Love Music Trainee Choral Leader

Love Music has created a part-time freelance trainee position for an exceptional emerging trainee choral leader wanting to develop their skills as a professional music practitioner, specifically, but not exclusively, in the field of inclusive community-focused singing.

Part-time freelance post from May 2019 to June 2020 (Edinburgh).

Essential criteria

Applicants will:
~ already be working in the wider context of community music delivering high quality inclusive musical experiences
~ be able to demonstrate skills and confidence as a voice/choral leader
~ have proven abilities in a music workshop setting
~ be able to demonstrate a knowledge and passion for a wide variety of music genres and styles
~ have excellent organisational skills
~ share our values (see our About page)
~ be able to provide 2 professional references from colleagues who have experienced their work first hand
~ be available for the majority of the fixed workshop dates as listed below

During the traineeship the applicant will:

~ develop skills as a vocal animateur and chorus master, gaining valuable insights to pedagogic and artistic strategies that enable successful inclusive community singing
~ shadow, support and learn from the work and practice of Love Music’s artistic director Stephen Deazley, who will mentor the successful applicant for the duration of the traineeship
~ work with people of all ages across a number of Love Music projects (potentially also including some non-singing projects)
~ contribute to the artistic success of our flagship community singing projects: Love Music Community Choir, the largest community choir in the UK with 330 members, and Love Music Junior Choir, a community focused inclusive choir of up to 200 8-12 year-old children
~ learn how to arrange music for voices in multiple parts for various age groups
~ work with, learn from and support the production team in ensuring good event management, health and safety, and administrative practice and procedures

The traineeship will run as a part-time freelance post from May 2019 (or June depending on the successful candidate’s availability) until June 2020.

Please note that Love Music does not have an office, and so some non-workshop work would be done from home. Candidates will be able to provide evidence of their eligibility to work in the UK and will be subject to a Protection of Vulnerable Groups Disclosure Scotland check.

Dates and remuneration

The successful candidate will support the delivery of the Love Music choral programme, for which most dates are fixed as follows (all Mondays):

2019
June 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th
Sept 2nd, 9th, 16th, 30th
Oct 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
Nov 4th
Dec 2nd

2020
Jan 13th, 20th
Feb 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th
Mar 2nd, 16th, 23rd
Apr 20th, 27th
May 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th
June 1st, 8th, 15th

The successful candidate will have an opportunity to discuss availability for these dates but attendance at most is preferred.

The traineeship is not salaried, but fees will be paid on a freelance basis for a maximum number of workshops as follows:
~ 31 workshops including prep with Community Choir (£25 per session) – the majority of these take place on the same day as Junior Choir workshops
~ 24 workshops including prep with Junior Choir (£50 per session)
~ 4 shadow sessions with Junior Choir (£25 per session)
~ 5 full day workshops or events (£75 per day)
~ 6 professionally mentored days (£75 per day)
~ 4 additional 2-hour workshops to be used flexibly throughout the project (£25 per session)

Expenses for travel and materials will be agreed directly with Love Music’s producer, as will any additional fees and costs as necessary.

How to apply

Applicants should email a copy of their CV, along with a 1-side A4 covering letter that clearly states why they are suited to the position, to ruth@lovemusic.org.uk. Email and phone contact details of 2 references must be included – applicants should ensure that referees are aware that they will be contacted.

The closing date for applications is noon on Friday 3rd May, with interviews taking place on Tuesday 14th May. The interview will be a two-part process. Applicants chosen for interview will be invited to meet with the panel in the morning. Those selected for the second round will be called back for a practical session in the afternoon. For this, candidates will be expected to lead a scratch mixed-voice adult choir (of around 16 people) in a 20 minute session. The session should include the teaching of part of or a whole song without notated music and can either be a cappella or with accompaniment which the candidate can provide themselves.

As detailed in the workshop dates above, there will be opportunities during the second half of May 2019 for the successful applicant to take part in Love Music projects, however this is entirely dependent on the candidate’s availability given the timescale; a candidate’s availability during May will not affect the outcome of their application.