International Federation for Choral Music

The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus seeks a dynamic, visionary, highly experienced conductor, music educator and leader to serve as its Artistic Director beginning with the 2018|19 season. Anne Tomlinson, who has been Artistic Director since 1996, will step down from her position after the 2017|18 season.

The Organization

www.lachildrenschorus.org

The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (LACC), now in its 31st season, is one of the world’s leading choral organizations serving children and youth through performances and music education. A key component of its mission is to ignite a love of singing and nurture the full expression of each individual’s potential for artistic and personal excellence through the collaborative experience of performance.

LACC is comprised of six audition choirs - Preparatory, Apprentice, Intermediate, Concert, Chamber Singers, and Young Men’s Ensemble. It also offers a “First Experiences in Singing” program for children aged 6-8 years, and a “First Experiences in Choral Singing Ensemble” as a bridge for these young children to other LACC ensembles.

At the heart of LACC is a comprehensive music education program, crafted to encourage a lifelong love of music. While young people come to LACC with varying learning styles and different levels of experience, they all enjoy opportunities for musicianship and music theory training through a sequential rehearsal schedule and music literacy program. We seek an artistic leader who is committed to providing a rigorous, foundational music education experience for our singers.

LACC ensembles tour regularly, offering choristers a chance to share their artistry on a national and international level. In addition to domestic tours, destinations in recent years have included South Africa, Scandinavia, and Japan, with landmark performances at London’s St. Martin-in-the-Fields, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the United Nations in New York. LACC also is featured on several recordings and has earned national accolades through appearances on television and radio. It is committed to expanding the repertoire for children’s choirs through commissioning new works.

A highly valued aspect of LACC’s artistic landscape is its collaboration with key artistic partners around Southern California. Enriching artistic programming for a broad audience, LACC appears with distinguished organizations such as the LA Opera, LA Philharmonic, LA Master Chorale, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Jacaranda Music, MUSE/IQUE, and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

LACC’s 2016|17 concert season features its own signature Winter and Spring performances. In addition, LACC will appear with the LA Philharmonic in performances of John Adams’ El Niño conducted by Grant Gershon; with the Pasadena Symphony and POPS in holiday concerts and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9; and with the LA Opera for six performances of Tosca conducted by James Conlon. LACC will host the Los Angeles debut of Berlin’s esteemed Children’s Choir of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, and will be a featured ensemble at the Chorus America annual conference in Los Angeles in June 2017.

The Position

The Artistic Director provides the creative vision, as well as the musical and educational leadership, for the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus. S/he reports directly to the Board of Directors and is a member of LACC’s leadership team, collaborating with the Board and Executive Director to maintain the financial health of the organization and to expand both the audience and philanthropic support from all sources. The individual in this role has responsibility for musical leadership and the education of all of LACC’s choristers. The Artistic Director represents LACC in the great Los Angeles arts community and collaborates with LACC’s artistic partners.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate for this position is an inspirational visionary and an experienced music educator with a successful track record. S/he is confident, musically curious, artistically adventurous, and a committed collaborator. The Artistic Director embraces Los Angeles’ vibrant and innovative arts community and will position LACC as a leading institution in this region. S/he will build on LACC’s three decades of artistic excellence and will – together with the Board of Directors, Executive Director, and staff – lead the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus to an even more inclusive and broader presence in Los Angeles, throughout the country, and internationally.

Applications

Please submit a cover letter describing interest and qualifications, along with a CV or resume. Do not include CDs, DVDs, reviews, and repertoire lists at this time. Electronic applications are preferred. No calls, please. All applications will be treated as confidential.

The Search Committee will begin to review credentials in early January 2017. Prompt submissions are encouraged.

Please send materials to: AD-search@lachildrenschorus.org MS Word or Adobe Acrobat attachments only, please.

The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus is an equal opportunity employer.