Symphony Wind Ensemble Conductor, YOLA

Colonial Group; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 57,000 - 81,000; Part time

Job summary

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association is seeking a part-time Symphony Wind Ensemble Conductor for the YOLA program. The role emphasizes artistic quality, education, and youth development, with rehearsals from September through May, plus a July session and special events.

Hours are up to 10–15 per week, requiring leadership, repertoire selection, and collaboration with teaching artists to uphold YOLA pedagogy and mission.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated music educator and conductor with experience leading youth orchestras.
• Strong understanding of youth orchestra repertoire and pedagogy.
• Ability to communicate with students, families, and partner organizations.

Responsibilities

• Lead youth ensembles in weekly rehearsals and seasonal concerts.
• Select repertoire aligned with pedagogy and program goals.
• Collaborate with teaching artists and site staff to implement YOLA curriculum.

Skills

Youth orchestras

Conductor

Curriculum alignment

Teaching artists collaboration

Communication skills

Diversity equity inclusion

Education

Four-year undergraduate degree in music

Job description

Position: Symphony Wind Ensemble Conductor, YOLA

Status: Part-Time, Non-Exempt

Supervisor: Artistic Administrator, YOLA

Compensation: $50.00/hr

Department: Learning

Founded in 1919, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association's mission is to perform, present, and promote music in its varied forms at the highest level of excellence to a diverse and large audience, both at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association is dedicated to continuing its pre-eminent status in the music world of the 21st century.

Program Summary:

YOLA, a music education program of the LA Phil, provides incomparable and equitable access to a high-quality and intensive music education for young people in diverse and vibrant communities across Los Angeles and beyond. In providing this access, YOLA strives to support young people to leverage their learned skills and artistic identities and create transformational change for themselves and their communities. In 2021, the Beckman YOLA Center was opened as a purpose-built space for YOLA programming and as cultural arts resource in the city of Inglewood. YOLA currently serves more than 1,700 elementary, middle, and high school students at five programs throughout Los Angeles, California.

Position Summary:

The YOLA Site Conductor is a part-time position responsible for the artistic quality and education of the assigned YOLA ensemble(s). YOLA Site Conductors lead rehearsals and guide pedagogy for the site orchestras at individual YOLA program sites. Each YOLA Site Conductor is a member of a cross-site artistic leadership team of conductors, who work collaboratively to guide the long-term musical and social growth of all YOLA musicians. This position reports to the YOLA Artistic Administrator and collaborates with the YOLA Site Program Manager. Further, each YOLA Site Conductor must reflect and communicate our respective partner organizations’ mission and values as well as embrace and implement YOLA’s curriculum and pedagogy practices.

Hours for this position will be up to approximately 10-15 hours per week.

Scope of Work

Conducting:

• Lead youth orchestras in multiple weekly rehearsals from September through May, the July summer session, and as required in preparation for concerts and additional special events.

• Rehearsals are expected to focus on building musical knowledge and understanding, as well as orchestral and instrumental techniques, with a goal of fostering the socio-emotional growth of the individual musicians and the ensemble as a community.

• Reinforce orchestra members’ understanding of concert etiquette and standard performance practices. Maintain high standards of personal musicianship, as well as high standards for the orchestra membership. Communicate responsibilities and expectations to students and parents, and be available to converse with them during breaks, as well as before and after rehearsals.

• Select repertoire appropriate to the performance level, instrumentation, and pedagogy of each orchestra, in collaboration with LA Phil artistic direction and site teaching artists.

• Follow the YOLA curriculum and uphold its core tenets around culturally responsive teaching, creative youth development and artistic development.

Administrative:

• Develop effective and efficient rehearsal schedules and lesson plans to be shared with collaborating teaching artists and site staff, with an aim of aligning site instructional goals across classes and ensembles.

• Coordinate with YOLA Ensemble Librarians for the purchase, rental, bowing, and marking of performance materials and scores.

• Collaborate with Learning and YOLA staff in the formative and formal assessment of musical and social development of YOLA musicians and ensembles.

• Collaborate with Learning and YOLA staff on developing and implementing an active recruitment program for the YOLA site.

• Create, implement, document, revise and maintain curriculum informed by youth development best practices and YOLA curriculum and pedagogy.

• Attend meetings related to events and projects you are tasked with and actively communicating conflicts and preparing for any meetings that cannot be attended.

• Attend TA professional development sessions and visit group lessons on a regular basis to maintain pedagogical alignment across site instruction.

• Participate in all Professional Development series related to curriculum and any processes around curriculum evaluation and assessment.

• Be an active and participatory member of the Learning team and engage with all events for the YOLA site.

Interacts with:

• YOLA Site Leadership, Teaching Artists, Musicians, Alumni, and Families

• Learning Department, LA Phil

• Community Partners

• Internal and External Stakeholders

Position Preferences

• Demonstrated music educator and conductor with extensive experience working with youth orchestras at all levels.

• Strong understanding of youth orchestra repertoire, beginning instrumental curriculum, teaching artist pedagogy, and youth development practices.

• Flexible, creative, and innovative approach to curriculum, programming, and concert design.

• Ability to effectively communicate with multiple constituent groups including the surrounding community, partner organizations, teaching artists, students, and parents.

• Have excellent communication skills, with attention to detail, strong sense of empathy and a proactive nature.

• Have the ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive situations with excellent judgment and discretion.

• Experience as a motivational mentor and support for students, parents, and teaching artists.

• Ability to work under frequent observation.

• Ability to arrange music and simplify orchestral parts is preferred.

• Ability to work with multiple priorities that may need swift reorganization.

• Experience working with children from diverse backgrounds; experience working in under-resourced communities.

• Complete various tasks within established time frames.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.

• Strong independent work and proactively identify and assess effective methods of work operation.

• Ability to work weekends and evenings.

• Four-year undergraduate degree with a focus on music performance, music theory, or equivalent experience preferred.

• Dedication and commitment to engage in and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the staff, vendors, and within interactions with the surrounding community is a must.

• Secondary language fluency is a plus.