Experience: The Band Fellowship

Department: Education

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Summary:
Experience Music Project | Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame (EMP|SFM) in Seattle is seeking qualified candidates for a paid fellowship managed by the Education Department. The fellow will contribute to the Education Department through their extensive involvement with Experience: The Band (EXB), a full-scholarship, music program for teens. This program is a partnership between Experience Music Project | Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame (EMP|SFM) in Seattle and the Berklee College of Music’s City Music Network, based in Boston: The Berklee City Music Network creates a means for establishing mutually beneficial relationships and exchanges between organizations that have a similar educational mission. This includes a commitment to providing access to the study of contemporary music for an under-served youth audience. The purpose of the network is to demonstrate and promote the life-changing role that a contemporary music education plays in the lives of these students.

For the 2009-2010 school year, EMP|SFM will be auditioning musicians in grades 9 – 12 for Experience: The Band—a rock/jazz band comprised of 12 members. The 8-month program integrates instrumental and vocal instruction in rock and jazz, ensemble performance, and musicianship classes with state-of-the-art online learning materials. The band rehearses together every Saturday, 10 am – 2 pm, from October through May, and performs publicly several times throughout the year.  The skill levels of past band members have varied from experienced beginners to advanced. The one thing all members have in common is their commitment to learning and playing in a dedicated band.

A major motivating factor for many EXB members is their eligibility to be considered for scholarships to Berklee College of Music’s Summer Five-Week Performance Program in Boston, as well as full-tuition scholarships to attend Berklee College of Music as a full-time student. In the program’s first two years, 6 students have earned summer scholarships and 2 have earned full four-year scholarships.

Fellowship Responsibilities and Compensation:
This unique opportunity in teaching and program development begins in late September, 2009 and ends late May, 2010. The fellow’s hours will be Saturdays from 10:00am to 2:00pm plus an additional 4 to 6 office hours per week (excluding school holiday periods). The fellow will:

1. Assist the Experience: The Band instructor with the development and implementation of lesson plans based on the Berklee College of Music curriculum
2. Serve as EXB’s principal vocal instructor/coach
3. Provide weekly instruction and supervision to students in the band
4. Provide administrative support for the program

The fellow will be incrementally issued a $1,500 honorarium throughout the duration of the fellowship.

Fellowship Learning Opportunities:

• Acquire hands-on teaching experience in a community music environment that partners with a formal college of music
• Obtain first-hand knowledge of museum education best practices, and making curricular connections to the EMP|SFM’s exhibitions, collections, and teen programming goals
• Gain familiarity with Berklee’s PULSE teaching method
• Assist with support work for the Instructional Programs division of EMP|SFM’s education department, which includes preparing classroom materials, arranging guest artist visits, responding to student and parent emails and phone calls, etc.
• Participate in departmental, project team, and all-staff meetings as schedule permits
• Opportunities to attend or participate in museum programs and events

Minimum Skill Requirements/Education:

• B.A./B.M. or nearing completion of degree, in music or music education
• Must be a vocalist with demonstrated experience teaching voice (high-school level preferred)
• Multi-instrumentalists preferred
• Strong knowledge of music theory, improvisation, ear training, and various music/performance styles, ranging from rock, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and other contemporary popular music styles
• Comfortable with MS Office applications
• Ability to show initiative, think creatively, and work independently

Additional Details:
Auditions for Experience: The Band will be held at EMP in the evenings on October 1 and 2 and during the day on October 3 and 4, 2009. Ideally, the fellow will be available to start at least one week prior to auditions to assist in the planning process and will be able to attend at least part, if not all, of the auditions.

Application Process:
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to experiencetheband@empsfm.org, specifying the fellowship in the subject line and describing how the position matches the candidate’s qualifications and goals in the cover letter.


Questions? Contact us at experiencetheband@empsfm.org or 206.262.3674.

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