-on experience for students passionate about music education. Candidates must have a strong musical ear, experience working with children, and be flexible in their schedule for evening and weekend events. The position starts on September 8, 2025, with an honorarium of $19.00/hour.

Qualifications

• Must be available for two main performances on December 6, 2025, and May 2, 2026.
• Have or be willing to obtain a recent vulnerable sector check clearance.

Responsibilities

• Set up rehearsal room as requested by conductor.
• Instruct individual or small groups in sight-singing.
• Assist with sectional rehearsals and warm-ups.
• Instruct a small group of choristers in music theory.
• Assist with dress rehearsals and performances.
• Track chorister and ensemble progress.

Skills

Strong musical ear

Music literacy

Music teaching experience

Effective organizational skills

Flexible and adaptable

Clear communication skills

Education

Post-secondary music courses

Job description

Job Title: Rehearsal Assistant
Organization: Hamilton Children’s Choir
Location: Hamilton, Ontario (primarily in-person work at events, including evenings and weekends)
Hours Per Week: 1-5 hours/week – varies by ensemble
Honorarium: $19.00/hour
Start Date: September 8, 2025

About Us
Hamilton Children’s Choir is committed to providing children and youth with rich musical education and performance opportunities, creating a sense of belonging, nurturing personal growth, and ensuring singers experience the benefits of community. Over their 50 year history, HCC has seen over 3000 children and youth participate in the choir. HCC is proud to be one of the most sought-after choirs invited to perform locally, nationally, and internationally. HCC offers six progressive choral music education programs currently enjoyed by over 200 young singers between the ages of 18 months and 24 years. Under the artistic leadership of Melanie Tellez and her team of superb artistic staff, HCC is dedicated to exploring fresh approaches to choral music that reduce barriers, strengthen the choral art form, and demonstrate that artists come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. HCC is proud to offer a robust Financial Award Program that ensures that every young voice, regardless of their financial circumstances, can experience the transformative power of music.

Position Overview
Hamilton Children’s Choir is seeking Rehearsal Assistants to support Artistic Staff during weekly rehearsals and performances. This role provides an opportunity for students possessing an interest and passion for music education to obtain hands-on experience with a thriving choral music education program. Our rehearsal programs are designed for children ages 4 – 24, and happen on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, as well as Saturday mornings following the school calendar. The Rehearsal Assistant roles support the Choir Conductors and Collaborative Pianists who lead rehearsals. Rehearsal Assistants must be available to support our two main performances of the season: December 6th, 2025 and May 2, 2026.

Key Responsibilities
Reporting to the Artistic Director, this position will:

• Set up rehearsal room as requested by conductor prior to rehearsal starting, arriving at least 15 minutes prior to the beginning of rehearsal (this includes chairs, piano, sight-singing or theory aids)
• Instruct individual or small groups in sight-singing
• Assist with sectional rehearsals and warm-ups
• Instruct a small group of choristers in music theory
• Assist with dress rehearsals, including staging and organization in preparation guest/annual performances
• Assist with rehearsals by providing direct, supportive feedback and encouragement to choristers
• Track chorister and ensemble progress and submit notes to the conductor, monitor levels of focus and engagement of choristers
• Other duties as assigned by the program conductor

Qualifications

• Strong musical ear, ideally with moderate sight singing skill
• Music literacy – familiar reading notes, rhythms, and using solfa hand signs
• Music teaching experience and/or taking post-secondary music courses
• Experience and passion for working with children and youth
• Effective organizational skills and task management capacity
• Flexible and adaptable to respond to organizational needs as directed
• Have or be willing to obtain a recent vulnerable sector check clearance
• Consistent and clear written and oral communication skills

How To Apply
Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume and cover letter addressed to Melanie Tellez, at [e-mail] by August 25th at 11:59PM. Please highlight your musical background and explicitly state your evening availability on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, as well as your morning availability on Saturdays, in your cover letter.

Hamilton Children’s Choir is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply. We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.