JOB DESCRIPTION
TITLE: YOLA at HOLA and Music Program Director DEPARTMENT: Music Department REPORTS TO: Heart of Los Angeles Executive Director FLSA: Exempt Hours: 40+ / Benefits offered upon completion of successful 90 day probationary period st
Start Date: April 1 2015
Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) provides underserved youth with exceptional programs in academics, arts and athletics within a nurturing environment, empowering them to develop their potential, pursue their education and strengthen their communities. Our core values are: Respect, Responsibility, Positive Communication and Support. Youth Orchestra LA (YOLA) is the Los Angeles Philharmonic's initiative, supported by a network of stakeholders, to provide access to exceptional instrumental and orchestral education in order to promote youth development. Central to YOLA is the LA Phil's plan to build, with community partners, intensive youth orchestra programs in underserved Los Angeles communities. Position Summary The YOLA at HOLA and Music Program Director provides leadership for the HOLA Music Department, collaborating with other HOLA departments and working in full partnership with the LA Phil for the YOLA program. The Director is responsible for fulfilling and shaping the vision for the HOLA Music Department and YOLA at HOLA, working in conjunction with the LA Phil and YOLA conductor to continue the th program’s trajectory of becoming a full 1-12 grade system of El Sistema-inspired music education, with a particular emphasis on implementing the high school design. The Director is responsible for supporting, inspiring and motivating a large faculty to uphold HOLA’s mission and the ideals of El Sistema in order to create a nurturing environment in which teachers, students and families thrive musically and socially. Program Background The HOLA Music Department serves hundreds of children through rock bands, jazz bands, choirs and YOLA at HOLA. YOLA at HOLA is a full, cost sharing partnership between Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) and the LA Phil to provide underserved youth with access to quality music education. YOLA at HOLA is the second site of Gustavo Dudamel’s signature program Youth Orchestra LA, inspired by El Sistema, the Venezuelan music education system that provides a quarter million child with free musical instruments and music instruction. Over the last twenty years, Heart of Los Angeles has become a home-away-from-home for
countless numbers of inner city youth. Now in its fifth year, YOLA at HOLA reaches hundreds of students with a rich music curriculum focused on cultivating a caring, cooperative and fun community. The instruments and the program are free to all participating students as long as they uphold their contract to take care of the instrument, practice, and participate in YOLA at HOLA music programming. Participating students come from within a five-mile radius of HOLA community center, located in and around Lafayette Park, Los Angeles. Since HOLA began 25 years ago, the HOLA Music Program has supported the musical development of neighborhood youth. Today, students have the opportunity to learn through the HOLA Jazz Program and the HOLA Rock Program, which serve beginning to advanced young musicians with free, afterschool music education. Position Essential Duties and Responsibilities The YOLA at HOLA and Music Program Director must: •
•
•
§ § § § §
Lead the development, growth and documentation of the HOLA Music Program: o Use artistic and youth development vision to design program schedule and logistics o Recruit and hire faculty to fulfill vision o Support the HOLA Development Team and Executive Director in efforts to raise funds to support expansion Manage a large team of teaching artists, academic tutors and administrative staff using a shared leadership model to: o Support teaching artist and academic tutors with curriculum development, classroom culture and professional development o Manage and support the work load and priorities of the YOLA at HOLA Coordinator and HOLA Music Coordinator in order to maintain essential program logistics, such as student database, master calendar, instrument database and supply inventory o Facilitate weekly faculty meetings to encourage effective collaboration o Observe faculty in programming in order to offer regular feedback and to administer annual reviews Effectively manage and develop multiple complex partnerships that involve internal staff and stakeholders, as well as external partners and stakeholders including but not limited to: The LA Phil, The Longy School of Music of Bard College, The USC Brain and Creativity Institute, The Promise Zone, community partners, parents, surrounding school district and public officials. Managing evaluation, assessment, and documentation of the Music Department, providing timely updates, reports and recommendations for improvement Collaborate with the YOLA manager and the YOLA conductor on YOLA wide events and orchestra development Overseeing student probation efforts, making important calls to families in need or crisis, or where problems exist Working closely with Parent & Community Resource Director and HOLA’s Licensed Clinical Social Worker and staff to coordinate additional mental health services as needed and monitor progress within HOLA programming Participating in weekly HOLA staff meetings with HOLA Directors and Administration
Other Duties & Responsibilities • • •
May perform other duties as assigned. Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community. Ability to be a strong role model for youth during all working hours.
Minimum Qualifications (Education, Experience, Skills) • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • •
Strong commitment to the ideals and mission of El Sistema and Heart of Los Angeles Thorough understanding of different music education pedagogies, particularly for youth, and the culture of orchestras, choirs and/or community music schools Ability to communicate and work with multiple constituencies Demonstrated experience working with underserved communities and marginalized populations Demonstrable experience working with music teachers and students Experience working in community settings with a track record of achieving shared goals and successful program execution with multiple stakeholders and agendas Experience in collaborative program design and development coupled with a successful track record of sustainable implementation and execution of large-scale projects Excellent verbal and written communication skills with demonstrable ability to effectively facilitate meetings and present publicly and provide professional and appropriate business level written information utilizing various media Broad orchestral training and experience with a strong knowledge of orchestral repertoire Ability to work well on a team and in a high-pressure, multi-tasking environment Strong desktop computer skills (business professional level) and excellent time management and organizational skills Ability to work with diverse personalities and populations Ability to work cooperatively in a small open workplace environment Knowledge of state or national learning standards preferred Spanish or Korean proficiency preferred Must pass background check Local travel, as well as evening and weekend availability Valid CA license, clean driving DMV record, full insurance
Physical Demands and Work Environment The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The building environment does not provide air conditioning and heat in all areas. Outdoor work is expected in some cases. Permission to Photograph I give my consent for photographs, video or any other medium to be taken of me at HOLA’s discretion. HOLA has the right to reproduce, distribute, sell, transmit, publish, exhibit or otherwise use any and all photographs, video or other materials in which I may appear, or any portion thereof, on any platforms it uses now or will use in the future.
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will posses the skills aptitudes and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will� relationship.
To apply, please submit your cover letter and resume to yola@heartofla.org by March 1st 2015