QUO Artistic Director Application

Queer Urban Orchestra is now accepting applications for the position of Artistic Director. The Artistic Director receives a stipend and is considered an independent contractor. The position starts on January 1st, 2020 on a probationary basis and is renewed annually in July.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, August 23, 2019. Please see our position announcement below the application form, which contains an explanation of the process and guidance for creating your program proposal. If you have any questions, please contact adsearch at queerurbanorchestra.org.

Your Name

Your Email

Your Phone Number

Address

Occupation/Degree Program

Length of time in NYC

Cover Letter

Resume or CV

Repertoire List (Please include dates, locations, and ensemble names for context)

Season Proposal for QUO (Please create a proposal for the programming of our February, April, and June 2020 concerts. See parameters and additional details below.)

Biography

Conducting Sample (Please provide a link to a video of yourself conducting. This is not required, but it is strongly preferred.)

Should you advance to the interview stage, you will attend an interview on one of the following days. If you cannot make all the dates, choose "Not Available" for your remaining choices. Your interview will be an hour time slot in one of the below time ranges.

First Choice of Interview Date:

Second Choice of Interview Date:

Third Choice of Interview Date:

Fourth Choice of Interview Date:

How did you learn about the QUO artistic director search?

NOTE: If you submit the form but are not sent to a confirmation page, the form did not submit. Contact adsearch AT queerurbanorchestra DOT org for assistance. Thank you!

Position Announcement

The Queer Urban Orchestra (QUO) is an all-volunteer community-based musical organization dedicated to the promotion of fine arts in the New York City metropolitan area. QUO is made up of a mix of talented amateur, semi-professional, and professional musicians. Membership is open to all adult musicians regardless of age, race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity. QUO’s enthusiastic and dedicated members share in the joys of making music at a high artistic level and in a supportive, non-judgmental environment. QUO performs dynamic programs that draw from classical, romantic, and 20th-century repertoire, plus bold, new works, some of which are found through our annual Composition Contest which receives applications from all over the world. The orchestra is especially committed to featuring the works of composers from marginalized communities, including LGBTQIA+ composers, women composers, and immigrant composers. QUO’s devoted audience continues to grow each year. QUO produces 5-7 concerts a year, including at least one “QUOtets” chamber concert featuring members of the orchestra in solos and small ensembles, and our end-of-the-year Pride “Gay-La”. Over our 10-year history, QUO has collaborated with the groups such as the Ballez Company, Puppetry Arts Ensemble, Operamission, Empire City Men's Chorus, Stonewall Chorale, and Melodia Women’s Choir NYC; WQXR’s Jeff Spurgeon; pianists Aryo Wicaksono, Michael Shepperd, and James Adler; trumpeters Paul Murphy and Joe Burgstaller; violinist Lindsay Deutsch; vocalists including Molly Pope and Anthony Roth Costanzo; and our own members via an annual Concerto Competition. Through exceptional music making and community involvement, QUO strives to promote equality, understanding, acceptance, and respect.

Application/Interview/Audition Process
To apply, please fill out the application form above. In addition to basic information, the application process requires a resume and cover letter, repertoire list, bio, sample conducting video, and a program proposal for the remainder of QUO’s 2019-2020 season (January-June). See below for season details. Deadline for submission is Friday, August 23, 2019.

If you are selected to advance to the interview stage, you will be invited to meet the Artistic Director Search Committee in September. Please rank your choices for interview date on the application.

If you are selected as a finalist, you will audition for the orchestra on Wednesday, October 23rd at the Church of the Holy Apostles, 296 9th Avenue at W 28th Street in Manhattan. Your audition will be sometime between 7pm and 10pm (you will be notified in advance of the time). Please mark this date in your calendar if you plan to apply.

If you are chosen as QUO’s artistic director, you will be notified shortly after the audition, and the orchestra will prepare your proposed program (subject to approval and amendment by the board) starting in January 2020.

Job Description

The Artistic Director will:

  1. Serve as chair of programming committee and program three or more concerts per season in collaboration with members of the programming committee and the QUO leadership team.
  2. Be responsible for overseeing the musical functions of the organization.
  3. Conduct the majority of (or all) selections in full concerts and prepare the orchestra at weekly rehearsals, with the support of at least one assistant conductor.
  4. Prepare a weekly rehearsal schedule and notes.
  5. Coordinate and determine programming for member-driven QUOtets chamber concerts.
  6. Coordinate section leaders, principals, and orchestra personnel.
  7. Speak publicly on behalf of the orchestra for marketing and/or fundraising purposes.
  8. Attend monthly QUO board meetings and collaborate with the board on setting the artistic vision of the organization, and on outreach efforts to reach a wider audience.

QUO’s 2019-2020 Season
For your reference in creating your season proposal, please see below our planned programming for the first half of the season and our schedule for the second half. Your proposal would encompass concert cycles 3 through 5.

Concert cycle 1: “Spooktastic!”
Danse Macabre, op.40, Saint-Saëns (8’)
Night on Bald Mountain, Mussorgsky (10’)
Intermission
Malediction S.121, Liszt (13’)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Suite, Williams

Rehearsals: Wednesday evenings from September 4th to October 16th (dress rehearsal)
Concert: Saturday, October 19th, 8pm

Concert cycle 2: QUOtets
Rehearsals start on November 6th
Concert date TBD (late November or early December)

Concert cycle 3:
Repertoire TBD by new artistic director.
NOTE TO APPLICANTS: In your proposal, please include a placeholder for the winner of our concerto competition (20 minutes max).

Rehearsals: Wednesday evenings from January 8th to February 19th (dress rehearsal)
Concert: Saturday, February 22nd, 8pm

Concert cycle 4:
Repertoire TBD by new artistic director.
NOTE TO APPLICANTS: In your proposal, please include a placeholder for a commissioned work (10 minutes max).

Rehearsals: Wednesday evenings from March 4th to April 22nd (dress rehearsal)
Concert: Saturday, April 25th, 8pm

Concert cycle 5: Pride Gay-La
Repertoire TBD by new artistic director.
NOTE TO APPLICANTS: Our Pride Gay-La is usually a pops concert with a heavy focus on fundraising. Here is last year’s Gay-La repertoire for your reference:

LAST YEAR’S REP:
Bernstein - Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
Jimmy Lopez - Man and Man
Mason Bates - Mothership
“Love Who You Love” music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
“The Best of Times” by Jerry Herman
Gershwin - An American in Paris

Rehearsals: Wednesday evenings from May 6th to June 17th (dress rehearsal)
Concert: Saturday, June 20th, 8pm