Job Highlights

The Music Administrator & Orchestra Personnel Manager is responsible for the administrative aspects of the orchestra, adult chorus, and dancers (principal and corps) including contract administration, payroll, communication, and the implementation of their applicable Collective Bargaining Agreements. They manage the department’s musical instruments and equipment. As Orchestra Personnel Manager, they are onsite for all orchestra services and performances. 

Join Us!

We are looking for talented, passionate, and dedicated people who are eager to make contributions to our community and our mission. If you are excited about this position but your experience does not align perfectly, we encourage you to apply! You may be just the right candidate for this position or another role at HGO. 

About the Houston Grand Opera

The mission of HGO is to enrich our diverse community through the art of opera. We do so by creating, curating, exploring, and producing outstanding experiences centered around the human voice. HGO has received a Tony Award, two Grammy Awards, and three Emmy Awards – we are the only opera company in the world to win all three honors.

Our strategic focus is two-fold: creating profoundly enriching experiences for our diverse audiences and clearly defining and positively promoting the HGO brand. We believe every team member enriches our organization by exposing a broad range of ways to understand and engage our community and discover, design, and deliver enriching experiences.

 Compensation and Benefits

• We offer robust benefits to full-time employees, including:
• Comprehensive and affordable health benefits.
• Generous paid time.
• 403b retirement plan with employer match.
• Flexible work schedule.
• Professional development fund and opportunities.
• Discounted parking in the Theater District garage and nearby lots, plus easy access to Metro transportation.
• Free tickets to our mainstage and community productions and events.

Key Responsibilities

Music Administration

• Manages hiring for HGO’s core orchestra and all substitute and extra musicians, in consultation with the Music Director; as well as contracting for adult chorus, in collaboration with the Chorus Director; and dancers in collaboration with guest directors and choreographers. Develops dancer production calendars in collaboration with guest choreographers and Director of Artistic Operations.
• Prepares, processes, and administers payroll for all contracted groups, and provides payroll summaries to all artists and personnel as required.
• Organizes and oversees the audition process for orchestra, adult chorus, and dancers; counts the votes for orchestra auditions in accordance with the AFM CBA.
• Communicates regularly with the orchestra, adult chorus, and dancers regarding rehearsal details, production announcements, and reminders. Acts as first point of contact for these groups for all matters, including union contract administration, processing of release requests, coordination/implementation of assignments, resolution of payroll-related concerns, and performance improvement/disciplinary issues.
• Oversees orchestra, adult chorus, and dancers rehearsal room set-ups and signage.
• Communicates with conductors about musical details prior to production periods.
• Arranges purchase and/or rental of musical instruments as needed for all productions and HGO events. Schedules keyboard-instrument tuning, transportation, and maintenance.
• Creates and distributes pit plots, orchestra rosters, and string principals for seating for all orchestral projects.
• Keeps music administration sections of ArtsVision up to date.

Orchestra Personnel Management

• Attends all orchestra rehearsals and performances, serving as official timekeeper and monitoring rehearsals with respect to breaks, overtime, union regulations, and Banda details.
• Maintains a current understanding of and good relationships with local orchestral musicians, for use as possible substitutes and emergency fill-ins.
• Remains reachable during orchestra rep periods to address and solve emergency hiring and contracting issues for the orchestra as they arise.

Other

• Maintains a comprehensive understanding of the union contracts governing the artists which they contract, including HGO’s AFM CBA, AGMA CBA, and Integrated Media Agreement.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Director of Artistic Operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in music or equivalent professional experience.
• Three plus years of administrative experience in a major arts organization.
• Broad knowledge of classical music, classical instruments, and operatic repertoire.
• Ability to read and interpret full orchestral scores.
• Proven experience working with unionized performing groups.
• Strong interpersonal and writing skills, diplomacy and discretion, excellent organization and follow-through.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Pre-existing knowledge of Houston-area musicians preferred.
• Experience with ArtsVision preferred.

Special Job Characteristics

Requires a team player who can maintain calm and deliver results in a fast-paced environment. Skilled in working and collaborating with a variety of personalities. Will have to maintain a demanding and flexible work schedule during production periods. Weeknights and weekend hours required. Requires the ability to set up and break down large orchestra and chorus chair setups, as well as move keyboard instruments.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those we consider important for an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this job: extended periods of sitting, standing, and performing tasks such as typing and using a computer mouse, with strong visual and auditory focus, occasional lifting (not exceeding 50 pounds), reaching for items, effective communication skills, and fine motor abilities, being mobile within the office for activities like attending rehearsal, performances, events, and meetings. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

 Equal Opportunity

Houston Grand Opera is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at HGO are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws or regulations. HGO will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. HGO encourages applicants of all ages.