Early Childhood Piano Discovery Instructor

ABOUT BLOOMINGDALE SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Bloomingdale School of Music is a nonprofit community music school located on Manhattan's Upper West Side, serving over 700 students at our brownstone and another 200-300 through school and community partnerships. The school has an extraordinary faculty, an innovative program, and a sixty-year record of providing access to high-quality music instruction in private lessons, classes, and school partnerships. Bloomingdale is at an exciting time in its history, focused on strengthening the program within the school and proactively building relationships and connections in the community we serve. The school is housed in a five-story brownstone at 323 West 108th Street, between Broadway and Riverside Drive. The facility has 14 teaching studios, a recital hall, and offices. More information may be found at the school's website www.bsmny.org. 

ABOUT THE POSITION

Bloomingdale School of Music is seeking candidates for the position of Piano Teacher. The ideal candidate has a strong dedication to teaching, has taught students of different ages and levels, including special experience with young children ages 4 + and has strong experience in group class teaching.  The successful candidate should be energetic, organized, with excellent communication skills, and a good sense of humor. The ability to work effectively with students, parents, staff, and other faculty members is a must.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Teaching
  • Teach Piano Discovery Level 1 Class to 4-6 year olds, following established curriculum guidelines (Faber Piano Adventures Primer method/workbook)
  • Select appropriate repertoire and teaching materials for students.
  • Provide constructive feedback and report regularly on progress to students and parents and the Early Childhood Manager.
  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date student records, including attendance.
  • Availability to maintain a consistent teaching schedule.
  • Availability to be present at community concerts, recitals, and events as needed.
  • Participate in faculty meetings and professional development opportunities.
  • Someone who teaches to the whole child.
• Communication
  • Correspond with Bloomingdale Programming and Registration teams regularly via email, phone and in person in a timely manner.
  • Send regular updates to school aged students’ families or directly to adult students with progress notes, at-home assignments and any other important information necessary to foster a positive learning environment.
  • Submit attendance in a timely manner using Bloomingdale’s Attendance System (ASAP).
  • Respond to Registration requests regarding trial lessons and student inquiries in a timely fashion.
• Ambassador 
  • Engage in community events and performances on-site and off-site as requested.
  • Recruit new students when possible to Bloomingdale, both for your own classroom and other departments.
  • Encourage outside students to engage with Bloomingdale’s free events, sign up for ancillary classes such as ensembles and theory, and participate in special programming. 
  • Support Bloomingdale students to serve as ambassadors for the school through outside performance opportunities, in-house fundraising events, and through attending concerts regularly.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS 

• Advanced Study in Music and/or Music Education, or equivalent life and work experience
• Experience teaching private lessons and group classes. Evidence of methodological innovation and creative teaching strategies is highly desirable and evidence of the success of such innovative teaching strategies
• Excellent administrative skills – highly organized, ability to multitask, and knowledge of most Office products (Word, Excel) and Google Suite.
• Self-starter who can both follow instructions and think through solutions/problem solve.
• Good communication skills - timely responder, can keep administration informed of changes in the moment and stays in touch with students and their families 
• Adaptable – this position will need someone eager to learn and adjust to the needs at hand.
• An optimistic sensibility, with the ability to relate to and get along with a very diverse group of people.
• Hiring preference will be given to a candidate who demonstrates an understanding of our mission and who is enthusiastic about working closely with students of all levels.

WORKING SCHEDULE:

Required Teaching Days:  Fridays at 3:30 pm  and/or Sundays at 10 am

SALARY 

• Group classes / Ensembles: $100/hr
• Benefits include paid faculty concerts, professional development opportunities, tax-exempt Metrocards, and access to rehearsal space.
• The position is eligible for accrued safe/sick time; pre-tax retirement contributions, and eligibility for voluntary ancillary benefits after 1 year of teaching; and room for growth in hours. 

APPLICATION AND HIRING PROCESS

• Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter
  • Cover Letter requirement: please respond to the following prompt: How do you embrace students’ musical preferences while addressing basic introductory concepts in a private lesson setting?
• Cover letters and resumes are reviewed as they come in until a strong candidate is found. Only those being considered will be contacted by email/phone for an initial Zoom interview. Second-round candidates will be invited for an in-person panel interview, demo lesson, and short performance sample. 
• Applications will be accepted until a position has been filled. 

Bloomingdale School of Music is an EOE/educational institution and is deeply committed to diversity and inclusion. BSM does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, height, weight, or marital status in employment or the provision of services.