Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

Assistant Conductor & Director of Community Engagement

Singing City 

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position: Assistant Conductor and Director of Community Engagement
Overseen by: Artistic & Music Director 
Works with: Chorus, section leaders, accompanist, guest artists 

Job Description: The Singing City Choir (SC) Assistant Conductor and Director of Community Engagement serves as the primary artistic support staff to the Artistic & Music Director in all rehearsals and concerts during the SC season and directs the choir’s community concert program. He or she is expected to have had a minimum of three years' experience in assisting or directing vocal and/or instrumental ensembles. He or she will be knowledgeable, personable, self-sufficient, and detail-oriented, and will work with the artistic staff to provide a high level of musical expertise for SC. He or she will run sectionals and rehearsals as necessary, and may conduct works during the season at the Artistic & Music Director’s discretion. The Assistant Conductor will be overseen by the Artistic & Music Director and will work with all members of the SC community. The appointment is for one year at a time, with a maximum of three consecutive years. Keyboard or instrumental skills are a plus. 

Essential functions: Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

  • Attending and assisting the Artistic & Music Director with the musical preparation of the chorus at all rehearsals and concerts. Rehearsals take place on Tuesday evenings from 7:20-9:50 p.m. at Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Directing warm-ups at the discretion of the Artistic & Music Director
  • Running and conducting sectionals as needed 
  • Possibly conducting selected repertoire during the season, at the discretion of the Artistic & Music Director 
  • Communicating as a "spokesperson" with various stakeholders associated with SC
  • Attending all SC events as needed and assisting the Artistic & Music Director in performance of his responsibilities 
  • Serving as a liaison with guest artists and assisting with guest soloist rehearsals 
  • Aiding with chorus recruitment 
  • Directing choir outreach (identifies outreach opportunities, recruits singers, selects repertoire in consultation with the Artistic & Music Director, and conducts outreach concerts)

Candidates must demonstrate: 

  • Excellent musicianship skills
  • Experience leading vocal ensembles
  • Excellent organizational and communication skills, both written and oral
  • Ability to work effectively with a diverse team of singers, board members, and staff 
  • Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines
  • Ability to communicate effectively with multiple constituent groups, including the general public, partner organizations, guest artists, donors, etc.
  • Ability to embrace, embody, and reflect SC values such as excellence, community, and creativity
  • Flexibility, creativity, and innovative approaches to problem solving
  • Interest and ability to be a motivational role model for SC singers 
  • Ability to work under frequent observation 

 

 

The Singing City (SC) Assistant Conductor and Director of Community Engagement serves as the primary artistic support staff to the Artistic & Music Director in all rehearsals and concerts during the SCC season and directs the choir community concert program. He or she is expected to have had a minimum of three years' experience in assisting or directing vocal and/or instrumental ensembles.

Singing City was founded as an integrated choir in 1948 in Philadelphia by Dr. Elaine Brown. For over half a century, Singing City has been Philadelphia's premier avocational chorus, committed to bringing people together through music. It grew out of the Fellowship House movement, which believed that differences between races, religions, and cultures could be bridged by ordinary people coming together in shared activities.

In addition to its deep commitment to inclusion and community building, Singing City has consistently achieved the highest levels of performance practice and artistry. The chorus has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leningrad Philharmonic, and Israel Philharmonic, and has to its credit a number of critically acclaimed national and international concert tours and festival appearances. The 80-member strong chorus is led by Artistic & Music Director Jeffrey Brillhart and continues to fulfill its original mission, which today encompasses an educational program for youth, T-VOCE (Teen Voices of the City Ensemble), and programs for under-served populations.