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Production and Tour Manager

Chicago Children’s Choir, Chicago, IL

Posted March 2, 2010

Founded in 1956, Chicago Children’s Choir is a multiracial, multicultural choral music education organization, shaping the future by making a difference in the lives of children and youth through music excellence.

Mission and Background

Founded in 1956 during the Civil Rights Movement, Chicago Children's Choir is the nation’s largest youth choral music education organization. It currently serves nearly 2,700 children, ages 8 to 18 through choirs in 45 schools, after-school programs in 8 Chicago neighborhoods and the internationally acclaimed Concert Choir. Singers are racially and culturally diverse, with 75% from low-income households, representing almost every zip code in Chicago. With an incredible breadth of repertoire, the Choir performs throughout the city, nation and world, collaborating regularly with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Ravinia Festival and Millennium Park. Recent national tours include Arizona, Massachusetts and Wisconsin, and recent international tours include South Korea, Argentina and Uruguay.

Job responsibilities include:

• Manage all aspects related to booking and presenting Chicago Children's Choir performances and tours.
• Work with Program Director and Artistic staff to manage budget for performance income/expense, tour income/expense, and budget line items related to self-produced performances.
• Proactively seek engagements that enhance the Choir’s image and visibility, provide meaningful performance opportunities for singers, and support the Choir’s mission.
• Set fee structure and negotiate reasonable fees and appropriate ensembles based on client’s needs for all engagement requests.
• Contract performance engagements as well as guest artist/commission/arrangement agreements, and arrange travel and accommodations when needed. Serve as main liaison between presenting organizations/companies/clients and the Choir for performances.
• Ensure that production and technical needs for performances are met as determined by the Artistic and Program staff, and stage-manage self-produced concerts.
• Seek out and book appropriate venues for all self-produced concerts serving as Choir liaison to the venue.
• Maintain the Choir’s performance rights licensure (ASCAP/BMI) and assist in coordinating the production/licensure of any recorded projects.
• Create meaningful Choir tours, managing all details related to touring (budgeting, scheduling, forms, travel, lodging, meals, workshops, sight-seeing, etc.), and work closely with Artistic staff to implement tours.
• Attend all tours to serve as logistical point person and ensure success. There are on average per year four national tours (2-4 days each) for the Neighborhood Choirs and run-out concerts for the Concert Choir, and one major Concert Choir tour (8-14 days). This year’s Concert Choir tour will be to Alaska.

Qualifications:

• 3+ years experience in production and/or event planning.
• B.A. required; must have knowledge and interest in music and performance.
• Committed to working in an environment that is mission driven.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to respond in a calm and quick manner to any challenges that may arise. This is extremely important given the diverse performance aspects of the position.
• Candidate must be able to take initiative.
• Strong organizational skills; highly detail oriented.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple projects.
• Possess high level of energy and self-motivation, and have outstanding communication skills, both verbal and written. The candidate must have the ability to establish strong working relationships with individuals inside and outside the organization.
• Enjoy working with children.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Competitive salary with benefits including paid vacation, medical, dental and life insurance, as well as a tax-deferred retirement plan.

Contact:

Interested candidates should send cover letter and resume by e-mail, preferably followed by a hard copy to:

Jocelyn Smith, Program Director
Chicago Children’s Choir
Chicago Cultural Center, 5th floor
78 East Washington St.
Chicago, IL 60602

E-mail: jsmith@ccchoir.org
No faxes please

 

Chicago Children’s Choir does not discriminate on the basis of national origin, race, religious belief, gender or disability in admission or access to, or employment in, its programs and activities.

 

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