Director Search!

ISO: OUR NEW BEST FRIEND!

Who are we?

The Heart of Maryland (HOM) Chorus of Sweet Adelines International was chartered in 1951, and we are proud to have recently celebrated our 70^th anniversary. We are a financially stable chorus of friendly, focused, and devoted members who are eager to sing, improve, and perform four-part harmony a cappella music in the barbershop style. 

We are excited to grow into a stronger, skills-based chorus, while retaining the loving spirit that is integral to HOM. Our passion lies in community performance, but we also wish to present a strong package at Sweet Adeline competitions. Most of all, we are welcoming, warm, and love to have fun!

What do we want?

 We are seeking a new musical director for the first time in 17 years. We want a director who will provide engaging rehearsals and mentorship to allow us to improve our barbershop skills as we continue to entertain our audiences. We want to promote the barbershop art form through musical expression, and we will support our new director in obtaining appropriate education through the many outlets afforded front-line directors within the Sweet Adelines and larger barbershop music communities. If the candidate is not already a certified director with Sweet Adelines, we ask that our candidate commit to completing the Director Certification Program (DCP) within their first year with HOM. And our candidate will need to be available Monday nights between 7 PM and 9:30 PM, since that is when our chorus rehearses!

What will the right person look like?

The ideal candidate will be a dynamic and impassioned director with the energy and vision to lead us to the next best version of ourselves and beyond. Experience, enjoyment, and appreciation of barbershop singing is a must, as well as experience coaching and directing singing groups. The candidate should be enthusiastic and motivated to move forward with us, fostering a more inclusive and contemporary culture within our chorus.

What will you be doing?

You will have the opportunity to build on the well-respected reputation this ensemble has earned over 70 years of making music and supporting our community.

As a front-line director, you will develop new approaches to teaching music, enriching the skills of our chorus, helping craft our new ensemble identity, and update our musical repertoire. As the face of our chorus, you will be key in attracting new and vibrant members and introducing them to the joys of singing our music.

What are we looking for in a director?

Knowledge:
Experienced director - experience with barbershop music is critical. The Sweet Adelines community provides a rich environment for excellent education in our art form, and we would support this training for our new director through these and other outlets for barbershop music education.

Skills: 
Organized (solid rehearsal schedule, strong program repertoire identified), forward-thinking visionary with strong focus on modern music with inclusive language.

Abilities:
Ability to communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing, singers’ responsibilities and director’s expectations. Ability to teach singers with different learning styles and skill levels.

Availability:

• Monday evening weekly rehearsals 7 PM - 9:30 PM (we do not take off for most Monday observed holidays) in Rockville, Maryland.
• Scheduled performances (weekday and weekend commitments made with director availability coordination; about one performance per month on average, plus multiple in December).
• Annual competition, coaching sessions/retreats, educational events (weekend commitments).
• Social activities such as installation dinners, holiday/event parties, and team building activities (weekday and weekend commitments made with director availability coordination).
• Accessibility to members outside of rehearsal via phone/email/text.

This is a part-time compensated position paid monthly. Salary commensurate with experience. Reimbursement offered for approved attendance and active participation at barbershop educational and competition events. Leave time included.

What do you need to do and when?

 Send your resume and a cover letter detailing your interest to [email protected] ASAP! We hope to start interviewing soon and offering interim directing opportunities for our candidates.