Middle/Upper School Choral Director

Middle School Division, Oakland, CA
Visual And Performing Arts – Teacher / Full-Time / On-Site

Responsibilities
Head-Royce School is seeking a creative and innovative Choral Director and Advisor to teach and advise in our Middle School (grades 6-8) and to teach in the Upper School (grades 9-12) as part of our Visual and Performing Arts department. We seek to develop our young singers by establishing an appropriate and engaging learning environment and offering varied learning activities. Head-Royce teachers participate beyond the classroom as advisors, club leaders, and committee members. The School seeks applicants who have a strong academic background in their field, experience in anti-bias pedagogy, and experience with and a deep appreciation for middle and upper school students and music curriculum.
This teacher will teach the equivalent of 2, full-year, courses in the Middle School, and 2 full year courses in the Upper School, as well as serve as an advisor in the Middle School.

Courses Taught

6th Grade Chorus: 2 semesters of Chorus (introductory), with a performance at the December Holiday Program . The 6th grade Chorus is a fun, introductory course, intended to give students an appreciation for singing. No prior experience is necessary.

Combined 7/8 Chorus: 2 semesters of Chorus; In addition to classroom learning, the MS choir performs at assemblies, the Middle School Open House, the HRS Holiday Program, and various off-campus concerts. This combined 7/8  Chorus is for students who have some exposure to singing and want to perform more.

Advisor for grade 7 or 8; Support students’ social-emotional learning and growth and provide a consistent homeroom presence for parents, students, and teachers alike when partnering in support students.

US Chorus: The Head-Royce Chorus is an introductory ensemble open to all Upper School students who wish to sing. Previous musical experience or sight-reading ability is not required. This ensemble has several performances each year including the Fall Concert, the Holiday Program and other off-campus performances that allow students to perform for receptive audiences.

Colla Voce: Advanced Chorus; Colla Voce is our advanced ensemble, joinable by audition or teacher recommendation. The ensemble performs often for community events, assemblies, and other performances including the Fall Concert, the Holiday Program, and Graduation. Singers also perform at the Yoshi’s spring concert with the Jazz Band as well as other off-campus performances. Colla Voce also participates in choral festivals or competitions.

Skills
Culturally inclusive teaching practices and curriculum design.
Knowledge of a broad choral repertoire, up to and including contemporary music, reflective of student interest and passion.
Advanced skills on the piano or other accompanying instruments.
Dedication to giving students off-campus experiences such as festivals, competitions, , and other performance experiences.
Collaborative, flexible colleague with experience, and an ability to teach the full range of learners from grades 6 through 12.
Clear communicator with ability to liaise with students, colleagues, and parents.
Demonstrated knowledge of a child’s social/emotional development and developmentally appropriate curriculum for culturally responsive teaching and learning.
Demonstrated understanding of and curiosity regarding curriculum design, varied pedagogical approaches as well as different styles and types of performance and assessment
Possessed of strong organizational skills.

Qualifications
Degree in music (BM or MM).
A strong background in singing and vocal pedagogy.
3-5 years experience teaching Vocal Music
Experience in vocal or musical theater performance.
Demonstrated genuine fondness for working with adolescents.
Ability to participate in an outdoor education trip for 3-4 nights (additional stipend paid).
Understanding and support of Head-Royce’s core values with strong emphasis on equity and social justice.

Additional Qualifications (preferred, not required)
Background in musical theater.
Experience in digital arranging.
Experience in jazz, pop, or modern a cappella styles is welcome.
Advanced degrees/certification in Education or in the Visual/Performing Arts.

$75,000 – $125,000 a year
*Dependent on Years of Experience Teaching and Education Level

Location: Oakland, California
Education: Bachelor’s degree required
Start Date: August 2024
Website:  headroyce.org

To Apply

Interested candidates are asked to submit a letter of interest as well as a current resume.
Application materials should be submitted through our website.

Located on a 22-acre campus in Oakland, California, Head-Royce (HRS) is a pre-eminent, co-educational, independent, K-12 day school with a 137-year history. Our mission is to inspire in our students a lifelong love of learning and pursuit of academic excellence, to promote understanding of and respect for diversity that makes our society strong and to encourage active and responsible global citizenship.

Head-Royce enrolls 900 students in the three separate divisions—Lower, Middle and Upper—and provides a dynamic, whole-child education to every student.

Please note – HRS is unable to provide immigration sponsorships such as H1B Visas. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States and be willing to undergo both Livescan background check and TB screening as part of the hiring process.

Head Royce is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions including but not limited to employment, training, promotion, demotion, transfer, leaves of absence and termination based on qualifications and without regard to protected status. We will not discriminate based on age, color, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, national origin or ancestry, race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), religion, registered domestic partner status, physical or mental disability, a medical condition including genetic characteristics, military or veteran status, reproductive health decision making or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state or local laws Head-Royce School seeks to be a community in which every individual is treated with sensitivity, courtesy and respect.

Tagged as: K-12