Position Description: Music Director

The Music Director of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony is the artistic leader of the orchestra. This part time position includes a base stipend for administrative duties and a fee for each concert conducted.  Each season, s/he/they will:

 Performance:

*      Conduct five regularly scheduled subscription concerts, typically scheduled for 8 PM Saturday evenings, as delineated in the contract.

*      Conduct all rehearsals for concerts conducted, normally scheduled Wednesday through Friday evenings.

*      Conduct additional concerts (summer pops, etc.) as scheduled, when the Music Director’s availability permits.

Preparation, Development, and Administration:

*       Participate in the selection of potential new players and the evaluation of existing players. The Music Director makes the final decisions regarding section or seating assignments and the hiring or retention of players, subject to the policies and procedures in the GBS players’ contract.

*       Lead the selection of appropriate soloists required for concerts.

*       Recommend the engagement of suitable guest conductors for concerts not conducted, and assist in programming these concerts, as appropriate, in consultation with staff//board, including a Principal Guest Conductor or Principal Pops Conductor, should one be appointed.

*       Lead the organization’s artistic planning, in collaboration with relevant staff (i.e., Personnel Manager, Production Manager, Librarian, Executive Director) and board committees (i.e. Financial; Audience Development; Music Advisory), including the development of concert budgets with consideration of budget parameters.

*       Communicate with appropriate staff (Production Manager, Personnel Manager, Executive Director) regarding equipment, technical requirements, and venue requirements for performances.

*       Support the Symphony’s marketing, audience development, and development efforts as appropriate, collaborating with other staff and the Board of Trustees, including broad availability for media appearances, audience development events, community outreach events, development efforts, or interviews at mutually agreeable times.

Education and Community Engagement:

*       Contribute to the Symphony’s school-based educational programming and community relations programming as appropriate, feasible, and mutually agreed upon, as decided by the Music Director, staff, and the Board, or hire and supervise an Assistant Conductor for Education or Director of Education, if appointed.

 About the Greater Bridgeport Symphony

The Greater Bridgeport Symphony has been a cornerstone of the cultural community in and around Bridgeport Connecticut since its inception as a WPA Arts Program Project in 1934.  After the war, it was formally organized and funded by the large industries and businesses that once dominated Bridgeport.  Through its illustrious Music Directors -- Daniel Saidenburg, Jonel Perlea, Jose Iturbi, Gustav Meier (for 42 seasons) and Eric Jacobsen (the past 9 seasons)-- GBS has established a high standard for orchestral music in the region, and is a growing force for music education in Bridgeport's schools. The GBS is a contracted per-service orchestra that typically presents five mainstage concerts each season, in addition to chamber music. The orchestra's recent projects include "Blue as the Turquoise Night," an album in collaboration with members of the Silkroad Ensemble, video projects with Colin Jacobsen and Simone Porter, and concert performances with world-class artists including Gil Shaham and Yuja Wang. GBS presents educational programming in the Bridgeport Public Schools and offers a variety of grant and donor-funded music education programs for students of all ages.  During the pandemic, GBS presented live outdoor concerts, as well as a full-orchestra virtual season in 2020-21, returning to a full season of in-person, indoor concerts in late 2021. Professional staff includes a full-time Executive Director, as well as part-time Personnel Manager, Operations Manager, Librarian, Public Relations Manager, and Bookkeeper.  GBS looks to a future of even greater immersion in the diverse community we call home, presenting the best of the classics with new music, enhancing the Greater Bridgeport region as a flourishing cultural center in Connecticut.

 About the Greater Bridgeport Area

The vibrant city of Bridgeport, rich in diversity and recently profiled as a rising star in The New York Times and on The Today Show, is located in Fairfield County in southwestern Connecticut, an affluent, educated, cosmopolitan region. Bridgeport is conveniently located a little more than an hour from New York City, an hour and a half from Providence, and two hours from Boston.  In addition to ease of access to these three cities, a variety of enjoyable day and overnight trips are possible to locations including Mystic Seaport, Tanglewood, the Berkshires, and others.

In addition to an array of beaches on Long Island Sound, there are many performing arts venues, the Barnum Museum, Beardsley Zoo, and Seaside Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, designer of Central Park in New York City. Three universities and a community college add to the cultural and educational landscape of the city and region.

The area is easily reached by regular commuter rail service from New York City, as well as by I-95 and the Merritt Parkway, in addition to hourly ferry service between Bridgeport and Long Island.

 Application Requirements   (all submitted by email to auditions@gbs.org)

      *      Resume/CV

*      Cover Letter

*      Repertoire list for four previous programs planned and conducted

*      References (will not be contacted at this time)

*      Links to Performance Videos

*      Links to Rehearsal Videos, if available

Applications will be reviewed as they are received;  applications will close November 1, 2023. Semi-finalists will be contacted for a Zoom interview in November or December.  Finalists will be invited to conduct the GBS during the 2024-2025 season. The next Music Directorship will commence in Fall 2025. 

No phone inquiries or unsolicited references, please.

The Greater Bridgeport Symphony  is an equal opportunity employer and encourages diverse individuals to consider joining our team.

www.gbs.org

About Greater Bridgeport Symphony

About the Greater Bridgeport Symphony The Greater Bridgeport Symphony has been a cornerstone of the cultural community in and around Bridgeport Connecticut since its inception as a WPA Arts Program Project in 1934. After the war, it was formally organized and funded by the large industries and businesses that once dominated Bridgeport. Through its illustrious Music Directors -- Daniel Saidenburg, Jonel Perlea, Jose Iturbi, Gustav Meier (for 42 seasons) and Eric Jacobsen (the past 9 seasons)-- GBS has established a high standard for orchestral music in the region, and is a growing force for music education in Bridgeport's schools. The GBS is a contracted per-service orchestra that typically presents five mainstage concerts each season, in addition to chamber music. The orchestra's recent projects include "Blue as the Turquoise Night," an album in collaboration with members of the Silkroad Ensemble, video projects with Colin Jacobsen and Simone Porter, and concert performances with world-class artists including Gil Shaham and Yuja Wang. GBS presents educational programming in the Bridgeport Public Schools and offers a variety of grant and donor-funded music education programs f...or students of all ages. During the pandemic, GBS presented live outdoor concerts, as well as a full-orchestra virtual season in 2020-21, returning to a full season of in-person, indoor concerts in late 2021. Professional staff includes a full-time Executive Director, as well as part-time Personnel Manager, Operations Manager, Librarian, Public Relations Manager, and Bookkeeper. GBS looks to a future of even greater immersion in the diverse community we call home, presenting the best of the classics with new music, enhancing the Greater Bridgeport region as a flourishing cultural center in Connecticut.

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Connections working at Greater Bridgeport Symphony