Choir Director (Grades 5-12)

Job Description

Job Description

Choir Director (Grades 5-8)

Job Description:

Job Title:  Choir Director (Grades 5–8) (the “Director”)

Department: Grades

Reports to: Grades Director

Classification: Part-Time Faculty Position, 2026–2027 School Year

Compensation: Depends on Qualifications and Experience

How to Apply

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Grades Director

Austin Waldorf School, Inc.

8700 South View Road

Austin, TX 78737

Position Purpose

The Choir Director guides students in grades 5–8 in developing musicality, vocal technique, artistic expression, and ensemble awareness through choral singing. Teaching is grounded in a developmental and experiential approach that emphasizes listening, imitation, harmony, breath, movement, and the deep human capacity for musical connection.

Working across upper elementary and middle school, the Choir Director cultivates a joyful and disciplined ensemble culture that supports both individual growth and collective artistry. Choir serves not only as a musical experience, but as a vital space for building community, social awareness, collaboration, confidence, and shared purpose.

Teaching is rooted in an anthroposophical understanding of human development and Waldorf music pedagogy, supporting students’ evolving relationship to voice, self-expression, and group belonging through childhood and adolescence. The responsibilities listed herein are not exhaustive and other duties and responsibilities are required.

Teaching Responsibilities

The Director must be able to perform the responsibilities and duties shown herein with or without reasonable accommodation.

Choral Instruction

• Teach choir for students in grades 5–8, including:
  • 5th & 6th Grade Choir
  • Middle School Choir (Grades 7–8)
• Work with students of mixed experience and ability levels within each ensemble
• Design and lead rehearsals that integrate:
  • Vocal technique and healthy voice development
  • Pitch, tone, and blend
  • Rhythm and musical phrasing
  • Harmony and part-singing
  • Breath, posture, and listening skills
• Build students’ confidence in singing individually and as part of an ensemble
• Select repertoire that is developmentally appropriate, musically rich, and culturally diverse
• Foster musical literacy and increasing independence appropriate to each age group

Ensemble & Community Building

• Cultivate a strong, inclusive, and supportive ensemble culture
• Use choral singing as a means of developing:
  • Listening skills
  • Social awareness and collaboration
  • Responsibility to the group
  • Confidence, presence, and self-expression
• Support students in navigating the vulnerability and courage inherent in singing
• Inspire students to discover joy in music-making and a meaningful relationship to practice and performance

Pedagogical Approach

• Teach out of an anthroposophical understanding of human development and the role of music in education
• Emphasize learning through imitation, repetition, embodiment, and lived musical experience
• Introduce musical elements experientially before formal analysis
• Support students’ progression from unison singing toward increasingly complex harmonic and polyphonic work
• Integrate movement, gesture, and breath as foundational aspects of musical expression
• Foster reverence for music as a deeply human and cultural art form
• Balance discipline and joy, supporting both musical excellence and healthy community life

Performances & Program Responsibilities

• Prepare and lead choirs for concerts, festivals, assemblies, and community events throughout the school year
• Collaborate with faculty to support seasonal festivals and performances
• Help shape and sustain a coherent, developmentally appropriate choral program across grades 5–12
• Communicate performance expectations, rehearsal schedules, and event information clearly with students and families
• Provide student reports and assessments as required by the school
• Maintain organized repertoire, sheet music, and rehearsal materials
• Post syllabi, repertoire, and assignments using the school’s learning platform, as appropriate

Collegial & Community Responsibilities

• Collaborate with class teachers, middle school faculty, and high school faculty
• Participate in relevant faculty meetings and professional development opportunities appropriate to the role
• Contribute to the cultural and artistic life of the school through music and performance
• Support school events such as assemblies, festivals, open houses, and concerts
• Represent the choir program and the school professionally to families and the wider community
• Participate in ongoing curriculum development and collaborative planning where appropriate

Operational & Professional Expectations

• Maintain a regular and reliable on-campus presence aligned with the teaching schedule
• Communicate promptly and professionally with students, families, and colleagues
• Demonstrate proficiency with Google Workspace and familiarity with learning management systems
• Maintain organized rehearsal spaces and musical materials
• Support classroom and rehearsal environments characterized by order, beauty, respect, and care
• Report health and safety concerns promptly
• Act professionally at all times and contribute positively to a strong, collaborative faculty culture

Qualifications & Experience

Required or Strongly Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in Music, Music Education, Choral Conducting, or a related field
• Strong singing ability and significant choral/vocal experience
• Experience directing choirs or vocal ensembles with children and/or adolescents
• Strong conducting and rehearsal leadership skills
• Ability to work effectively with mixed-ability ensembles
• Strong classroom management and organizational skills
• Interest in or openness toward Waldorf education and developmental pedagogy

Highly Valued:

• Waldorf teacher training or experience in Waldorf schools
• Experience working across a wide developmental age range
• Ability to accompany rehearsals or basic piano skills
• Experience preparing ensembles for performance
• Familiarity with adolescent development and ensemble-based community building
• Experience using learning platforms such as Canvas or Google Classroom

We are seeking an energetic, creative, and collaborative musician who can inspire young people to find joy, connection, discipline, and meaning through singing together.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The Director must meet the following mental and physical requirements with or without reasonable accommodation.

• The ability to learn, understand, remember, and communicate effectively information about the job.
• The ability to understand the meaning of and use and speak words understandably and effectively in the English language.
• Good hearing and listening abilities, that is, the Director must be able to hear spoken words from students, parents, co-workers, and others.
• Good motor coordination skills, that is, the ability to coordinate his or her eyes, hands and fingers rapidly and accurately in order to handle precise movements such as directing music.
• Make and use repetitive hand motions over an extended period, as when directing music.
• Work effectively under pressure and deadlines.
• Sit, stand, move around, bend, reach, grasp, stretch, push and pull, and remain sitting or upright for extended periods of time in one room.