Cayuga Vocal Ensemble Music Director Search 2008

The Cayuga Vocal Ensemble seeks a qualified music director to succeed its current director, Lawrence Doebler, who is stepping down after a tenure of nine years. The responsibilities of the position will begin in May of 2009. The music director will be involved in all aspects of chorus operations including music selection, choice of performance venues, program budgeting, working with the Board of Directors toward long-term artistic and organizational goals, and will lead all rehearsals and performances. Compensation for this part time position is commensurate with experience and the position is based upon an annual renewable contract.

Our mission is to create for ourselves and for our community the experience of music's unique power to touch the human heart and mind. We have a continuing commitment to excellence in the performance of music from all periods and genres, and have presented quality performances of vocal music to the Southern Tier and surrounding areas for over twenty-five years. The group is comprised of sixteen professionally trained singers; membership is by audition only. As the premier chamber choir in the Ithaca area, The Cayuga Vocal Ensemble fills an important niche in the local performing arts community, providing opportunities for young professional singers to gain valuable performance experience with a mature, expert ensemble, the core of which has been performing together for over a decade. A particular strength of CVE is a sensitivity to expressing composers' settings of poetic and religious texts through sensitivity to dynamics and blend, group communication, and pure, focused sound; in this respect, a cappella art song cycles and settings of the mass -- such as recent concerts of masses by Byrd and Palestrina -- have been particularly successful showcases for the CVE. For more information about the group, please browse the remainder of our web site.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will approach this position with passion, energy, and humor, and will inspire singers to communicate through music to their audience. Candidates with connections to the Ithaca area will be strongly considered, but all interested conductors are encouraged to apply.

The successful candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• Minimum B.A. in Music. M.A. in choral conducting, voice, or appropriate related field strongly preferred.
• Minimum 5 years choral conducting experience
• Professional affiliation with national choral organization(s)
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills
• Familiarity with a wide range of choral literature and knowledge of chamber choir repertoire and performance styles
• Comprehensive knowledge of voice and orchestral instruments
• Self-discipline and the ability to make the most efficient use of limited rehearsal time
• Superior vocal and music instruction skills and an affinity for teaching singers engaged in lifelong learning about choral singing
• Keyboard skills sufficient for leading rehearsals and reading choral scores
• Command of languages, the international phonetic alphabet, and an understanding of choral diction and articulation
• Interest and experience in exploring repertoire that reflects the mission and style of the ensemble
• Willingness to represent the group publicly in promotional activities with local media, and actively engage the community at large

How to Apply
To be considered for this position, please send the following:

• Letter of interest detailing the candidate's philosophy of choral conducting
• resume/curruculum vitae
• two sample recordings of recent performances conducted by the candidate
• three professional references (N.B.: references will not be contacted without the candidate's permission.)

Electronic responses are preferred. Please send materials to cvesearch@cayuga-vocal.org. Any mail correspondence should be directed to Search Committee, Cayuga Vocal Ensemble, P.O. Box 95, Ithaca, NY 14851.

Application deadline is February 15, 2008. Interviews, consisting of an audition rehearsal with the group and a meeting with the search committee, will begin in late February. The organization's goal is to narrow the field to two finalists, each of whom will be paid to prepare and conduct a concert in the CVE's 2008-2009 season. The final decision will be made in April 2009.