Summer Student Teaching Artist - Vancouver

About SoM

The Sarah McLachlan School of Music (SoM) is a registered charity serving over 600 students per year in Vancouver, Surrey and Edmonton. Founded in 2002 as an outreach project by Sarah McLachlan, SoM’s mission is to strengthen the well-being of children, youth and adults 55+ by providing barrier free access to the transformative power of musical learning, expression and community.​
More details about the school and program can be found at https://www.sarahschoolofmusic.com/

SoM’s Vision
Transforming lives through the power of music.

SoM’s Purpose
Building inclusive and barrier-free communities of musical learning where children and youth find their voice.

SoM’s Values
Acceptance • Care • Collaboration • Commitment • Curiosity • Flexibility • Innovation • Social Responsibility

About the role

We are looking for multidisciplinary Summer Camp Teaching Artists to join our team in hosting our student orientation Summer Camps this July 2024!
We have three (3) open positions to fill at our Vancouver site located in Mount Pleasant.
The successful candidate will need to be available to work from 10AM to 4PM on the following dates:

  • July 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th

  • July 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th

  • July 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th

Successful candidates will also be invited to attend a 2-hr paid training session in late June.

Candidates who can demonstrate specialization in the below categories will be prioritized. Please highlight this clearly in your cover letter.

  • Specialization in Piano

  • Specialization in Electronic Music Production, Hip Hop and/or Turntablism/DJ skills

  • Specialization in Percussion, Drumming and music-making with children under 12

This is a fixed term contract position, paid hourly. The compensation for this position is $40 per hour.

Interested and successful Teaching Artists will be considered candidates to join the permanent Teaching Artist team upon Summer Camp completion.
The Teaching Artist is a valued member of SoM's teaching faculty that reports to the Programming Team. This instructional position plays a key role ensuring that SoM’s mission, values and community building objectives are met; that unique student interest and learning is engaged and supported through clear, transparent communication, and encouragement of creative collaboration. The Teaching Artist works with fellow colleagues to facilitate SoM’s learning environment, contributing perspective and resources that impact student experience. The position plays an integral role in implementing SoM’s program vision.

This position requires presence on site at SoM's Vancouver location during work hours. 

Ready to get started….?

Your days will be filled with…

  • Teaching and Mentorship:

    • Playing an active instructional role in all daily programming activities, adapting to individual student needs and levels of ability 

    • Liaising with the Programming Team on program vision and effectiveness

    • Maintaining, developing and implementing relevant programming (onsite and offsite)

    • Collaborating in program adaptations and plans with the Programming Team 

    • Developing individual learning outcomes and directional support for all students

    • Managing issues of attendance and engagement among students

    • Caring for SoM spaces (hallways, studios and instrument maintenance)

    • Participating in peer mentorship, ongoing peer review and programming portfolios

  • Student Well Being:

    • Committing to provide enriching and engaging musical experiences for students with varying interest, ability and background 

    • Striving to strengthen the well-being of your students by nurturing their creative development, increasing their musical skill set, assisting them to achieve personal goals, and solidifying their sense of belonging and community. 

    • Developing and share ideas on how to optimize opportunity, impact and student engagement 

  • Relationship Building:

    • Acting as an ambassador to the school in all settings, supporting the mission of SoM

    • Initiating and developing relationships and communications with outside educational partners

    • Representing the organization in the community.

You will be successful in this position if you have...

  • University Education/Professional training in music and/or a related field is an asset

  • Five to ten years of experience as a music instructor and performing artist

  • Demonstrated social-emotional empathy

  • Proven excellence in music instruction and ability to work constructively with other Instructors

  • Demonstrated ability to work under pressure with grace, resolve problems, take initiative, and exercise sound judgment

  • Ability to identify potential program areas and to develop and implement effective solutions

  • Ability to work independently and in a team environment

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

The ideal Teaching Artist is: 

  • An Effective communicator - able to get your message across clearly and concisely both musically and in written / spoken English 

  • A Natural collaborator - able to quickly connect and build relationships with a diverse group of people of varying ages and experience

  • Passionate and curious - you question the status quo, and are open to try new ways of doing things

  • Committed to student engagement and creative problem solving - guided by artistic good judgment, equitable considerations, care and discretion in dealing with sensitive matters, you strive to provide the best possible learning experience for our students 

  • Inclusive and Respectful - actively contributes toward creating an inclusive, welcoming and safe environment, where everyone feels they belong

  • A mentor that inspires commitment to strengthening community through music - confident sharing your artistry, communication, design, technology and musical skills to deliver impactful collaborative experiences

You’ll love it here because...

  • Your role will be creative, varied and challenging. You’ll be encouraged to set your own goals, and achieve them in the way that you best see fit

  • You’ll be a part of creating a culture which is truly diverse and inclusive, where everyone can be themselves, and be empowered to thrive in the work that they do.

  • You’ll be working in an environment where your contributions will be valued and recognized. We will support you to grow your career with us, we’ll have regular, ongoing conversations with you about your performance and development needs.

  • We’ll support you to find a working arrangement that is right for you, and that enables you to find a balance between personal and work commitments.

  • Your work will be making a real difference; helping us in our mission to strengthen the well-being of children, youth and adults 55+ by providing barrier free access to the transformative power of musical learning, expression and community.  

Interested?

If you’re excited by what you have read, we would love to hear from you!

We’ve included the “wish list” of our ideal candidate above, but we realize that everyone comes to the table with a different background and skill set. If you are excited about the prospect of working for us, and can demonstrate that you can do most of what we’re looking for, we would welcome an application from you.

Sarah McLachlan School of Music (SoM) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to an inclusive and safe work environment for people of all backgrounds.

While we thank all applicants, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Posting closes at the end of day on Wednesday May 31st, 2024.

All applications must be submitted via indeed.com and should include the following:

  • A resume outlining your most relevant experience along with up to 3 samples of your work

  • A cover letter, telling us a little more about you and why you are interested in joining the SoM team.

  • Anything else that you think demonstrates why you would be a great addition to our team.