Posted: 23-Feb-26
Location: Tacoma, Washington
Type: Part Time
Salary: $100,000–$110,000
Aspen Leadership Group is pleased to partner with Symphony Tacoma in the search for a Music Director.
As a professional regional orchestra in the Pacific Northwest, Symphony Tacoma seeks a Music Director of the highest artistic ambition and seasoned professional experience. The organization is poised to advance to its next phase of growth as a regional artistic and educational resource and a leading performing arts institution. In partnership with a new artistic leader, Symphony Tacoma will continue building a distinct identity defined by creative programming, community relevance, and artistic vibrancy.
The ideal Music Director for Symphony Tacoma is an artist of genuine stature who combines high musical standards with deep humanity, curiosity, and civic instinct. This leader brings the artistic credibility and professional gravitas expected of a top-tier regional orchestra, while also possessing the emotional intelligence and authenticity to connect meaningfully with musicians, audiences, and community members alike. They are equally compelling on the podium and off, able to inspire trust, enthusiasm, and pride through their musicianship, communication, and presence. Rather than leading from distance or prestige alone, this Music Director is approachable, grounded, and sincerely invested in people, while also embodying the confidence, clarity, and authority that signal artistic excellence.
This Music Director is energized by Tacoma itself and is eager to learn the city’s rhythms, histories, and aspirations while building authentic relationships across its cultural, educational, and civic landscape. They understand the Orchestra’s role as both a steward of the classical tradition and a living community institution, and they are motivated by the challenge of balancing artistic ambition with relevance, accessibility, and belonging. Through thoughtful, wide-ranging programming and visible civic engagement, this leader invites new audiences into the concert hall while deepening the connection of longtime supporters. They care deeply about young people and music education, value collaboration with schools and community partners, and approach audience development as a long-term, relationship-driven effort. Above all, the ideal candidate believes that Symphony Tacoma can be both a source of artistic excellence and an essential point of shared pride in the life of the city, and they are excited to help lead the orchestra into its next chapter.
For 79 years, Symphony Tacoma has been a vital part of Tacoma’s cultural landscape, inspiring audiences through live musical experiences that both honor tradition and push beyond it. Founded in 1946 by 30 volunteer musicians from the University of Puget Sound, the organization was professionalized in 1993 under the leadership of Harvey Felder, now Conductor Laureate. Today, more than 80 professional musicians and a volunteer chorus of 70 perform annually for nearly 20,000 residents across Pierce County and the greater Puget Sound region.
Symphony Tacoma’s core season includes five main-series classical concerts, holiday choral pops, an annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, and educational concerts. Performances are presented primarily at the historic Pantages Theater, where Symphony Tacoma has been a principal resident arts organization for more than 30 years. The orchestra partners with a dynamic range of global soloists and visiting composers, presenting adventurous programming designed to serve and inspire Tacoma’s community. Symphony Tacoma is widely recognized as a flagship musical organization within a vibrant regional ecosystem of professional and community-based ensembles. Symphony Tacoma further engages the community through a trio of education programs—Mini Maestros, Simply Symphonic, and Symphony 2U—as well as through community events designed to expand access to classical music beyond the concert hall. Collectively, these programs serve more than 7,000 people annually, from early childhood through adulthood.
- The successful candidate will have served as Music Director of at least one professional orchestra. Preferred qualifications include a master’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience, as well as a minimum of eight years of senior artistic leadership experience in roles such as Music Director or Chief Artistic Officer.
- Please submit applications by April 1, 2026. Guest finalists will be invited to conduct the Orchestra in the 2027-28 season. The 2028-2029 season will be the first for the selected Music Director. All applications must include a personal letter of interest from the candidate and a resume of no more than 10 pages. No phone inquiries, please.
- The Music Director role is a part-time, contracted engagement, with an annual base salary of $100,000–$110,000. This position does not include benefits.
If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or participating in the selection process, please contact Chris Wingert at chriswingert@aspenleadershipgroup.com.
To apply for this position, visit: https://opportunities.aspenleadershipgroup.com/opportunities/5834.