TITLE: Music Director/Conductor

JOB TYPE: Independent Contractor (1099)

COMPENSATION: $35,000-$50,000 a year

REPORTS TO:   Executive Director with an indirect report to the Board of Directors. The Executive Director will oversee the work done by the Music Director and report to the board on their behalf. Candidate will receive feedback through a formal musician survey process on a regular basis.

THE LBS: The mission of The Long Bay Symphony is to enhance the cultural and artistic environment of our region by providing high quality musical performances and programs to connect, entertain and educate patrons of all ages.

Now entering it’s 38th season, the Long Bay Symphony (LBS) is based in Myrtle Beach, SC and serves the greater Long Bay Region (including Horry, Georgetown, and Brunswick Counties in SC and NC) through dynamic live orchestral performances. As a fully professional symphony, the LBS reaches more than 6,000 people each year through concerts, as well as educational and community programs.

The LBS’s season includes three Masterworks concerts, two Pops concerts, three community concerts, one Young People’s Concert in partnership with the Horry County School District, and two youth ensembles performing two times each season. Supported by the Carolina Master Chorale, the orchestra performs at least once annually with a community choir of over 100 voices. Attendance averages over 400 for the Masterworks concerts and over 1,000 at the Pops concerts. The full orchestra performs at Myrtle Beach High School’s Music and Arts Center with an auditorium that seats ~1,800.

The LBS is governed by a Board of Directors and is supported by a professional administrative staff. The current annual operating budget is $700,000.

POSITION DESCRIPTION: The ideal candidate shall demonstrate exceptional musicianship and conducting skills; conducting experience including work with professional musicians; knowledge of a broad range of repertoire of various genres; strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills; vision, passion, and ability to make symphonic music relevant and exciting for existing and new audiences.

The Music Director is responsible for the fulfillment of the symphony’s artistic potential and its image in the community. They are responsible for overseeing all LBS artistic activities (repertoire, programming, and artistic production) and ensuring that artistic excellence is maintained and developed. The Music Director shall provide a clear artistic vision by providing programming that is imaginative and with a varied repertoire, engaging with musicians and inspiring audiences by making symphonic music accessible to all people, and deepening local, regional, and national relationships to maintain and build audiences. The Music Director collaborates with the Executive Director, as well as the Artistic Affairs, Marketing, and Fundraising Committees to ensure adherence to established artistic goals, budgets, and assists in fundraising and community engagement goals.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Drive Artistic Vision for the organization and uphold the mission through innovative and engaging programs.
• Develop diverse programming in close collaboration with the Executive Director and Artistic Affairs Committee. This includes the Masterworks concerts (3 concerts) and the Pops concerts (2 concerts), Educational concerts (1 concert) and Community concerts (3 concerts) produced by the Long Bay Symphony.
• Design concerts and programs that ensure high quality, challenging, and enjoyable orchestral experience for audiences and musicians.
• Conduct rehearsals and outlined programs and concerts. Music Director is expected to conduct diverse programs at the LBS (Masterworks, Pops concerts, community collaborations, etc.) each season.
• Assist the Executive Director and Artistic Affairs Committee in identifying guest conductors for concerts as requested/needed. LBS contracts at least 1 guest conductor per season.
• Participate in the audition process for new musicians. 
• Maintain a respectful and engaging relationship with the symphony musicians and administrative staff.
• Oversee, mentor, and develop the Conducting Fellow/Assistant Conductor position when applicable.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for the LBS by participating in social, civic and media activities, raising funds, and helping to develop public awareness and raising the artistic profile of the symphony throughout the community.
• Partner with local artistic organizations and other arts groups to grow audiences and develop community engagement.
• Attend Board meetings as requested and the Annual Board Retreat to provide reports on artistic activities. 
• Work with the Board and Executive Director to align concerts with and ensure adherence to the approved annual budget.
• Other responsibilities as deemed necessary and requested by the Board or Executive Director.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional conducting experience is preferred.
• Demonstrated track record of significant professional conducting experience.
• An advanced degree(s) in music. A Master’s Degree in Conducting preferred.
• Prior experience conducting diverse genres of music including classical, pops, ballet, opera, contemporary, educational, and youth concerts.
• Ability/capacity/willingness to be available to devote the necessary time to perform all the activities in the Myrtle Beach area.

TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS:

• Excellent leadership, communication, public speaking, and diplomacy traits
• Capacity to organize and influence people in support of artistic vision
• Interpersonal skills and team spirit, including the ability to work collaboratively with management, board members, volunteers, and members of the orchestra
• A passion for the symphony and its repertoire and an ability to translate that passion into well-coordinated programs and activities that carry out the LBS’s mission

THE COMMUNITY: The Long Bay Symphony is based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and is located approximately 2 hours north of Charleston and is home to over 35,000 residents. Myrtle Beach is a very popular vacation destination in the heart of the Grand Strand, a 60-mile stretch of beach communities on South Carolina’s northeastern coast with over 17 million visitors to the Grand Strand annually. The region offers affordable living, access to higher education institutions including Coastal Carolina University and Horry Georgetown Technical College, and easy travel through Myrtle Beach International Airport.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Deadline: November 30, 2025

Submit a single PDF to musicdirectorsearch@longbaysymphony.com including:

1. Cover letter
2. Conducting CV
3. Please include a section to include the following:
1. Three references (preferably including a board member and a musician)
2. Highly encouraged: Link to performance video (orchestra view preferred)
3. Highly encouraged: Link to a rehearsal video

About Long Bay Symphony

The Long Bay Symphony performs in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with to enhance the cultural and artistic environment of our region by providing high quality musical performances and programs to connect, entertain and educate patrons of all ages.

Connections working at Long Bay Symphony