Piano Accompanist – Early Childhood Program

Overview

POSITION: Piano Accompanist — Early Childhood Programs

DEPARTMENT: Music & Dance School

REPORTS TO: Director, Music & Dance

SALARY: Accompanist – $36.00 / hourly
Meetings and Professional Development– $32.00 /hourly

SCHEDULE: Sundays, 10 AM – 2 PM

Third Street Music School seeks a part-time piano accompanist to support early childhood music and movement classes on Sundays from 10 AM to 2 PM. The accompanist will provide live piano accompaniment for group singing, movement and musical play activities for children ages 3 – 7 years old, as well as assist with basic classroom management. Exhibiting a unique combination of skill, experience, and empathy, faculty at Third Street seek to create a positive, welcoming, nurturing and collegial environment.

The ideal candidate enjoys working with young children, collaborates well with teachers, and brings joy and creativity to the classroom in a community music school environment. Classes take place weekly throughout the 32-week school year.

• Provide live piano accompaniment (and perhaps other instruments if capable) during classes.
• Follow the lead of the Music instructor and adjust the tempo, dynamics and style as needed.
• Support musical transitions, games, and singing activities.
• Assist in creating a fun, engaging, and supportive environment for children and caregivers.
• Arrive on time and prepare for each class.
• Help distribute handheld percussion when needed and support simple classroom management such as gathering at the rug.
• Communicate regularly with the music instructor to plan for class and debrief.

• Proficiency in piano, with good skills in transposing, sight reading, and improvising.
• 2 years minimum of accompanying early childhood music and/or movement classes in a community music school, early childhood center, or public-school setting.
• Experience interacting with young children in a playful and encouraging manner.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in arts education.
• Strong communication skills and effective personnel skills for working with young students and families.

* Applicants will be reviewed, and second-round candidates will be invited for an in-person interview and demo lesson. Only those being considered will be contacted by email/phone for an initial interview.

As the nation’s longest-running community music school, Third Street has been transforming lives through the arts for 131 years. In 1894, Third Street was founded by Emilie Wagner, an arts education pioneer who made music education the cornerstone of a settlement house that welcomed immigrants to NYC and provided families with housing support, food, and medical care alongside arts enrichment. Today, Third Street is committed to leveraging arts education to empower youth to reach their fullest potential and unite the diverse communities of NYC.

Third Street serves 5,000 students annually, enriching their lives and communities.

Since the 1970s, Third Street has worked with local public schools to provide music instruction to their students, thereby becoming one of the first in the nation to initiate such partnerships. Today, Third Street collaborates with 35 public schools and community centers across NYC. The goal of these partnerships is simple: to change the lives of students for the better through music and dance.

Our Commitment to diversity embraces a collegial Third Street community in which faculty and staff of every racial identity feel a sense of belonging and feel supported and valued in their work.