Seattle Peace Chorus Music Director

Position Title: Seattle Peace Chorus Music Director

Location: Keystone Congregational Church, Seattle, WA

Reports to: Seattle Peace Chorus Board of Directors

Hours: Approximately 7-10 hours per week, August – June with scheduled breaks; performances at least twice a year; independent contractor

Compensation: $16,000 - $19,000 per year based on experience

Projected Start Date: 1 August 2025

Date Developed: 1 February 2025

Organization Information

Seattle Peace Chorus is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization led by an elected Board in collaboration with the musical director, a repertoire committee, the chorus membership, and ad hoc committees. The mission of the Seattle Peace Chorus is to communicate through music the desire for a just and peaceful world; to consistently present this message through choral excellence and nonviolent activism; to celebrate life in all its diversity; to build and sustain harmonious relationships and cultural bridges locally and globally. Our commitment to peace through nonviolent activism means that we engage in active efforts to help victims of violence, war, and injustice of any kind.

Job Summary

The Seattle Peace Chorus Music Director will serve as the musical director for the Seattle Peace Chorus (SPC), an auditioned SATB community chorus of about 35 current members.

The music director will collaborate with the Board and its committees to create and lead inspirational music programming. The music director will have and/or make connections with other community choruses to further the SPC’s mission around peace and justice.

Travel either locally, regionally, nationally, or internationally may be expected periodically. Travel costs for the music director would be covered by the chorus.

Core Competencies

The applicant should demonstrate the following competencies:

Accountable Leadership: Exhibits transparency and follow-through; holds oneself in alignment with SPC’s mission and supports others in doing so as well; takes responsibility for one’s actions.

Awareness: Knowledgeable of SPC’s commitment to nonviolent activism against injustice of any kind; must be dedicated to continual growth, development, and self-reflective processes; demonstrated experience in fostering inclusive spaces.

Collaboration: Comfortable with listening to others and exchanging ideas; open to participatory processes; eager to explore diverse perspectives.

Communication Skills: Communicates information and expectations clearly; listens well; shows emotional intelligence; is able to inspire, motivate, and connect with individuals and larger groups; is able to receive and offer effective and constructive feedback.

Community: Recognizes the importance of the chorus as a community space for its members; provides opportunities for people to connect; works to be inclusive and supportive of everyone.

Conflict Management: Skillfully mediates conflict and manages disagreements; escalates issues as needed to the Board; has patience in understanding challenges that members of varied skill levels may face in learning the music.

Musicianship: Demonstrates excellent directing skills including but not limited to having an ability to interpret and conduct musical scores with appropriate tone and context, music theory, dynamics, sight reading, and vocal and other musical techniques.

Organizational Skills: Demonstrates critical thinking, executive functioning, responsiveness to deadlines, planning abilities, and other attributes to ensure effective and efficient teaching and performances.

Key Responsibilities

Coordination:

• Facilitate rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and performances
  • Rehearsals are currently held on Monday evenings from 7:00 - 9:30 p.m.
  • Performances are currently held twice per year, in November and June; each seasonal concert includes two performances
  • Performances are held on weekends and evenings
• Coordinate provision of musical scores to the members
• Provide chorus members with rehearsal agenda via email at least 24 hours before rehearsal
• Respond to emails and other forms of communication promptly
• Secure and coordinate venues for both rehearsals and performances
• Coordinate guest artists and performers as needed
• Conduct auditions for new chorus membership and soloists in a transparent manner; communicate in advance how solos or small ensemble members are chosen; the Board may develop a committee to assist with these processes

Collaboration:

• Collaborate with the hired pianist while exploring opportunities for a capella singing
• Meet monthly with the Board to discuss chorus business
  • Create and present a Music Director’s Report at each meeting
  • Board meetings are currently held on the second Tuesday of each month from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m during the SPC season
  • Board meetings may occur when the chorus is not in session
• Meet periodically with the Repertoire Committee to review and select music
• Assist the grant writer with narrative content for grant applications
• Review and contribute to programs and advertising

Development:

• Produce high quality musical performances that support SPC’s mission, exhibit musical excellence, and grow the musical skills and musicianship of the chorus
• Arrange musical scores on a limited, as needed basis
• Seek out opportunities to grow and expand the chorus in alignment with the interests of the membership
  • This may include increasing and diversifying the membership, finding ways to better reach audiences and communities, continuing and expanding SPC’s collaborations with other musical groups and communities, holding performances in community-based settings, diversifying the musical selections, or other efforts

Qualifications

Required

• Previous education, training and/or experience in choral directing
• Ability to work collaboratively in a decision-making process with a team
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills
• Commitment to the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and to SPC’s mission
• Basic understanding of Google Docs and Microsoft Word

Preferred

• Skilled at teaching a variety of musical genres and traditions
• Skilled at leading diverse groups of singers with varying levels of musical ability
• Experience in collaboration and engagement with cross-cultural groups and community choruses
• Knowledgeable and skilled at selecting musical pieces and designing a concert program
• Interest in and support for the activism arm of the chorus and other outreach efforts
• Ability to encourage and develop section leaders and an assistant director as needed
• Basic keyboard skills for teaching parts and warmups
• Familiarity with musical software