(Portland, OR) The James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation has awarded a grant to the Portland Symphonic Choir for our transition to an innovative artistic leadership model. The choir has operated with the same artistic leadership model since its founding in 1945. Following Artistic Director Robert Zimmerman’s tenure, PSC has had only four other Artistic Directors, each honoring the choir’s mission through their individual artistic vision.
As our community has evolved and Portland has become a destination for artists and musicians, the Portland Symphonic Choir is embracing this time of change by exploring a new way to conduct our artistic business.
Going forward, PSC will be run by a team of artistic leaders, rather than a single Artistic Director. Members of this new Artistic Leadership Consortium (ALC) will work together to program the season, rehearse and perform with the ensemble, and engage the community both in concert and beyond.
“We launched this season with the development of a new Artistic Leadership model, and our dedication to collaboration has never been greater. We are excited for what the future holds, eagerly anticipate engaging new leaders in our Artistic Leadership Consortium beginning this spring, and look forward to sharing with you plans for a great 75thanniversary season in 2020-2021.” – Katherine Lefever, Board Chair
Multiple directors with unique areas of expertise will elevate the choir’s level of musical excellence, expand our possible programmatic offerings, and open the organization to new opportunities. The Consortium model will also foster meaningful and and sustainable opportunities for collaboration with community organizations and other performing ensembles.
This new model also allows us to more deeply engage with our local community. Rather than hire a director from another region, PSC is looking for existing talent in the greater Portland area, allowing PSC to showcase and elevate artistic leaders in our community.
Portland Symphonic Choir is currently in the second round of interviews for the initial Artistic Leadership Consortium team members and hopes to make an announcement regarding the members of the team in late February or early March 2019. Resumes from experienced, qualified candidates will continue to be accepted through the end of the season. The total number of team members is flexible depending on the compatible skills and sustainable financial support. For a full job description and details, visit www.pschoir.org/employment.