Cantabile Youth Singers of Silicon Valley
Los Altos, CA
US
Cantabile Youth Singers of Silicon Valley (www.cantabile.org) invites interest from strategic and collaborative leaders interested in serving as Cantabile’s next Executive Director.
WHO ARE WE?
Cantabile Youth Singers provides world-class vocal music instruction and performance opportunities for youth ages 6 to 18 in a supportive, enriching choral community that fosters the innate beauty, talent, and individual freedom of expression within each singer. Founded in 1994, Cantabile has been led artistically by esteemed Russian-American conductor, and music educator Elena Sharkova since 2004. Artists. Scholars. Leaders. Friends. These four concepts are at the center of Cantabile’s program, which allows students of all genders and gender identities to make lifelong friends from their earliest days.
Explore Cantabile’s Work
LISTEN: Sound Cloud
WATCH: Get to Know Cantabile Youth Singers What is your favorite thing about Cantabile?
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Cantabile’s excellence and distinctiveness in the region is delivered through its challenging, global repertoire; high caliber performance and engagement opportunities; and its unique curriculum. Its holistic approach to choral education forges vocal artistry, music theory and history; movement and mindfulness; and leadership development. Choristers engage with works across multiple languages and cultures, studying the historical, cultural, and musical significance of every work performed; incorporate movement work that engages the full mind and body in the art of singing and promotes community; engage in weekly high-level music theory classes (age appropriate); and have extensive opportunities for student leadership. (An average Cantabile season includes works in 8-10 different languages; a performing student who participates for four years experiences music from 20-25 distinct cultures and multiple genres.) The result is artistic training among the highest level available in the country, delivered in a supportive community of excellence and inclusion. Read about Cantabile’s programs here.
“What I want for my students, and I know they are doing it already, is to listen to their own voice, listen to the unique song that they have in their heart and most importantly hear the songs of others.”
– Elena Sharkova, Artistic Director
“I’ll be studying music in college next year, and I can thank Cantabile for the strong foundation I’ll bring with me. Cantabile has equipped me as a musician in ways other singing programs haven’t. There are so many powerful things I will remember including Elena’s passion, fearlessness, and ability to challenge and push her students while also feeling genuine care for them as individuals. No other community has had more impact on my life, and I will always treasure this journey.”
– Cantabile Graduate
“Cantabile is much more than ‘club choir.’ We are a group of musical enthusiasts, ambitious artists, and a community that thrives in cultural collaboration and appreciation. From performing unique Indonesian choreographies to blending with German vocalists, my experience in Cantabile has played a crucial role in widening my global perspective and instilling my fascination with international cultures. At Cantabile, we truly care about the origin of our pieces and carrying that essence throughout every performance. It is truly a special moment when everyone comes together in harmony.”
– Cantabile Graduate
Cantabile singers reflect the diverse community of Silicon Valley and include students from over three dozen cultural origins. Cantabile views its diversity as a wealth of shared experience upon which to build empathy and appreciation for others – it regularly performs music that directly addresses relevant issues of social justice, and empowers young people to engage in musical activism, leading with the notion that “people who make music together cannot be enemies.”
Cantabile’s work has been recognized with gold medals at the 5th European Choir Games as well as the Award for Adventurous Programming from ASCAP / Chorus America, given to choirs who show outstanding commitment to commissioning new music. It performs with professional and collegiate partners regularly including Symphony San Jose & Chorale, Opera San Jose, Stanford Symphony, and Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, among others. Its premier choirs tour nationally and internationally; it is the only youth chorus in the country to have its own student chapter of the American Choral Directors Association; and graduates are known to attend prestigious collegiate programs, many of whom continue to sing at the club or major level.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Cantabile Youth Singers is at an inflection point in its organizational trajectory. Since 2018, Elena Sharkova has been leading the organization’s artistic and management strategy in the dual leadership role of Artistic and Managing Director. Sharkova and the Board envision a rich future of expanded impact that will be supported by increased enrollment, a strengthened fundraising effort, an expanded board, and streamlined operations. To allow the organization to flourish artistically and strategically, Sharkova and the Board elected to separate the artistic and management portfolios and invest in a dedicated management leader. At this important juncture, Cantabile invites interest from leaders who are passionate about furthering this organization as its Executive Director.
What Cantabile is looking for in its Executive Director
- An entrepreneurial and strategic business planner. The ED will thrive on prioritizing efforts on the organization’s long-term advancement while overseeing day-to-day operations (managed by the Director of Operations). They will bring a personal drive to develop engaging, effective, and creative strategies that increase enrollment, advance fundraising efforts, and leverage board capacity to support the organization's growth, cost management, and sustainability.
- A self-starting leader with strong interpersonal skills. The ED will be a grounded, proactive leader who will partner with the AD and the Board to balance artistic ambition, human resource capacity, and financial & operational practicality. They will support and mentor Cantabile’s committed professional staff, and partner with the Board to support its growth and engagement.
- An outgoing relationship builder who is passionate about youth programming. The ED will be enthusiastic to communicate the value of vocal music and youth choral singing in their own way to parents, students, donors, and partners with a persuasive and accessible approach. They will bring a high cultural and emotional intelligence that allows them to build authentic relationships with diverse groups. They will seek out new and sustained methods to spread Cantabile’s message throughout Silicon Valley. If not already based there, the ED will be committed to relocating and spending time building relationships in the vibrant community.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a trusted partner and collaborator with the Artistic Director, operationalizing their vision and producing the organizational structures and resources to achieve it.
- Lead the development and implementation of Cantabile’s strategic trajectory, supporting alignment and accountability among stakeholders and constituencies.
- Lead Cantabile’s institutional marketing effort that increases the organization’s visibility, reputation and profile among regional and national youth programs; communicates its distinctive approach; and lays the groundwork for effective enrollment, fundraising, and board engagement efforts below. Represent Cantabile throughout the region’s communities, proactively seeking opportunities to develop relationships with potential families, students, partners, and donors.
- Lead Cantabile’s enrollment marketing effort. Develop diversified strategies to increase enrollment, track and report on enrollment, and engage staff and Board members in this effort.
- Lead Cantabile’s fundraising efforts. Structure efficient and effective internal fundraising processes, serve as the relationship manager for donors, and partner with the Board in these efforts. Develop and spread a compelling case for support for its long-term student impact.
- Support the Board of Directors in their effort to grow opportunities for board member engagement and expand the Board.
- In collaboration with the Director of Operations, lead the development of lean and practical internal operations that deliver high customer service to families and students, leveredge technology, and support effective short and long-term planning.
- Provide supportive, collaborative leadership to Cantabile’s staff, ensuring the organization has the necessary human resource capacity to support its growth and deliver an exceptional student experience. Demonstrate empathy, caring leadership ability, and strong listening skills.
- Represent Cantabile within the professional arts & education field and to the press, in coordination with the Artistic Director who also serves as an organizational spokesperson.
- Provide responsible, disciplined financial leadership—balancing organizational sustainability with artistic risk-taking and ensuring the proper resources for long-term planning.
Who you’ll be working with
The Executive Director and Artistic Director dually report to the Board of Directors (currently four members) and work in close partnership with one another, in service of the Artistic Director’s vision.
The Executive Director’s direct reports include two full-time staff (Director of Operations and Program & Communications Coordinator) as well as external administrative contractors (currently supporting finance and development). The Artistic team reports to the Artistic Director and includes Conductors/ Educators (two full-time and two part-time) and part-time accompanists.
Cantabile’s operating budget is approximately $1,000,000, averaging 70-80 percent attributable to earned income and 20-30 percent attributable to contributed income.
Qualifications
- 5+ years of progressively responsible management experience in the nonprofit sector. Experience in youth-serving programming, education, music education, and/or performing arts valued.
- Passion for supporting youth-serving programming, particularly in music education and/or, choral music.
- Grounded demeanor with exceptional interpersonal skills, including the ability to speak persuasively about Cantabile’s mission and programs and build trusting relationships with the Artistic Director, board members, students, staff, parents, donors, and stakeholders
- Demonstrated ability to develop and advance long-term organizational strategies while overseeing day-to-day operations
- Experience leading marketing and enrollment efforts, in a youth-serving context preferred
- Experience in fundraising, with experience with individual donors and special events a plus
- Experience working with a Board of Directors
- Experience directing, supporting, and mentoring a professional staff or team
- A commitment to becoming and/or remaining an active member of the communities Cantabile serves. (Current resident of the broader SIlicon Valley region or willing to relocate.)
- High integrity and ethical standards
- Leaders with some, but not all, qualifications and bring transferable experience are invited to apply, as well as leaders with similar performing arts/music education experience
$105,000.00 – $115,000.00 per year
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