Youth Chorus Artistic Director
Location: Hickory, North Carolina
Position Summary
The Lenoir-Rhyne University College of Fine Arts and Communication invites applications for a part-time appointment as artistic director of the Lenoir-Rhyne Youth Chorus (LRYC). The ideal candidate is an inspiring musician and educator who values both artistic excellence and holistic youth development. Appointment begins August 2026.
The artistic director of LRYC is responsible for leading and managing a well-established, educationally focused youth choral program. The director will conduct weekly rehearsals, plan and lead performances, and cultivate an engaging, inclusive, and enriching environment for students in grades 3–12.
About the Ensemble
Founded in 1997, LRYC is a multi-ensemble program that fosters healthy vocal development, music literacy, and a lifelong appreciation for music. Students rehearse weekly and perform throughout the academic year, including collaborations with the LR A Cappella Choir, churches, civic organizations, and the Western Piedmont Symphony.
LRYC includes three ensembles:
- Minnesingers (grades 3 and above; beginning/intermediate treble voices)
- Meistersingers (advanced treble voices)
- Chamber Singers (select small ensemble for independent singers)
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Serve as artistic and educational leader for all LRYC ensembles (Minnesingers, Meistersingers, and Chamber Singers).
- Plan and lead weekly rehearsals during the academic year (August through November and January through April).
- Select age-appropriate, engaging, and diverse repertoire that aligns with the ensemble’s values and skill levels.
- Organize and conduct performances each semester, including collaborations with LR ensembles and community partners.
- Support student development in vocal technique, music literacy (solfege, sight-reading, theory), and ensemble skills.
- Foster a creative, inclusive, and respectful rehearsal environment.
- Coordinate auditions and ensemble placement.
- Communicate regularly with families regarding schedules, expectations, and student progress.
- Collaborate with LR music faculty and staff to support recruitment, visibility, and alignment with the university’s mission.
- Supervise and mentor assistant conductors, accompanists, or interns as applicable.
- Assist in promoting the program through outreach, recruitment, and community engagement efforts.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in music education, choral conducting, or a related field required; master’s degree preferred.
- Demonstrated experience directing youth choirs or working with young singers in educational settings.
- Strong conducting, rehearsal planning, and pedagogical skills.
- Commitment to musical excellence, inclusion, and student development.
- Excellent communication and organizational abilities.
- Flexibility, creativity, and the ability to collaborate with colleagues, families, and community partners.
Additional Information
- Rehearsals are currently held on Monday evenings from 5:15–9:00 p.m.
- The position requires additional time for concert preparation, occasional touring, and administrative coordination.
Application Process
While completing the application, candidates will be prompted to submit:
- Letter of Application specifically discussing how one’s professional experiences and perspectives relate to the needs of the position
- Curriculum Vitae or resume including the names and addresses of three references
- Link to website, portfolio, and / or performances, if applicable
The position will remain open until filled. Any questions regarding the position or the search process should be submitted electronically to the Coordinator of Community Music Programs, Kassandra Ormsby-Hutcheson, at kassandra.hutcheson@lr.edu.
The university’s mission, vision, and values statements may be reviewed using About LR.
Lenoir-Rhyne University promotes a welcoming campus environment that is integral to the university's commitment to excellence in engagement and education. We are particularly interested in candidates who have demonstrated experience nurturing a welcoming community, working with faculty, staff and/or students from all walks of life and/or incorporating varied perspectives and traditions in their current or previous positions. This commitment is rooted in our Lutheran tradition of fostering wisdom, nurturing vocation and preparing students for lives of purpose while serving the common good.
About the College of Fine Arts and Communication
The College of Fine Arts and Communication is committed to developing well-rounded graduates who are perceptive readers and listeners, persuasive writers and speakers, and skilled artists and educators. Our curricula strive to express, enrich, and elevate the human condition by providing students with interdisciplinary experiences that strengthen their abilities to create, collaborate, and contribute to the 5/15/2026 public good. The college offers bachelor’s degrees in communication studies, English, music, theatre, and visual art and an MFA in Creative Writing.
About Lenoir-Rhyne University
Lenoir-Rhyne University is a co-educational, private, comprehensive institution founded in 1891, with its traditional campus located in Hickory, North Carolina, a city of more than 40,000. The university has additional graduate centers in Asheville, N.C., and Columbia, S.C. Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lenoir- Rhyne is less than an hour’s drive from Charlotte, and the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of about 365,000. The university now offers more than 45 undergraduate and 20 graduate degree programs to approximately 2,400 students. Lenoir-Rhyne University seeks to liberate mind and spirit, clarify personal faith, foster physical wholeness, build community, and promote responsible leadership for service to the world. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Lenoir-Rhyne is open to people from all religious and non-religious backgrounds.
Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy
Lenoir-Rhyne University is committed to providing a workplace and educational environment, as well as other benefits, programs, and activities that are free from discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
LR is committed to creating a safe campus environment for all members of the LR community, including, but not limited to, those who identify as transgender and gender non-conforming. To that end, LR does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex (including sex stereotypes and sex characteristics), ethnicity, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable law.
To ensure compliance with federal and state civil rights laws and regulations and to affirm its commitment to promoting the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the educational program, activity and employment, LR has developed internal policies and procedures that provide a prompt, fair and impartial process for those involved in an allegation of discrimination or harassment, and for allegations of retaliation.
LR values and upholds the equal dignity of all members of its community and strives to balance the rights of the parties in the grievance process during what is often a difficult time for all those involved.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.