Employment at MSM

Position Description

Title:  Instrumental Ensembles Associate  (Part-Time)
Department: Performance & Production Operations
Reports To:  Assistant Dean for Artistic Operations
Supervises:  n/a
Internal Contacts:  Students, Faculty, Staff (Production; Marketing, Communications, and Alumni Affairs; Performance Library; Administrative Offices)
External Contacts: Guest Artists
Employment Status: Part-Time (25 hours per week); Non-Exempt;
10 months per academic year; primarily evenings
Salary: $26/hour

Position Summary

The Instrumental Ensembles Associate plays a key role in supporting the artistic and operational success of the School’s Instrumental Ensembles program. This position coordinates auditions, placements, competitions, rehearsals, and performances, ensuring that students, faculty, adjudicators, and production staff are informed, prepared, and supported throughout each concert cycle. The Associate manages ensemble rosters, scheduling, attendance tracking, event logistics, and performance operations while also overseeing the inventory, distribution, and maintenance of auxiliary instruments. Working closely with colleagues across the institution, the position helps ensure that ensemble activities are organized, efficient, and aligned with both curriculum requirements and performance goals.

Domains

Auditions, Placements, and Competitions

Working with the Instrumental Ensembles Office staff, facilitate auditions for placement and competitions.

• Coordinate faculty availability for internal auditions, and provide adjudicators with necessary audition materials.
• Communicate scheduling information with students, faculty, adjudicators, and staff.
• Reserve and coordinate spaces for auditions as needed.
• Ensure audition venues are properly prepared with required equipment and materials, including tables, chairs, music stands, backline equipment, privacy screens for blind auditions, writing materials, and other event-specific needs.
• Tabulate audition and competition scores, maintain records, and distribute adjudication comments to appropriate parties (students, faculty, staff) as needed.
• Collaborate with Instrumental Ensembles staff to track ensemble assignments, ensuring equitable placement and fulfillment of curriculum requirements.

Day-to-Day Instrumental Ensembles Operations

Support day-to-day needs for Instrumental Ensembles rehearsals and performances.

• Maintain accurate rehearsal, performance, and personnel schedules for each concert cycle, and maintain and update ensemble rosters.
• Serve as coordinator for assigned on-site or off-site rehearsals, auditions, and performances, resolving or escalating operational issues as needed.
• Track rehearsal attendance and communicate attendance concerns to students, faculty, and appropriate staff.
• Communicate roster, schedule, and logistical updates to students, conductors, assistant conductors, soloists, the Performance Library, Production, and other departments as needed.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the Production Office regarding rehearsal and performance setup, equipment, and logistical needs.
• Attend assigned rehearsals to assist with setup, take attendance, facilitate transitions between repertoire, and ensure production requirements and stage setups are implemented accurately.
• Assist with concert programs, publicity materials, and other administrative projects as needed.
• Ensure venue green rooms are clean, presentable, and stocked with necessary items.
• Respond to a high volume of inquiries while exercising sound judgment and escalating issues when appropriate.

Auxiliary Instruments

Coordinate the use and maintenance of the School’s auxiliary instrument inventory.

• Maintain an accurate inventory of auxiliary instruments.
• Review and approve instrument loan requests.
• Coordinate instrument availability across departments to ensure instruments are available for rehearsals and performances.
• Monitor instrument condition, and coordinate routine maintenance and repairs.
• Transport instruments for repair or coordinate the pickup and return of rented instruments as needed.
  

Job Requirements

• Excellent interpersonal communications skills, including the ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with individuals and large groups.
• Availability to work flexible hours based on rehearsal schedules and evening concerts.
• Ability to meet multiple deadlines and to coordinate overlapping schedules and activities. Strong organizational skills are a must.
• Bachelor’s degree in instrumental performance or equivalent experience preferred.
• Experience working in a higher education, conservatory, orchestra, or performing arts environment preferred.
• Ability and desire to work collaboratively as part of a team with the other Instrumental Ensemble Associates and Performance & Production Operations staff to ensure needs of the entire school are met.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, in particular Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Experience with databases and scheduling systems a plus.
• Ability to remain calm and composed under pressure even while facing challenges from students, faculty, guests, and staff.
• Ability to lift and transport musical equipment and instruments up to 40 lbs.

Work Schedule

• This position follows a 10-month academic calendar, September through June.
• Schedule is primarily evening hours, 25 hours per week.

Contact Information

Send letter of application and résumé including three references to:

Edward Gavitt
Assistant Dean for Artistic Operations
egavitt@msmnyc.edu

No phone calls, please.

Manhattan School of Music is committed to maintaining an environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Accordingly, Manhattan School of Music (“MSM” or “the School”) prohibits  discrimination and harassment based on age, actual or perceived race (including traits historically associated with race), color, creed, ethnic origin, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, disability, religion, sex (including sexual harassment), gender (including actual or perceived sex, gender identity and gender expression including a person’s actual or perceived gender-related self-image, appearance, behavior, expression, or other gender-related characteristic, regardless of the sex assigned to that person at birth), actual or perceived height or weight, sexual orientation, marital or partnership status, military or veteran status, predisposing genetic characteristics, unemployment status, pregnancy, familial status, caregiver status, sexual and reproductive health decisions, prior criminal convictions, or status as a victim or witness of domestic violence, sex offenses, or stalking, or on any other legally protected basis.