Music Director / Conductor

OAKVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSIC DIRECTOR/CONDUCTOR
JOB POSTING DOCUMENT
JOB TITLE: MUSIC DIRECTOR/CONDUCTOR

REMUNERATION: $40,000+

The Oakville Symphony, based in Oakville, Ontario, is inviting applications for the position of Music Director/Conductor to start at the beginning of the 2022/2023 season.

THE OAKVILLE SYMPHONY
The OS, founded in 1967, is an accomplished Canadian community orchestra. It plays an essential role in the cultural vitality of Oakville through a successful combination of professional lead musicians and dedicated volunteer musicians, exceptional musicianship, extensive community outreach programs, young musician development, and a large dedicated and loyal base of subscribers and financial supporters.

The Symphony performs a subscription series of eight concerts (four programs) over four weekends, comprised of classical orchestral repertoire along with contemporary and Canadian compositions. The Symphony consists of 85 musicians, and rehearses weekly from early September to mid-May. The OS also has an extensive outreach program which includes two Family Christmas concerts, three free mini- concerts for children, free lectures entitled “nOt juSt the score”, and post-concert chats with the audience.

POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Music Director/Conductor is the artistic director and conductor of the Oakville Symphony. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Music Director works closely with the Chair of the Board, Executive Director, Librarian, and Personnel Manager. The successful candidate should be a specialist and expert in performance and rehearsal practice with volunteer and professional musicians alike. They will ensure that artistic excellence is attained in all aspects of the Symphony’s artistic activities, including subscription concerts, artistic partnerships, young artist training, and outreach.
The Music Director should also be prepared to advance the interests of the OS, to be its public face and to open new doors in artistic development and partnerships, community outreach, marketing and fundraising strategies, and other areas. In addition to having a passion for making music, the Music Director must be an excellent communicator, public speaker, and a strong leader with a commitment to working collaboratively with musicians and staff.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS
– Several years of experience as a Music Director/Conductor with a community or professional orchestra
– Proven ability to lead and inspire people
– Broad and deep knowledge of orchestral repertoire; musical styles/genres, music history and how they relate to the world around us
– Proven ability to select repertoire that engages audiences and all sections of the orchestra

Musical and technical expertise
– Passion for making music, and excellent communication skills
– Efficient and productive rehearsal techniques
– Thorough knowledge of the score, and excelling at musical interpretation
– Thorough knowledge of individual instruments, their limitations, idiosyncrasies, etc.

Leadership and motivation
– Demonstrated podium presence that enhances the quality of music making, to bring out the best in all musicians
– Demonstrated success with recruitment and retention of musicians
– Demonstrated success in engaging regional, national, and international guest soloists
– Demonstrated ability to challenge musicians without intimidation
– Demonstrated achievement of highest quality of performance by leading by example through positive reinforcement, creativity, knowledge, and dedication

Ideally, the Music Director will reside within a commutable distance of Oakville to facilitate attendance at performances, approximately 25 weeks of rehearsals, attendance at Board meetings and required planning meetings, speaking engagements, and meetings with donors and staff. We expect that the position of Music Director/Conductor of the Oakville Symphony will be a significant time commitment for the successful candidate.

We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience.

HOW TO APPLY IN CONFIDENCE BY JULY 31, 2020
If you are a highly qualified applicant, please submit a resume and a cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for the position, as well as your personal artistic vision for Oakville Symphony. YouTube or website link to video of your conducting is highly recommended.

Applications should be submitted electronically to mdsearch@oakvillesymphony.ca

While the new Music Director/Conductor will commence responsibilities for the 2022/23 season, the final 4 candidates will guest conduct (and lead rehearsals leading up to the concert) one of the 4 concert weekends during the 2021/22 season as part of the final selection process.

The successful candidate must be legally entitled to work in Canada.

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