Senior Director, Curriculum and Artistic Planning, YOLA

Los Angeles Philharmonic Association•Los Angeles, CA

6d•$120,000 - $130,000

About The Position

The Senior Director of Curriculum and Artistic Planning, YOLA, oversees artistic and educational planning for the LA Phil’s Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) program across its local and national programs. The role defines the program’s artistic growth at a strategic level and connects that vision to curriculum and instruction. It directs Teaching Artist and Conductor development, musical evaluations, and the development of YOLA Institute, which provides enhanced musical growth opportunities for young musicians. Reporting to the Vice President, Learning, the Senior Director works with internal and external stakeholders and collaborates closely with the Director of Programs and Instructional Partnerships to align curricular goals, program design, and strategic outcomes. The role leads two full-time managers—the Senior Artistic Manager and the Manager, Curriculum and Instruction—and provides extended oversight to the YOLA Artistic Advisor, conductors, and other part-time artistic staff. The successful candidate brings expertise in instrumental and orchestral pedagogy, inclusive representation in repertoire and learning settings, and social impact through music in a major performing arts organization. Frequent evening and weekend work is required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in music, music education, or conducting.
At least 7 years of combined experience in music teaching, ensemble leadership, and supervision of music educators or conductors, including work with elementary, middle, and high school students.
Demonstrated experience leading the curricular or artistic program of a youth, community, or pre-college music organization, including repertoire planning, concert planning, and performance preparation.
Experience writing and/or implementing music curriculum based on national music and core arts standards, and designing music evaluation processes such as juries.
Experience preparing orchestral ensembles for and collaborating with professional conductors, artistic directors, and guest artists.
Experience managing managers and multi-layered teams, as well as budgets and contracts for faculty development and artistic programming.
Fluency in Creative Youth Development practices and demonstrated effectiveness with inclusive instruction in diverse communities.
Champion and practitioner of equity, diversity, and inclusion in music and with youth.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills; strong organizational skills and a solution-oriented approach.
Fluency in Microsoft Office and remote working tools such as Slack, Google, and Zoom.
Ability to work evenings and weekends.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.
Single Subject Teaching Credential in Music or equivalent preferred.

Responsibilities

Set the pedagogical vision for local and national programs and oversee development of the YOLA curriculum, benchmarks, and lesson-planning tools in alignment with national core arts standards.
Ensure consistent application of YOLA curriculum pillars across hubs, private lessons, YOLA National programs, and YOLA Institute.
Oversee music evaluation processes, including juries and ensemble placement, and use evaluation data to refine curriculum, repertoire, and training.
Advise program leadership on curriculum alignment for new and existing programs and oversee curricular and artistic readiness.
Lead annual and multi-year repertoire planning for YOLA Institute ensembles, aligning repertoire with curricular benchmarks and including diverse works and traditional canon repertoire.
Lead concert planning for YOLA’s regular season, including calendaring, programs, collaborations with LA Phil ensembles and artists, and integration of signature projects.
With the Vice President, Learning, lead artistic development and preparation for large-scale projects, special events, and tours.
Lead YOLA Institute and the artistic and instructional components of YOLA National programs and other YOLA artistic initiatives.
Supervise, coach, and evaluate the Senior Artistic Manager and Manager, Curriculum and Instruction, and set goals and priorities for the staff they lead.
Design professional development and mentorship for teaching artists, conductors, and faculty across YOLA programs.
Direct the development and maintenance of evaluation processes for teaching artists and conductors, collaborating with the curriculum team and Director of Programs and Instructional Partnerships.
Lead recruitment strategy and growth pathways for teaching artists and conductors.
Develop and manage curriculum, faculty development, and artistic planning budgets, including contracting guest artistic leadership.
Oversee artistic operations supporting instruction and performance across hubs, including rehearsal and performance scheduling, the music library, and repertoire-driven instrument needs, coordinating with program delivery systems.
Participate in Learning Department leadership, contributing to strategic planning, departmental priorities, and major events.
Perform other duties as assigned.