Percussion Instructor, Sistema Ravinia Lake County

Company Description

Ravinia is both North America’s longest-running music festival and its most artistically diverse. Over 100 different events by a mix of classical, rock, pop, jazz, R&B, indie, and country performers make up a typical summer season on our two open-air and two indoor stages. Each year the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is featured in six weeks of concerts, many with Chief Conductor Marin Alsop. During the same summer months, the Ravinia Steans Music Institute provides young professional classical and jazz musicians with career-advancing training and concert settings. Offstage and year-round, Ravinia’s Reach Teach Play education programs engage 75,000 children and adults—in schools with little to no music curriculum, in our Chicagoland communities, and at our 36-acre park—in our mission to make music equitably accessible to all.

Job Description

This role is a part-time, hourly instructional employee position that averages 6-8 hours per week. Sistema Ravinia programming runs throughout the school year and 2-4 weeks during the summer.
The percussion instructor will teach students in small (percussion studio) and large (band/orchestra ensemble and/or percussion ensemble) groups of elementary and middle school students participating in the Sistema Ravinia Lake County nucleo. The percussion instructor reports to the Program Manager and will be part of a team of instructors that will inspire all participating students and be responsible for maintaining a standard of excellence and upholding the values and mission for Sistema Ravinia. The ideal candidate will be an extraordinary teacher, artist, mentor, and model for Sistema Ravinia students. This role is a part-time, hourly instructional seasonal employee position.  
Duties and Responsibilities

• Teach percussion studio and percussion sectionals
• Assist with full orchestra rehearsals and large ensembles as needed
• Foster student empowerment and focuses on the holistic education of each child
• Engage students through the development of creative lesson plans that foster social and musical growth
• Active participation and collaboration in faculty development sessions to help create and implement shared ideals, and innovative curriculum and pedagogy that supports each child holistically
• Assess student progress on an ongoing basis

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Enthusiasm for El Sistema and its philosophy of social change through music
• Interest and ability to be a motivational mentor and role model for students, parents, and community
• Superior interpersonal skills

Education and Experience

• Experience working with groups of young children, youth orchestras, or in the El Sistema music education model
• Experience and desire to work with children from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds
• Bachelor’s degree in music or 2-3 years related work experience

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

Additional Information

Work Environment

• Working at Ravinia and Waukegan, IL 
• Working after school two to three days per week (program runs Monday thru Thursday from 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm) with some evenings and weekends required for concerts and special activities
• Interaction with young students, parents and administrators where the safety of the students is paramount
• Sistema Ravinia instructors are expected to adhere to COVID protocols as defined by Ravinia, the state, and schools in which programming is held.

An Equal Opportunity Employer
As an equal opportunity employer, Ravinia strongly believes that diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives is essential to our success and we strive to create and sustain an equitable and inclusive environment for all our employees. Ravinia does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status under federal, state, or local law. We encourage individuals of all identities and abilities to apply.