Artistic Director

Position Summary

The Artistic Director will serve as the senior artistic leader of Ragazzi Boys Chorus (Ragazzi), providing vision, artistic leadership, and educational excellence across Ragazzi's choral program. The Artistic Director will be responsible for maintaining and advancing Ragazzi’s reputation for exceptional artistry, rigorous musicianship education, and positive youth development.

The Artistic Director will be an inspiring teacher, accomplished conductor, and collaborative leader who combines artistic excellence with warmth, diplomacy, and a deep commitment to the musical and personal growth of boys and young men. The Artistic Director will oversee artistic staff, guide program development, support recruitment and retention efforts, and serve as a visible ambassador with families, donors, and the broader community.

Roles and Responsibilities

Artistic Leadership

• Provide overall artistic vision and leadership for the organization’s choral program.
• Conduct premier ensemble(s) and oversee artistic quality across all choir levels.
• Maintain and elevate standards of vocal production, musicianship, performance preparation, and repertoire selection.
• Develop age-appropriate pedagogical approaches for unchanged and changing male voices, particularly soprano and alto voices, during vocal transition.
• Organize and facilitate summer training programs held both during the day and in off site camp venues.
• Plan and lead tours, including yearly international tours involving 100 boys.
• Lead artistic planning, repertoire development, touring, collaborations, recordings, and performances.
• Ensure artistic programming reflects excellence, educational value, and organizational mission.
• Embrace other artistic leadership responsibilities as needed.

Educational Leadership

• Serve as a teacher and mentor for singers and artistic staff.
• Recruit, supervise, support, and evaluate conductors, accompanists, and teaching artists.
• Foster a consistent pedagogical approach across the organization.
• Support student musicianship development, including sight-singing and music literacy.
• Integrate best practices in child development, social-emotional learning, and youth engagement into rehearsal culture.
• Create a collaborative, accountable, and mission-driven artistic culture.
• Demonstrate diplomacy, emotional intelligence, and effective people management skills.
• Embrace other educational leadership responsibilities as needed.

Organizational Leadership

• Partner closely with Board leadership.
• Contribute to strategic planning and organizational growth initiatives.
• Participate as an ambassador for the organization with families, donors, schools, and community partners.
• Support recruitment, retention, and community engagement efforts.
• Build strong relationships with parents through professionalism, communication, and responsiveness.
• Embrace other organizational leadership responsibilities as needed.

Traits and Characteristics

The Artistic Director of Ragazzi Boys Chorus will be a people-oriented and highly interactive leader who builds strong relationships and communicates effectively with singers, families, staff, and community partners, fostering a culture of trust, engagement, and shared purpose. Deeply attuned to the needs and experiences of choristers and audiences, they will shape programs that inspire musical excellence while remaining accessible and meaningful. Versatile and adaptable, they will navigate a dynamic artistic environment with ease, balancing performance demands, educational priorities, and organizational goals. Guided by a harmonious and collaborative approach, they will value diverse perspectives and contribute selflessly within a team-driven culture, prioritizing collective success over individual recognition. Of the highest character, they will demonstrate kindness, consideration, and sound judgment, making decisions that balance the needs of the organization with the care and well-being of each singer entrusted to Ragazzi. Structured and disciplined, they will rely on proven methods and consistent systems to ensure artistic quality and organizational effectiveness. Grounded in an altruistic orientation, they will be motivated by service and committed to creating transformative musical experiences.

Other key competencies include:

• Diplomacy and Personal Accountability – The capability to effectively and tactfully handle difficult or sensitive issues while being answerable for personal actions.
• Leadership – The capacity to organize, support, and influence people to believe in a vision while creating a sense of purpose and direction.
• Time and Priority Management – The organizational acumen to prioritize and complete tasks to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.
• Teamwork and Self-Starting – The aptitude to cooperate with others to meet objectives while demonstrating initiative and willingness to begin working.

Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree in music is required, with an advanced degree preferred, along with at least eight to 10 years of progressively responsible leadership in a choral program. Demonstrated success in artistic direction, organizational leadership, and planning is essential, as is a strong record of program development and community engagement. The Artistic Director will bring proven experience managing and inspiring teams of artistic staff, as well as working effectively with a board of directors and diverse stakeholders. Exceptional musical expertise, including choral pedagogy, experience with the various methodologies employed in choral training and the ability to work with children's social-emotional development, is necessary. The Artistic Director should also possess an understanding of the specific development needs of boys' voices during adolescence, with particular focus on alto and soprano voices. The ideal candidate will possess excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills, with a collaborative and mission-driven approach.

Compensation and Benefits

Ragazzi offers a competitive and equitable compensation package, with a base salary estimated between $130,000 and $150,000. Candidates with significant financial or fundraising experience may be considered for an Artistic and Executive Director role, with a salary of up to $180,000.

Benefits include a range of health coverage options, with Ragazzi Boys Chorus contributing 70% of premium costs for employees’ choice of medical plans, including Anthem Blue Cross Gold PPO E, Anthem Blue Cross Silver PPO C, Kaiser Gold HMO B, and Kaiser Gold HMO D. Comprehensive dental coverage is provided through the Humana Dental PPO, and vision coverage is offered through the Humana Vision Plus 200 plan, both fully employer-paid. Ragazzi also supports long-term financial planning through a Vanguard 403(b) retirement savings program, allowing employees to make elective pre-tax or Roth contributions beginning with their first eligible payroll. Ragazzi offers a robust paid time off policy, including 15 days of PTO annually and 10 paid holidays each year. In addition, Ragazzi provides paid time off between Christmas and New Year’s Day without requiring employees to use vacation time.

Applications and Inquiries

To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments, please visit

https://artsconsulting.com/opensearches/ragazzi-boys-chorus-seeks-artistic-director/

Ragazzi Boys Chorus is committed to fostering a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment that reflects the diversity of the Bay Area communities it serves. Guided by its mission to develop confident young musicians and leaders through excellence in music education and performance, Ragazzi welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, socioeconomic background, or national origin.