Music Career Counselor

THE ATLANTA MUSIC PROJECT

ANNOUNCES FULL-TIME JOB OPENING FOR

MUSIC CAREER COUNSELOR

Full-Time, Starting January 2024

NOTE TO APPLICANTS:

Please follow application instructions listed at the end of this job description.

Summary of Position

The Atlanta Music Project seeks a dependable, motivated, detail-oriented individual to take on the position of Music Career Counselor.

The Music Career Counselor will provide support to students interested in pursuing a degree or career in music by aiding in the college/conservatory selection and application process, professional audition process, and selection of summer enrichment programs and festivals. This position reports to the Director of College and Career Services.  

The successful candidate will have at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance, extensive experience in/knowledge of academic and professional audition processes, understanding of both instrumental and vocal techniques, and a passion for helping students achieve their academic and professional goals, and demonstrate an unyielding commitment to the success of the AMP organization and its students. 

About the Atlanta Music Project

Founded in 2010, the Atlanta Music Project provides world-class music training supporting youth growth and development. Operating in under-resourced communities, AMP’s mission is to empower youth to realize their possibilities through music. 

In addition to after-school learning sites providing band, orchestra and choir instruction, AMP's programs include: the AMP Academy, providing advanced musical training to AMP’s most talented and dedicated students; the AMP Preparatory School for elementary school-aged musicians; the AMP Summer Series, a music festival and school; and the AMP Youth Orchestras and Choirs. AMP also has a college and career program supporting AMP alumni. With a projected 2023-20224 annual operating budget of $3.0MM, AMP will serve over 700 young musicians.

AMP music ensembles perform more than 60 concerts annually, performing in venues all across Atlanta, from community centers to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. AMP music ensembles have performed alongside international stars such as the Harlem Quartet, electric violinist Lindsey Stirling, cellist Sterling Elliott, operatic baritone Ed Parks, rapper Lecrae, R&B singer Monica, and The Imani Winds. AMP musicians can be seen performing with rapper T.I. on NPR's Tiny Desk concert series. 

AMP's young musicians have successfully auditioned for Georgia All-State ensembles, the Atlanta Opera, and have concertized as far away as Los Angeles, Aspen, Mexico City and Scotland. AMP is a 2019 winner of ArtsATL’s Luminary Award for Arts Education and a 2018 winner of Emory University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award. In 2016 and 2017, the White House named AMP one of the top 50 youth arts programs in the nation.

AMP’s existence is a direct result of the 2009 TED Prize, which was awarded to Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu, founder of Venezuela’s El Sistema. AMP’s co-founders were members of the Sistema Fellows Program at the New England Conservatory in Boston. 

AMP’s current and past funders include the Chestnut Family Foundation, Carnegie Hall, PwC, Bank of America, the Chick-fil-A Foundation, the Coca-Cola Foundation, Mailchimp, The Zeist Foundation, the Abraham J. & Phyllis Katz Foundation, the Harland Charitable Foundation, the Arthur M. Blank Foundation, Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, Fulton County Arts Council, Georgia Council for the Arts, Georgia Music Foundation and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. 

AMP’s partners and collaborators include the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation, Atlanta Public Schools, Clayton State University, and the Chestnut Family Foundation. 

AMP is a member of “El Sistema USA,” the National Alliance of El Sistema Inspired Programs. 

Key Duties of the Music Career Counselor

• Guide students through the music-specific college application process from selecting schools, tracking deadlines, managing repertoire, and submitting supporting audition materials
• Coach students through recording auditions that reflect AMP's performance standards
• Work with students, families, and teaching faculty to create a pathway for specific interest in music major and/or music career individual to each student
• Provide opportunities for all of our potential music majors to have experience auditioning and competing prior to their senior year of high school
• Help students prepare audition skills and best practices
• Work with Director of College and Career Services to expose students to a variety of career opportunities in music
• Match students with scholarships and competitions that will make them a competitive applicant to colleges and universities as well as professional positions
• Connect alumni with summer festivals and performance opportunities
• Support the Director of College and Career Services in the execution of the Annual AMP College Fair
• Support the Director of College and Career Services in other administrative tasks
• Serve the students of the Atlanta Music Project to help them succeed after graduation and beyond

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Music Performance
• Professional or lived experience with higher education music admissions
• Extensive performance experience at college/conservatory and professional level
• Extensive experience in/knowledge of academic and professional audition processes
• Skilled in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Docs

Candidate Profile and Skills:

• Understanding of both instrumental and vocal techniques
• Intrinsic desire to execute and contribute work of outstanding quality
• Ability to learn new systems and procedures
• Understand the importance of confidentiality
• Possess a high level of discretion and diplomacy
• High integrity, dependable and self-motivated
• Natural curiosity and creativity
• Superior organization skills, both cloud-based and office-based
• Superior time-management skills and ability to meet deadlines
• Possesses extreme optimism and tenacity, especially in the face of challenging, high-pressure situations
• Entrepreneurial and innovative spirit who thrives in a fast-paced and ever-changing work environment
• Impeccable communication skills, both written and oral
• Knowledge of the arts education (particularly music) and youth development

Additional Work Demands

• Must be willing and able to work some evenings and weekends 

Notes: The Music Career Counselor is a full-time position starting January 2024. Salary range is $45,000 - $65,000, commensurate with experience. Benefits include company health insurance and 401K. Background check required. 

To Apply:

Email the cover letter, resume, and three professional references in PDF format to jobs@atlantamusicproject.org with subject “Music Career Counselor.” Applications will be accepted through December 1, 2023. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis.

It is the policy of the Atlanta Music Project not to discriminate against any applicant for employment, or any employee because of age, color, sex, disability, national origin, race, religion, or veteran status.