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Missed a month? MHS eNewsletter archives

Dearest Friends,

March represents so many important events: Women's History Month, the first calendar day of Spring... and the Anniversary of the MHS eNewsletter! Two years ago this month, we began publishing news about this community and growing awareness in a professional-looking and consistent manner and we're still going strong!

Your continued support, from donations to encouraging words, has allowed us to do what we love: (1) to chronicle the ongoing activities of the current classical community of color, (2) to encourage students to be proactive--to learn and write about their arts communities, (3) to educate the classical community on (and pay homage to) their four documented centuries of history, (4) to build alliances within this community of artists, and (5) to develop new audiences for classical music, specifically amongst people of color.

We plan to continue to do what we do. So without further ado (smile), we present the events that make March so important: amazing women and Spring (colors) all in this newsletter.  ;)

Peace and blessings,
Rashida N. Black

Be part of the mission. Make a tax-deductible contribution. Or send checks payable to Myrtle Hart Society to: Myrtle Hart Society, 4800 S. Chicago Beach Drive, Suite 2008S, Chicago IL 60615. If you want to be included in an upcoming edition of the eNewsletter, just email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or click reply to the sender.

"Well, I'm interested in traditional music," she says. A Fulbright Scholar, Carolyn received the opportunity to travel to Kenya, "but I wasn't as successful as I wanted." What she wanted was to grow more, produce more, be more insightful and do more research. Why is that so important? "We have a responsibility as African Americans to protect and preserve our heritage... And we have to be intellectually, artistically and spiritually prepared to do so."

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Carolyn began her vocal studies at 16 in the Preparatory Division of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with Miss Jeannine Philippe, a university faculty member. "At the time, Cincinnati had excellent public school music programs starting in elementary. We had an orchestra, marching band... and each grade level had its own choir." As if that weren't impressive enough, she added that one of the standard subjects in her class curriculum was Latin, a language that is often untaught in many public schools today.

Carolyn recalls singing Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms in Hebrew at her school. Some mornings, a special class of young musicians gathered at 8:30am to sing madrigals. "What we learned was a testament to the Superintendent of the city as well as the music faculty." Students were nurtured, encouraged to compete regionally and nationally, and participate in the all-city music festival. "This just seemed like a natural process. I couldn't imagine my life having been without music." READ MORE

This month, Carolyn will perform the passionate flamenco based El Amor Brujo with The Chicago Sinfonietta as they present Global Voices. Under the baton of guest conductor Leslie B. Dunner, the event will feature the ancient and beautiful Indian vocal tradition Ghazal, sung by international star Kiran Ahluwalia, and cimbalom virtuoso Alex Udvary joins the orchestra lending another distinctive "voice" to the concert in Kodaly's Hary Janos Suite.

Sunday, March 22, 2:30pm at Dominican University, 7900 W Division and Monday, March 23, 7:30pm at Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center, 220 South Michigan Avenue.

From the drumbeats of Mother Africa to the work songs and Spirituals created in a new land, a path is traced to the blues, gospel, jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, and hip-hop expressions of African Americans that are celebrated throughout the world. The classical music performers have become icons of concert halls and opera stages everywhere.

In charting the story of this great cultural tradition, I invite you on a personal journey that honors the trailblazers and the courageous artists of the past through concerts, recitals, lectures, panel discussions, and exhibitions hosted by Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater, The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and other sites around the city. This vast cultural fabric of the African American experience consists not only of the music, but also the words, the images, and the dances of a people, all providing rich fulfillment of the Langston Hughes credo: "Hold fast to dreams."

-Jessye Norman

Honor! is a citywide festival featuring a series of events that celebrate African-American culture. Expect a wide array of performances and panel discussions at Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater and other venues; musicians scheduled to perform include Gregg Baker, Harolyn Blackwell, Nicole Cabell, Harlem Quartet, Imani Winds, Tania León, Tracie Luck, Eric Owens, Morris Robinson, George Shirley, Robert Sims, Olly Wilson as well as the Roots, Shirley Caesar, Dee Dee Bridgewater and more!!

To commemorate this event, Sony Classical released Lift Every Voice - Honoring The African American Musical Legacy, a newly compiled two-CD anthology of seminal performances of more than 60 years of recordings drawn from a variety of musical genres, including classical, gospel, Spirituals, contemporary pop, blues, jazz and more.

Disc 1

1. Matilda - Harry Belafonte (recorded in 1955)
2. Ol' Man River - Paul Robeson Jr. (from "Show Boat," recorded 11/08/1947)
3. On Children - Sweet Honey In The Rock
4. I Will Move On Up A Little Higher-Mahalia Jackson (recorded 11/23/1954)
5. So What - Miles Davis (recorded 5/17/1958)
6. Let The Bright Seraphim from Handel's Samson, HWV 57-Kathleen Battle/Wynton Marsalis/Orchestra of St. Luke's (recorded 09/28/1990)
7. Du Bist Die Ruh, Op. 59, No. 3 - Roland Hayes (Composer Franz Schubert)
8. Bach's Erbarme dich from St. Matthew Passion-Marian Anderson (recorded 06/12/1946)
9. Un bel di from Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly-Leontyne Price (recorded 7/10-20/1962
10. Die Nachtigall from Alban Berg's Sieben fruhe Lieder-Jessye Norman, London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Pierre Boulez (recorded 07/21/1987 and 09/09/1988

Disc 2

1. A House Is Not A Home - Luther Vandross (recorded 01/01/1981)
2. Night In Tunisia - Dizzy Gillespie and his Orchestra (recorded 02/22/1946)
3. Come Sunday - Part IV - Duke Ellington, Mahalia Jackson (recorded 02/11/1958)
4. Come Home - Andrae Crouch (recorded 2005)
5. Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers (recorded 01/01/1971)
6. A-Tisket A-Tasket (Live) - Ella Fitzgerald (recorded 07/05/1973, Carnegie Hall)
7. 99 Miles From L.A. - Johnny Mathis (recorded 06/16/1975)
8. Guess Who I Saw Today - Nancy Wilson (recorded 01/01/1960)
9. Soulville - Aretha Franklin (recorded 02/08/1964)
10. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free - Nina Simone (recorded 06/15/1967)

Honor! is scheduled to run from Wednesday, March 4 through Monday, March 23, 2009. For more information on the Honor! Festival, please visit: www.carnegiehall.org/honor

The Kimoni Duo, a dynamic and versatile ensemble comprised of harpist Monica Hargrave and flutist Kimberly Felder Scott, is dedicated to performing standard and newly composed literature for harp and flute. Since its founding in 2008, the Duo has been hailed by the media as "two highly gifted musicians" throughout the United States. Its members work tirelessly on their wide-spanning repertoire from Baroque to Contemporary, Pop to Jazz. Both musicians bring attention to detail, passion and skill to the Kimoni Duo's music creating a colorful palette of musical expressions.  

Monica Hargrave studied at Oberlin Conservatory of Music with Alice Chalifoux and at Indiana University School of Music with Susann McDonald. She is an active performer and teacher, who has traveled the country and abroad giving solo recitals. She is the principal harpist with the Albany Symphony Orchestra and is the professor of harp at the University Of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School Of Music. Ms. Hargrave is a member of the American Harp Society, The American String Teachers Association, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. 

Kimberly Felder Scott is an active performer, teacher, and adjudicator as well as the Chair of the Music Department at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. She has traveled the country and abroad as a soloist with orchestras such as the Symphony Orchestra of Peru in Lima. In 2001 and 2008, she was soloist at the International Festival of Flutists in South America where she collaborated with artists such as Antonio Carrasqueira and Cesar Vivanco.  In 2003 and 2008, Ms. Scott was chosen to perform at the National Flute Association Conventions in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Albuquerque, New Mexico where she was a featured performer. A graduate of the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa (BM) and Oklahoma State University (MM), she is dedicated to helping young flutists develop and mature as artists through private study and ensemble playing.  Ms. Scott is a member of the Music Teachers National Association, National Flute Association, Alabama Music Teachers Association, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

The Kimoni Duo performs on Sunday, March 15, 3:00pm at The Colleen O. Williams Theater, Winder Cultural Arts Center, Winder, GA.

[Sonata Mulattica; Rita Dove; W.W. Norton Co. (2009)]

Rita Dove is the Commonwealth Professor of English at the University of Virginia and the author of American Smooth, Grace Notes, Mother Love and On the Bus with Rosa Parks.

-excerpted from AfriClassical.blogspot.com

M&M's: Monica Ellis, Marlon Daniel and Mariam Adam

Violinist Rachel Barton Pine, clarinetists Eric Thomas and Mariam Adam, flutist Wendy Hymes, oboist Althea Talbot-Howard, bassoonist Monica Ellis, pianists Darryl Hollister, William Chapman Nyaho, Susie Garcia, Silvia Belfiore, Lettie Alston and Laura Garritson, organist Calvert Johnson, harpist Rashida N. Black, soprano Dawn Padmore, conductor Marlon Daniel, composers Nkeiru Okoye, Fred Onovwerosuoke and Jean R. Perrault, The New Horizons Orchestra, Kirkwood Concert Chorale of Iowa, Jazz Transit A Cappella, St Louis Children Choir and many more came to St. Louis to celebrate 4 days of great music by African-descent composers!

Click HERE for Day 1 of my journey through Black classical music--FESAAM style. Stay tuned for more entries including those of my now infamous Red Shoes.

Tania Leon

MARCH 5: THE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA OF THE AMERICAS PERFORMS KABIOSILE.  The POA celebrates International Women's Day with a concert featuring Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra and American pianist Jade Simmons.  The program also includes music by Joan Tower, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Amy Beach.  Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd, NYC. 7PM http://www.poamericas.org/

MARCH 8: CARNEGIE HALL PRESENTS HONOR! A CELEBRATION OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL LEGACY, CURATED BY JESSYE NORMAN.  Tania will join Toni Morrison, George Shirley, Anna Deavere Smith and Shirley Verrett for "Impression" -- an afternoon of reminiscences and anecdotes of a life in the arts. Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, NYC 3:30PM. http://www.carnegiehall.org/honor/events/eventDetail.aspx?evt=11755

MARCH 9: TANIA LEÓN IS AN HONORARY CHAIR FOR WINTER HEAT - the annual Latin Dance Party Benefit for the Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts.  Other honorary chairs include Chita Rivera, Sylvia Waters, Arturo O'Farrill, Tommy Tune, Peter Martins & Sono Osato.  Rainbow Room, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, NYC. 7PM.For more information, call 212-247-2244 ext. 577

MARCH 19-22: DO NOT MISS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF INURA PERFORMED BY THE ELETRIFYING DANCEBRAZIL! Inura is the energy made manifest by Exu ("e-shoo"), one of the most important Orixa or deities in the Afro-Brazilian Yoruba tradition.  This 30-minute work is choreographed by Brazilian choreographer Carlos Dos Santos, former principle dancer of Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble. NYU's Skirball Center for Performing Arts.< http://www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu/calendar/dance_brazil>

For more information on Tania León, visit: http://www.tanialeon.com

Pianist/composer William Chapman Nyaho performs on March 28 at the Center for the Arts, Cedarhurst IL.

THE ORCHESTRA/OPERA RUNDOWN:

Mariana Green-Hill - Wartburg Community Symphony
Jeffrey Mumford - Cincinnati Symphony
Brandon George - Dayton Philharmonic
Thomas Wilkins - Detroit Symphony
Elena Urioste - Knoxville Symphony
Andre Watts - Seattle Symphony
Lisa Daltirus - Arizona Opera
Angela Brown - Atlanta Opera
Marquita Lister - Boston Lyric Opera Company                            
Eric Greene - Opera Company of Philadelphia
Kevin Short - Sarasota Opera
Arthur Woodley - Seattle Opera
Awadagin Pratt - Memphis Symphony
William Grant Still - Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra

Your Accompanist make real piano rehearsal tracks for singers. All tracks are recorded by a real pianist on a real piano in a single take. You download them directly to your PC in MP3 format. They can then be transferred directly to any portable MP3 player (such as an iPod or, Sony MP3 walkman, Archos box or iRiver), or burned to CD.

The tracks are ideal for soloists, ensembles, choirs and classrooms, for those who sing professionally, recreationally or secretly. The quality of the... (read more)

All of our tracks are available for instant download, so if they already have the piece you want, there's no need to wait for a CD via post. If you'd like something they don't already have, or you need it in a different key, let them know. If it's in the public domain and they can get hold of the music, they could have it online for you quite quickly.

Dictionary of African Composers. The site takes a while to load, so be patient. Once it comes up, you'll be able to search alphabetically through decades of composers, read their biographies and access their discographies. You may send additions, corrections and suggestions to Alexander Johnson [ This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ].

Making Music Work will be held April 4-5, 2009, on the campus of McNally Smith College of Music in downtown St. Paul, MN. For more information, please visit our website at www.composersforum.org/MakingMusicWork.

If you haven't already heard, HEAR THIS:
Sphinx Journeys, a seven-part radio series, will take listeners on an exploration of music created by composers and performers of color! Each one-hour episode is hosted by Sphinx Organization Founder and President Aaron Dworkin--the series premieres today Sunday, March 1 on WRCJ 90.9 FM in Detroit and will be heard on Sundays at 5 p.m.  Listeners around the world can listen on the web at www.wrcjfm.org.  
               
The first episode is "A Journey of the Harlem Quartet," featuring the all Black and Latino professional string ensemble comprised of First Place Laureates of the national Sphinx Competition. The quartet consists of violinists Ilmar Gavilan and Melissa White along with violist Juan-Miguel Hernandez and cellist Desmond Neysmith. 

Tune in to hear The Harlem Quartet playing music from At the Octoroon Balls, composed by Wynton Marsalis; Mi Menor Conga by Guido Lopez Gavilan (Ilmar's father); and Take the A Train, by Billy Strayhorn.  

Future episodes will focus on the music of William Grant Still, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Ástor Piazzolla and many others. All programs may also be heard online, at time of broadcast, at www.wrcjfm.org and will eventually be available "on demand" at the same site.

Sphinx Journeys is a co-production of WRCJ 90.9 FM and The Sphinx Organization, with funding provided by The Kresge Foundation and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.  WRCJ 90.9 FM is a listener supported service of Detroit Public Schools and Detroit Public Television.

Audition: Singers
Lindemann Young Artist Development Program (New York, NY)
Deadline: 4/1/2009

The Lindemann Young Artist Development Program uses the MET's unique resources to identify and educate young singers and coach/pianists for major careers in opera.  To meet the individual needs of each young artist, the Program provides specialized training in music, language, dramatic coaching, and movement from the MET's own artistic staff and invited master teachers. Along with an annual stipend for living expenses, the Program also funds private lessons with approved teachers from outside the Met staff. In addition, Program participants have access to rehearsals for all Metropolitan Opera productions. Participants are offered a position with the Program for a period of one year with annual renewal for up to three years for singers and two years for pianists. During this period, the young artists' engagements in and outside of the Met are at the consent of the Artistic and Executive Directors. 

For Singers: Auditions for the Program for singers will be held at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in the spring of 2009 by invitation only. To be considered for an audition, you must demonstrate major operatic potential, with an emphasis on both musical and dramatic skills.  After the panel has reviewed your information and checked your references, you will be notified as to whether or not you have been granted an audition. The MET reserves the right, without explanation, to decline to hear applicants. At your audition you should offer five operatic arias, in the original keys and languages. Participants are offered a position with the Program for a period of one year with annual renewal of up to three years.

Singers wishing to be considered for an audition should complete the form below and attach a resume.  Please do not send any additional materials at this time.

All inquiries should be made to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

 To Apply:  submit your resume and complete an application by visiting the following website: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/auditions/young_artists/Application.aspx?mode=singer

Associate Administrator/Director, Vocal Arts
The Juilliard School (New York, NY)

The Juilliard School is seeking an Associate Administrator/Director for its Vocal Arts program that can manage the following responsibilities:

- Oversee opera rehearsal schedules, scenes programs, opera studies classes and coaching assignments
- Oversee organization and coordination of master classes, special concerts, engagements, auditions and residencies involving vocal arts students and staff
- Oversee development and execution of all aspects of musical preparation for all song and opera projects, working closely with the schedule coordinator
- Oversee coordination of all aspects of special concerts including Wednesdays at One, Liederabends and Songbooks
- Oversee master calendar, maintaining and updating information to ensure accuracy
- Oversee dissemination of final casting assignments - Serve on the Vocal Affairs Committee
- Work with artistic and administrative directors to field faculty and student concerns
- Generate and analyze reports tracking information, such as student performance opportunities, coaching requests and coaching hours
- Receive and approve requests for releases
- Oversee the creation and editing of departmental policy materials and the Vocal Arts Handbook

Skills & Qualifications: 
- Master's degree or equivalent in professional experience
- Solid working knowledge of classical music especially vocal repertoire and opera
- Strong decision making and leadership skills
- Ability to build consensus and exercise good judgment
- Must be able to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
- Ability to work well under pressure and to meet multiple deadlines
- Ability to interact and communicate well with people/singers/students/artistic faculty
- Ability to collaborate with staff and work as a member of a team
- Excellent writing, proofing and editing skills
- A strong tendency to be detail-oriented
- Excellent computer skills, including Word and Excel
- Experience managing staff is preferred

To Apply: The Juilliard School has an ongoing commitment to the principles and practices of diversity and inclusiveness throughout the community and strongly encourages applications from candidates who would enhance the diversity of the School's administration.

Please send cover letter with salary requirements and resume to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

http://www.juilliard.edu

Music Therapist/Teacher
Kennedy Child Study Center (New York, NY)

Kennedy Child Study Center has an immediate need for a Music Therapist/Teacher to be responsible for providing therapeutic support through musical expression and movement, including performance and vocalization-by enhancing and supplementing the curriculum of those students attending the pre-school program.

The Music Therapist/Teacher will function in a dual capacity for the Agency. At times, the position will be utilized as a floater teacher for pre-school classroom coverage while also providing individual and group music therapy sessions for assigned children enrolled in the pre-school program. S/he will provide consultation on music therapy issues to teaching and other related services staff in order to effectively participate in interdisciplinary case conferences designed to determine diagnoses and develop appropriate treatment plans for children. S/he will also provide counseling to families regarding the use of music as a means of enhancing their child's development.

Skills & Qualifications: The Music Therapist/Teacher should be skilled in evaluation and assessment of students' needs and have experience in music performance. The successful candidate will possess the ability to follow teaching methodologies as prescribed by the pre-school director as well as have solid teaching, planning, and problem-solving skills. S/he will have a demonstrated creative ability and a positive, patient attitude.

Qualifications for the position include: Bachelor's degree in Special Education or an equivalent degree; New York State Certification in Special Education/Students with Disabilities (B-Grade 2); and experience with the MR/DD pre-school population. Preference will be given to those candidates with a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education/Special Education and those who hold a Music-Therapist Board Certified (MT-BC) accreditation.

To Apply: For consideration, please forward your resume and cover letter to: Kennedy Child Study Center, Human Resources Department, Attention: Jason Larson, Recruiter, 151 E. 67th Street, New York, NY 10065. You can also send your materials via fax by dialing (646) 422-0046, or by e-mailing the Kennedy Child Study Center at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Please note that the deadline to apply for this position is Friday, April 10, 2009. http://www.kenchild.org

Competition: The Alea III International Composition Prize
Deadline: 3/15/2009

The Alea III International Composition Prize was established at Boston University to promote and encourage the creation of new music by young professional composers of all nationalities under 40 years old.

Unperformed and unpublished works of all styles and esthetic directions are eligible and may be scored for any combination of single orchestral instruments, guitar, voice and/or electronics utilizing from 1-15 musicians.  

Compositions range between 6 and 15 minutes in duration and are submitted by March 15 of each year. During the preliminary stage of the competition, members of the Boston University Music Faculty select 6-9 works for the finals.

At the final stage Theodore Antoniou conducts the performances of the finalists' composition, and after the concert a monetary prize of $2,500 is awarded.

The judges for the final round are well known personalities of the Boston music scene. The panel - consisting of composers, performers, conductors, musicologists and educators - aims for a balance among a variety of musical approaches.

To view complete rules, and access an application form go to:  http://www.aleaiii.com/rules.html

Assistant to Two Performing Arts Agents
Opus 3 Artists (New York NY)

Opus 3 Artists, one of the world's leading classical music and performing arts management companies, is seeking an experienced assistant. This is a position where knowledge of and passion for classical music are essential and enthusiasm for dance, jazz, and world music is important. The successful candidate will be highly motivated and extremely detail-oriented with outstanding oral and written communication skills. General knowledge of the performing arts industry and proficiency with Microsoft Office programs also required. This position reports directly to two Performing Arts Agents in the Opus 3 Artists Booking Department.  Responsibilities include contract administration, management of a high volume of phone calls, interoffice communication, distribution of promotional materials, travel and appointment coordination, and other administrative duties as required. This position requires a bachelor's degree and at least two years of prior administrative experience.  Opus 3 Artists offers a competitive salary plus excellent benefits.  All interested and qualified candidates please email your resume and cover letter with salary requirements to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or fax to: 646-300-8222.  EOE

Website: http://www.opus3artists.com

Bookkeeper/Registrar
The Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy (Brooklyn, NY)

The GRAMMY® award-winning Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy is seeking a full-time bookkeeper and registrar to support its choral music education program.  BYCA has over 250 students who range in age from 7 to 21.  The position works directly with families in addition to staff and vendors.  Registrar duties include:  initial registration and mid-year updates for all 5 chorus sections; recording and follow-up on all tuition payments; notification and follow-up on financial aid, and fee collection for all special programs.  Bookkeeper responsibilities include:  daily financial transactions, financial report preparation for the Board and Foundations, invoice payment, payroll and petty cash.

Qualifications include:  BA degree, minimum 3 years experience as a bookkeeper, current and extensive QuickBooks background, detailed oriented, highly organized, a self-starter and a problem-solver.  Candidates must have good writing and speaking skills and experience dealing with customers.  Importantly, candidates must be good team players.  An interest in music or a musical background is a plus.  Salary range is $42,000 to $48,000 based on experience.

Brooklyn Heights location.
Reply by email only to:   This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
No agencies, please

Website: http://www.brooklynyouthchorus.org

Administrative Assistant and Receptionist
The Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy (Brooklyn, NY)

The GRAMMY® award-winning Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy is seeking a full-time administrative assistant and receptionist.  BYCA provides choral musical training to over 250 students ages 7 through 21.  We are looking for a warm, friendly assistant who enjoys children and has experience dealing with families.  In addition to front desk and receptionist responsibilities such as taking messages and transferring telephone calls, the assistant will have a range of administrative responsibilities including:  direct mail projects, database updates, audition scheduling, proofreading, providing information to BYCA families, volunteer coordination and music library filing.

Qualifications include:  BA degree and previous experience in an office-setting; out-going personality with an ease of dealing with people; good telephone skills; ability to multi-task; advanced skills with Microsoft Office, Outlook and Access; and overall well organized.

Hours are 11AM to 7PM Monday through Friday and the salary range is $26,000 to $30,000 based on experience.  Benefit package includes a partial subsidy of medical insurance.

Brooklyn Heights location.
Reply by email only to:   This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Candidates only may use this contact information.  No agencies, please

Website: http://www.brooklynyouth chorus.org

Development and Communications Associate
Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy (Brooklyn, NY)

The GRAMMY® award-winning Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy is seeking a full-time Development and Communications Associate.  BYCA is dedicated to providing  musical knowledge and a love of choral performance to over 250 students ages 7 though 21.  The Development and Communications Associate will support the Executive Director in all areas of fundraising efforts, including foundation, individual and corporate giving and special events, and communications. Responsibilities include work on proposals with our grant writing consultants; production and management of donor solicitations and other mailings; gift processing and gift reporting; and maintenance of BYCA's Raiser's Edge database; upkeep of our website; and assistance in PR efforts directed at presenters, artists, venues, publications and audiences.  This position works closely with our bookkeeper and with our trustees. While the work requires careful attention to implementation and data management tasks, a creative individual who is willing to take initiative will enjoy exciting opportunities to expand our funding base.

Qualifications include BA and a minimum of three years' experience in a development setting; a good understanding of institutional giving practices and donor cultivation; desire to take initiative; excellent writing, communication and organizational skills; advanced skills in Raiser's Edge, MS Word, Outlook, Excel and Access; enthusiasm for our mission of bringing excellence in music education to our diverse body of choristers. An educational background or recent experience in music is a plus.   Salary up to $50,000, depending on experience.  Partial subsidy of medical insurance.  

Brooklyn Heights location.  
Reply by e-mail only to shumphreys @brooklynyouthchorus.org.
Candidates only may use this contact information.  No agencies, please.

Development and Marketing Manager
Midori & Friends (New York, NY)

Position reports to President.
Purpose:  Provide leadership for the planning, implementation and management of Midori & Friends' fundraising and marketing efforts.  Responsible for overseeing a multi-faceted program designed to meet the organization's financial goals which include but are not limited to:  foundations, corporations, individuals (including annual fund and major donors), and special events.  Cultivate business and donor relationships.  Participate in community and professional organizations.  

Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Develop a comprehensive strategic fundraising and communications plan with the President and the Board and implement this plan.  Responsible for meeting the operating budget's income requirements.
2. Manage all aspects of major individual gift campaign.
3. Develop, manage and implement all annual giving and solicitation activities with individual donors.
4. Write foundation and corporation proposals and reports, and research new avenues of funding.
5. Cultivate relationships with foundation program officers, corporations and individual donors to maximize the effectiveness of development activities.
6. Assess and evaluate funding and marketing strategies and results and make recommendation for improvements to ensure adequate funding and publicity.
7. Prepare and analyze fundraising reports for the Board of Directors, as well as marketing materials including the annual report, newsletters and various e-mail communications.
8. Track solicitation progress and provide timely reports back to funders on the status of project and related stewardship activities.
9. Oversee fundraising and marketing databases.
10. Liaise with Board and Development Committee.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
Bachelor's degree required.  Five plus years experience in fund raising and/or communications with a proven record of meeting and exceeding goals.  A team builder with the ability to interface effectively with Board, committee members, partners, and funders to manage multiple projects and ensure success of fundraising efforts. Experience with direct gift solicitation, proposal writing and communications, and event planning.  Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.  Excellent organizational and management skills with attention to detail.  Strategic thinker and planner. Strong research capabilities. Ability to negotiate challenging situations to achieve goals and deadlines.  Good PC skills and database management.  Passion for music, education, and children.

Please send a cover letter and resume to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   with "Development and Marketing Manager" in the subject line, fax to 212-767-0018, or mail to Midori & Friends, 352 Seventh Avenue, Suite 301 New York, NY 10001

Website: http://www.midoriandfriends.org

Marketing Campaign Director
Phoenix Symphony Orchestra (Phoenix, AZ)

The Marketing Campaign Director will be the passionate evangelist for symphony concert attendance and concert sales results in Phoenix, Arizona, the fifth largest city in the United States.  Working as a key partner on the senior team, the MCD will direct campaign creation and development, and s/he will lead the box office in capacity utilization results and reporting in support of the institutional and artistic plans of The Phoenix Symphony. 

Candidate profile:
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of five years experience and a track record of success in designing and implementing marketing campaigns for a professional orchestra.   S/he will have a strong working knowledge of music, artists, repertoire, and orchestra operations.   S/he will have a passion for connecting audiences with orchestral music.  

The successful candidate will be a seasoned professional with senior-level marketing experience and a track record for achieving and exceeding goals for earned income. S/he will be a strategic thinker with superb planning, budgeting, analytic, and organizational, and communication skills.  S/he will have demonstrated success in working with outside agencies, sponsors and partners.  S/he will be an effective manager of staff and projects.  A MBA degree is preferred.

The successful candidate will be skilled in working effectively creative talent in order to achieve the highest standards in all marketing materials.  S/he will be experienced in conducting, analyzing and utilizing market research.  S/he will be knowledgeable about direct mail, telemarketing, and e-marketing, and will be comfortable employing new media and Internet technology for advertising, sales, and promotions. Familiarity with Tessitura will be considered an asset.

The successful candidate will have strong experience in developing opportunities for promotional partnerships and collaborations with sponsors and various community organizations and media.  S/he will have the demonstrated ability to provide a consistently high level of customer service.    

Compensation, including benefits, is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Applications: Please send a cover letter outlining interest and qualifications with resume, salary history or requirements, and contact information for at least three references.  All applications will be treated as confidential and references will not be called without the candidate's knowledge and agreement.  

Send materials to:
The Phoenix Symphony Marketing Search, c/o Catherine French Group, 2500 Q Street NW, Suite 623, Washington, DC  20007; 202-965-0939 (fax); This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (email). MS Word or Adobe Acrobat attachments only, please. http://www.phoenixsymphony.org

Assistant Manager, Institutional Giving
League of American Orchestras (New York, NY)

The League of American Orchestras, one of the nation's largest and most successful service organizations for the performing arts, is seeking an Assistant Manager for Institutional Giving to join its strong development team.

Primary Duties And Responsibilities:
- Support the Institutional Giving department in efforts to raise unrestricted and restricted grants from corporations, foundations, and government sources.
- Write, as required: corporate, foundation, and government grant proposals, reports, and acknowledgments, briefings, debriefings, correspondence to donors and prospects, internal memos, and other documents.
- Prepare and coordinate National Conference sponsorship solicitations; maintain all sponsorship tracking documents; communicate with sponsors regarding their requirements at Conference; ensure sponsorship benefits; and invoice as necessary.
- Maintain and update tracking documents for all institutional fundraising activities.
- Manage corporate, foundation, and government mailing and e-mail lists.
- Assist in the stewardship of current donors and fulfillment of donor benefits.
- Assist in the identification, research, and cultivation of prospective institutional donors.

Qualifications:
- Strong writing and editing skills.
- Outstanding capacities for communication, personal presentation, organization, self-motivation, accuracy, follow-through, timeliness, consistency, great attention to detail, and the ability to handle a multitude of tasks under deadline pressure.
- Knowledge of and experience in foundation, corporate, and government fundraising.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team effort to fulfill the goals of the Development department.
- Strong computer skills (Word, Excel) and familiarity with relational databases.
- Must interact effectively with all levels of staff, volunteers, donors, and prospects.
- Other skills and abilities pertinent to the position include flexibility, reliability, and tact.
- Minimum of two years of development experience, preferably with an arts or music organization.
- College degree required.

Salary and Benefits:
Salary will be competitive and commensurate with the candidate's experience and background.  In addition to traditional holidays and vacation, the League provides employees with a strong benefits package including participatory group health, dental, life, and vision insurance, and 403(b) retirement programs.

To Apply:
Please send a cover letter including salary requirements and resume with "Assistant Manager, Institutional Giving" in the subject line to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  No phone calls please.

Website: http://www.americanorchestras.org