Concert Coordinator

We are on a mission to champion change and celebrate diversity in classical music – do you have the administrative skills to help us?

After nine successful years of growth, underpinned by a strong mission, clear artistic vision, and successful fundraising, the Chineke! Foundation is looking for an efficient and dynamic Concert Coordinator to manage the orchestra’s library, and support in the planning and delivery of our ambitious diary.

The Concert Coordinator will be part of the projects team working closely with the Senior Projects Manager (SPM) and reporting directly to the Concert and Tour Manager (CTM). You will be involved in the planning and execution of all Chineke! Orchestra and Chineke! Chamber Ensemble projects, including supporting the management team on site at rehearsals and concerts, and to ensure the smooth operation of the orchestra’s library.

This role would suit someone who would be interested in furthering their experience within orchestral management and is looking for a role that will challenge them, working closely within a small team.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Commitment to advancing the cause of diversity in the arts.
• A passion for the arts and prior experience and knowledge in planning and delivering orchestral projects. A good knowledge of the workings of modern arts organisations and venues.
• Understanding of orchestral instrumentation, and how an orchestra’s library operates.
• A strong work ethic and flexibility to work occasional irregular hours for concerts and rehearsals.
• Ability to work efficiently both within a team and independently, working to tight deadlines and shifting priorities. Able to remain calm in a busy role and have a solution focussed approach to challenges.
• Meticulous attention to detail and highly organised.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Able to build trusted relationships with a variety of stakeholders.
• Strong general IT skills, including the use of Mac/Windows and Microsoft Office software.
• Ability to work from home and from Chineke!’s office at Woolwich Works in Greenwich.

Desirable:

• A music degree or equivalent.
• The ability to learn new skills quickly.
• Positivity, energy, and a creative mind!

Job Description

Reporting to the CTM and in coordination with the SPM, you will work together to ensure the smooth- running of all rehearsal and performance activities and be responsible for the management of the orchestra’s library. Responsibilities include:

• Sourcing/hiring, preparation, and distribution of music (e.g. preparing physical and digital music for each concert, including inputting bowings). You will also be responsible for developing and maintaining our digital library catalogue.
• Collating all project details, and putting together project schedules, tour itineraries, stage plans, and keeping track of responses from musicians being booked for projects.
• Assisting with booking rehearsal venues/recording studios and ensuring the orchestra’s needs are communicated to venues in the form of a tech rider.
• Overseeing the co-ordination of instrument hire and arranging for their delivery and return e.g. percussion, harpsichord, celeste etc.
• Assisting the CTM with arranging travel and accommodation when required, supporting foreign players, conductors, and soloists with any international travel requirements and organising official documentation (e.g. carnets, visas, work permits).
• Organising paperwork (recording consent forms etc) for UK recordings.
• Being present at all rehearsals, concerts, and events (both within the UK and on foreign tours) to support with set up, pack down, and other general tasks. Deputising at rehearsals/concerts when the SPM/CTM are not present.
• Attending regular management meetings as required. Preparing and circulating agendas, taking minutes, and following up with action points for the team.
• Gathering data for the transition to using OPAS management software.
• Other reasonable tasks as required.

Terms of Employment

• Salary: Up to £28,000 depending on experience
• Working hours: this is a full-time position, working an average of 40 hours per week including some work outside of regular office hours and at weekend. The Concert Coordinator is usually required to be at all rehearsals and concerts (both in the UK and on tour), so some evening and weekend work will be required.
• The work will involve a balance of working from Chineke! Foundation’s offices at Woolwich Works in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, working at rehearsal and concert venues and working from home. Chineke!’s physical library is based at Woolwich Works.
• 20 days’ holiday per annum plus statutory holidays in the first year of employment rising by 1 day’s holiday per annum for each year of service up to a maximum of 25 days’ holiday, plus statutory holidays.
• Probationary period of six months during which one month’s notice on both sides. After the probationary period, there will be three months’ notice on both sides.

How To Apply

If you have any queries, or wish to apply for the post, please send your CV and covering letter to Ellie Argente, Concert and Tour Manager: ellie@chineke.org

Application Deadline: Friday 6th September
Interviews: From Monday 16th September

More About Chineke!

Established in 2015, Chineke! aims to transform public perceptions of who classical music is by and for. We are doing this by developing the Chineke! Orchestra, Europe’s first majority-Black and ethnically diverse professional orchestra. Our founding was described as a “blaze of excitement and hope” (Daily Telegraph) and “the beginning of something culturally inspiring” (The Guardian).

Since then, we’ve staged 145 concerts and released three full-length commercial recordings, benefitting 350 musicians and reaching a live audience of 90,000 across the UK and internationally. Most recently we delivered our first-ever North American tour, spanning 6 cities and a landmark sold-out performance at New York’s Lincoln Center.

Under the visionary leadership of Chi-chi Nwanoku CBE, our Founder & Artistic Director, Chineke! has become a beacon of innovation and diversity globally in the classical music landscape. Chi-chi Nwanoku’s commitment to excellence and inclusivity is the driving force behind Chineke!'s success and expansion.

Our activities are organised into three primary strands. First, concerts by the Chineke! Orchestra, Chamber Ensemble, and Chineke! Voices, and the new works we regularly commission for the orchestra. Second, the Chineke! Junior Orchestra, which provides development opportunities for ethnically diverse musicians aged 11-22 and comprises courses, rehearsal weekends and concerts. And finally, our Learning & Participation programme in schools and other community settings, also including our new Beginners’ Orchestra.

Chineke! stands as a pioneering force in classical music, dedicated to showcasing the talent of Black and ethnically diverse musicians in the realm of symphonic orchestral performances. Alongside our core focus, we also embrace innovative collaborations that extend our impact and resonate with a wide audience. We've had the privilege of working with notable artists across different genres, such as Stormzy and Max Richter, and partnered directly with the estate of Bob Marley to reimagine Marley’s work in a project released by Island Records. This year, we marked another milestone by becoming the first European orchestra to perform the Black Panther soundtrack live alongside the film, in a special engagement at the Royal Albert Hall. Our current major partnerships include iconic classical music label Decca Recordings, leading cultural centre the Southbank Centre, and emerging arts hub Woolwich Works. In April 2023, Chineke! became an Arts Council England 'National Portfolio Organisation,' further enabling an ambitious expansion of our work across England and beyond.