Assistant Conductor / Director of Musical Outreach in Vancouver

Chor Leoni is a community dedicated to changing lives through music. For 35 years, we've combined world-class artistic excellence with deep community engagement: inspiring audiences, training artists, educating youth, and advancing the choral art form by creating, promoting, and presenting lower voice choral music. Our vision is simple: to engage and enrich the world through choral singing.

Chor Leoni is seeking a full-time Assistant Conductor / Director of Musical Outreach to help shape the next chapter of one of the world's most impactful choral organizations. You'll work to support our Artistic Director and be ready to step onto the podium for any of our weekly rehearsals or 15+ annual concerts. You'll also build Chor Leoni's youth and community programs into some of the most mission-driven choral education offerings in the country.

This position will be buoyed by Chor Leoni's full-time staff and board, a group of professionals and supporters who are eager to support you in this new position. The scope of this role, and its compensation, are meant to grow alongside the programs you build.

What you'll actually do:

• Support the Artistic Director
• Cover the Artistic Director for rehearsals and performances
• Conduct preparatory and sectional rehearsals as requested
• Attend rehearsals to collect and organize the Artistic Director's markings, and listen for ensemble preparation
• Advise the Artistic Director on issues of balance and other musical considerations
• Manage the choir's roster, attendance, and season participation alongside section leaders
• Liaise with the Artistic Director and Production Manager on score and marking distribution, and manage scores for collaborators
• Prepare rehearsal and performance seating charts and other choir logistics
• Assist in concert production, including lighting, sound, and supertitles, and work with Chor Leoni's Production Manager
• Attend weekly staff and production meetings, plus meetings with the Artistic Director
• Lead youth, education & community programs
• Recruit, manage, and direct MYVoice, Chor Leoni's 10-week, non-auditioned program for tenors, baritones, and basses aged 12-19
• Through your vision, grow MYVoice into one of the most locally impactful choral education programs in the country, engaging singers and audiences year-round
• Recruit, manage, and help prepare the Emerging Choral Artist Program and the MYVoice Invitational choirs
• Create new initiatives that bring choral singing into our local community

Other duties:

• Represent Chor Leoni in public and community settings
• Attend all Chor Leoni concerts, special events, and programs as needed
• Other duties and responsibilities as directed

What you're great at:

• Supporting the Artistic Director and 70 volunteer singers in the preparation and presentation of busy and impactful concert seasons
• Preparing and conducting youth choruses to a high standard of impact and quality
• Piano skills strong enough to run rehearsals and sectionals independently
• Recruiting, managing, and building youth choral programs from the ground up
• Deep knowledge of vocal technique and choral repertoire across styles and traditions
• Communicating and organizing with clarity, especially under a tight rehearsal or production timeline
• Balancing supportive work with an Artistic Director, musicians, and administrative staff, while also leading programs and projects independently
• Engaging communities through choral music in ways that build genuine belonging
• Balancing musical excellence with warmth, humility, and a growth mindset

Compensation, location & term:

This is an independent contractor position, initially contracted for three years at a starting annual rate of $70,000 CAD, beginning on a mutually agreed date within Chor Leoni's 2027-28 season and no later than January 1, 2028. That $70,000 CAD figure is a starting point, not a ceiling. As this role creates new revenue opportunities (grants, major gifts, program-driven earned income), compensation will grow to reflect that impact.

Chor Leoni's leadership expects this role to be a qualified candidate's primary professional commitment, and requires residency in the Metro Vancouver area. We are recruiting internationally for this role, and Chor Leoni will offer guidance and support to candidates relocating from outside Canada to establish residency, including help navigating work authorization.

Equal opportunity & diversity:

Chor Leoni is an equal opportunity employer, and we strongly encourage applications from equity-seeking, underrepresented, and marginalized communities.

Qualifications & experience:

• A Master of Music degree preferred, or equivalent experience leading high-level choral ensembles
• Demonstrated success recruiting, managing, and conducting youth choirs
• Ability to cover Chor Leoni's Artistic Director, including performance
• Experience, or exhibit a strong potential, for building and scaling a choral education or community program
• International candidates are welcome to apply