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Request for Applications: Music Chair
California State Summer School for the Arts
2023 Summer Session
The California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA), in collaboration with the CSSSA Board of Trustees, announces a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Music Chair position within the CSSSA program. The Music Chair position is a contracted position which will oversee the Music Program for CSSSA, develop and implement the music curriculum, courses, and music pedagogy, and instruct courses. For a complete list of duties please see the Scope of Work Section below.
Program Overview
Enabling legislation, Chapter 1131 of 1985, established the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) to provide a training ground for future artists who may wish to study and practice the arts, or to pursue careers in the major performing arts companies and commercial and fine arts institutions in California.
CSSSA offers pre-professional training to approximately 500 talented and gifted high school students each summer, hosted by CalArts in Valencia, California for the 2023 summer session. CSSSA offers seven disciplines, including Animation, Dance, Film, Music, Theater, Visual Arts, and Writing. The 2023 summer session runs from July 8th to August 4th.
Visit the following URL to view CSSSA’s enabling legislation: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=EDC&division=1.&title=1.&part=6.&chapter=7.&article=
Eligible Applicants
CSSSA welcomes professional artists with broad ranging skills and experiences in music and music education. Musicians with professional careers, artistic directors, music educators, interdisciplinary music artists, and more are welcome to apply. The Music Chair position shall not be subject to credentialing requirements or any other restrictions upon eligibility for employment generally applicable to public school instructors.
To be eligible for this opportunity, the state educational agency, California State Summer School for the Arts, must have a submitted Curriculum Vitae/Resume by January 25, 2023 at 5:00 pm,
Pacific Time. Please see additional submission details at the end of this Request For Application (RFA).
Ideal Qualifications Include:
• Undergraduate or advanced degree in music, or related field and/or equivalent professional experience.
• Multiple years of teaching experience, particularly of high school aged students.
• Sustained record of creative / professional practice in music and the music industry.
• Knowledge of cutting-edge trends in music education as well as opportunities in the creative industries for young musicians.
• Skills and expertise in multiple genres of music, including music of world cultures.
• Ability to work creatively and effectively with diverse students of varying levels.
• Demonstrated experience with and commitment to cultural and economic diversity in arts education.
• Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability, and able to work collaboratively in a fast-paced team dynamic.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and collaborative skills.
Scope of Work
The Music Chair will be contracted to provide the following services:
• Participate in the recruitment and interviewing of potential faculty and TAs.
• Ensure that the CSSSA contract analyst has complete contract information for each of the department’s hires.
• Participate in the screening, selection, and scheduling process of music students.
• Create detailed supply orders for the entire Music Department with estimates from competing vendors.
• Oversee the music curriculum, including courses and music pedagogy.
• Reside on campus during the summer session and supervise the work of full-time, part time faculty, and visiting artists while the program is in session.
• Instruct courses, and chair faculty meetings.
• Monitor student academic / artistic progress, as well as department policies for obtaining college credits.
• Work with faculty and CSSSA’s staff to resolve student conduct, and other student affairs issues.
• Work with other department chairs and faculty to develop an interdisciplinary and/or multi-disciplinary program.
Contract Status
The Music Chair is to be paid on a contractual basis and is not considered a state employee. The contract is preset by the CSSSA. The contract amount is a comparable level set by the California State University System.
The Chair will report directly to the Director of CSSSA. The contract starting date will be immediately upon hire.
Selection Process
Section 8955 of the California Education Code requires that faculty of the CSSSA Program be annually selected, subject to the final approval of the Director of the CSSSA , and by the CSSSA Board of Trustees, upon consultation with a faculty selection panel convened by the CSSSA Board for that purpose. The faculty selection panel shall be composed of professional artists and arts educators, selected to be broadly representative of the schools, institutions, arts organizations, artists, colleges, and universities located throughout the state. Members of the CSSSA Board of Trustees may serve on the faculty selection panel, but shall comprise no more than one-third of any faculty selection panel.
Upon review of submitted applications by the Selection Committee, select candidates will be contacted for an interview. The Selection Committee may request a second interview with the CSSSA Board of Trustees before the finalist is chosen.
The Music Chair shall be chosen for their excellence in artistic production, direction, and / or teaching ability. CSSSA does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical disability, mental disability, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic which may be specified by law or state policy.
RFA Posting Information
Posting Date: December 14, 2022
Applications Due: January 25, 2023 at 5:00 pm, Pacific Time
RFA Submission Requirements
Applications will be accepted electronically. Please submit required and/or optional documents to CSSSA’s Director, Matthew Gallagher (he/him), by email at mgallagher@csssa.ca.gov. Incomplete and late applications may not be accepted and will be at the discretion of the Selection Committee.
Required Documents:
1. Curriculum Vitae/Resume
Optional Documents:
1. Creative Portfolio/Website
2. Statement of Qualifications – no longer than two pages, and address the following four areas:
a. Please introduce why you are interested in this position.
b. Please describe how your qualifications, professional training and/or experience makes you the ideal candidate for this position.
c. Please describe how as an artist you stay current with cutting-edge trends in Music education as well as opportunities in the creative industries for young Musicians.
d. Please describe your experience and commitment with cultural and economic diversity in arts education.
3. Educational Philosophy
Note: The CSSSA Foundation is posting these contractual positions on behalf of its partner organization, CSSSA. Individuals hired will work for CSSSA, not the CSSSA Foundation.