Music Administrator & Orchestra Personnel Manager

Job Highlights

The Music Administrator & Orchestra Personnel Manager is responsible for the administrative aspects of the orchestra, adult chorus, and dancers (principal and corps) including contract administration, payroll, communication, and the implementation of their applicable Collective Bargaining Agreements. They manage the department’s musical instruments and equipment. As Orchestra Personnel Manager, they are onsite for all orchestra services and performances.

We are looking for talented, passionate, and dedicated people who are eager to make contributions to our community and our mission. If you are excited about this position but your experience does not align perfectly, we encourage you to apply! You may be just the right candidate for this position or another role at HGO.

The mission of HGO is to enrich our diverse community through the art of opera. We do so by creating, curating, exploring, and producing outstanding experiences centered around the human voice. HGO has received a Tony Award, two Grammy Awards, and three Emmy Awards – we are the only opera company in the world to win all three honors.

Our strategic focus is two-fold: creating profoundly enriching experiences for our diverse audiences and clearly defining and positively promoting the HGO brand. We believe every team member enriches our organization by exposing a broad range of ways to understand and engage our community and discover, design, and deliver enriching experiences.

• We offer robust benefits to full-time employees, including:
• Comprehensive and affordable health benefits.
• Generous paid time.
• 403b retirement plan with employer match.
• Flexible work schedule.
• Professional development fund and opportunities.
• Discounted parking in the Theater District garage and nearby lots, plus easy access to Metro transportation.
• Free tickets to our mainstage and community productions and events.

• Manages hiring for HGO’s core orchestra and all substitute and extra musicians, in consultation with the Music Director; as well as contracting for adult chorus, in collaboration with the Chorus Director; and dancers in collaboration with guest directors and choreographers. Develops dancer production calendars in collaboration with guest choreographers and Director of Artistic Operations.
• Prepares, processes, and administers payroll for all contracted groups, and provides payroll summaries to all artists and personnel as required.
• Organizes and oversees the audition process for orchestra, adult chorus, and dancers; counts the votes for orchestra auditions in accordance with the AFM CBA.
• Communicates regularly with the orchestra, adult chorus, and dancers regarding rehearsal details, production announcements, and reminders. Acts as first point of contact for these groups for all matters, including union contract administration, processing of release requests, coordination/implementation of assignments, resolution of payroll-related concerns, and performance improvement/disciplinary issues.
• Oversees orchestra, adult chorus, and dancers rehearsal room set‑ups and signage.
• Communicates with conductors about musical details prior to production periods.
• Arranges purchase and/or rental of musical instruments as needed for all productions and HGO events. Schedules keyboard‑instrument tuning, transportation, and maintenance.
• Creates and distributes pit plots, orchestra rosters, and string principals for seating for all orchestral projects.
• Keeps music administration sections of Arts Vision up to date.

• Attends all orchestra rehearsals and performances, serving as official timekeeper and monitoring rehearsals with respect to breaks, overtime, union regulations, and Banda details.
• Maintains a current understanding of and good relationships with local orchestral musicians, for use as possible substitutes and emergency fill‑ins.
• Remains reachable during orchestra rep periods to address and solve emergency hiring and contracting issues for the orchestra as they arise.

• Maintains a comprehensive understanding of the union contracts…