Assistant Conductor

Cantabile Youth Singers of Silicon Valley is seeking an Assistant Conductor Training Division Director for the 2026-2027 Season.

Position Overview

A member of Cantabiles artistic team the Assistant Conductor (AC) works closely with the Associate Conductor and reports to the Artistic Director. The AC is a dynamic choral conductor expert teacher and passionate educator with an excellent record of cultivating the vocal and musical skills of children ages 5-12 with diverse musical abilities skills and experience.

The AC is responsible for curriculum administration repertoire and performance of Cantabiles Training Division (singers ages 6-11). The AC plans develops and teaches the Training Division Summer Camp and manages Cantabiles Fall Retreat. The AC acts as manager of off-site collaborations with professional arts organizations.

The AC will work a hybrid on-site (Los Altos CA)/remote schedule. Rehearsals currently take place during the week in the afternoon and evenings. Although Cantabile maintains regular business hours rehearsals performances and other educational and concert programming often take place in the evenings and on weekends. The anticipated start date is July 15th 2026.

Other responsibilities include working collaboratively with the Associate Conductor and Artistic Director to select repertoire; cultivating relationships and communicating with Cantabile families; communicating and working with the collaborative pianists and guest musicians; and modeling the skills necessary to be a professional performer.

Strong Candidates Will Possess the Following Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in music education choral conducting or music performance or the equivalent
• Minimum of three years of successful experience teaching music to children and experience cultivating vocal and musical skills in students of elementary school age
• Orff and Kodály training with successful teaching application
• Exemplary personal musicianship vocal and conducting skills and classroom management
• Intermediate keyboard/accompaniment skills
• Experience in teaching a wide variety of music styles
• Demonstrated ability to work collegially with children parents and organizational staff

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously using professional judgment discretion and tact

• Administrative skills that include: music preparation parent communication registration attendance etc.

• Intermediate proficiency in office software (Microsoft or Google) including email word processing and spreadsheets

Other Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience in an arts nonprofit organization.
• Experience integrating diversity equity and inclusion principles into organizational decision-making.

Physical Requirements

This position performs its duties in an indoor rehearsal and stage environment. You must be able to perform the following duties with or without accommodation:

• Stand sit kneel walk bend and perform repetitive motions for the duration of an assigned shift.
• Ability to regularly use multiple modes of transportation to travel to job-related meetings rehearsals performance and events both nationally and internationally.
• Traverse safely throughout each facility leased by Cantabile
• Safely lift move and transport items weighing up to 25 and out of vehicles.
• Communicate in a clear speaking voice to instruct classes

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full-time exempt position with an annual salary of seventy-one thousand to eighty thousand dollars ($71000.00-$80000.00) to be paid in bi-monthly installments plus an additional stipend of six thousand dollars ($6000.00) annually in lieu of benefits ten Cantabile holidays ten days vacation accrual and sick time accrual. The position is eligible for two thousand dollars ($2000.00) per year in professional development courses seminars or training and for thirty dollars ($30.00) per month as reimbursement for use of the employees personal cellular phone.

A background check is required. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the US and must have US residency. Cantabile will continue to make appropriate deductions for taxes and other payments in accordance with federal and state laws. This is also an at-will position; either the employee or Cantabile may terminate employment with or without notice.

How to Join the Cantabile Team

Please apply by visiting our applicant website here. Please include a cover letter resume a short performance and rehearsals video link and a copy of a recent concert program.

Due to our size and the increased demand for our services we are unable to take phone calls about this position nor sponsor visas at this time.

About the Organization

Serving over 200 students ages 6-18 in five tiered levels Cantabile Youth Singers has been under the artistic direction of Elena Sharkova since 2004. Cantabile brings world-class artistic excellence in vocal music instruction to the youth of Silicon Valley by creating a supportive enriching choral community for all fostering the innate beauty talent and individual freedom of expression within each singer and engaging them in performances of the highest caliber.

Recent accomplishments include performances at the ACDA National Conference in Kansas City gold medals at the European Choir Games in Sweden The Magic Flute and La Boheme with Opera San José The Lord of the Rings Carmina Burana and Music of Studio Ghibli concerts with Symphony San Jose concert tours of Australia and New Zealand and the world premiere of the commission We Are the Garden by Jocelyn Hagen at Stanfords Bing Concert Hall.

EEO Statement

Cantabile believes that all individuals deserve to be always treated with respect and dignity. To that end Cantabile provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment regardless of race color religion sex national origin age disability or addition to federal law requirements Cantabile complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including recruiting hiring placement promotion termination layoff recall transfer leaves of absence compensation and training.