Join The Team

Young Musicians Program Middle School Chamber Ensemble and Music Theory Instructor

Community Music Center is looking for an experienced and passionate music instructor to teach Middle-school-aged groups in our Young Musicians Program beginning in our Winter Quarter, January 2025. This position could also be combined with our Violin Instructor position if applicable.

Young Musicians Program at Community Music Center (CMC): CMC’s Young Musicians Program (YMP), a partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District, brings the benefits of music—artistic, educational, personal, and social—to middle and high school students. Since 1987, this tuition-free, award-winning program embraces diversity, offering a comprehensive, culturally diverse curriculum. Group classes provide instruction in theory, musicianship, and composition. Ensemble classes play Latin, classical, jazz and other music forms in orchestra, chamber, jazz band and concert wind ensembles.

Public school teachers nominate students who audition each Spring for the following academic year. If accepted, students are eligible for a full scholarship that provides students with weekly free private instrumental lessons, theory, and ensemble classes. The YMP program focuses on serving middle and high school students from low-income San Francisco households.

The YMP group class team consists of a Coordinator, and seven teachers under the supervision of CMC’s Program Director.

YMP Middle School Chamber Ensemble and Music Theory Instructor Responsibilities:   

• Teach one chamber group, including choosing repertoire
• Teach one music theory class
• Act as a student advisor, monitoring student progress and involvement, communicating with student, parents, private teachers and the YMP Coordinator about issues as needed
• Participate in planning, including faculty planning meetings (2–3 times per year), giving feedback on program structure, curriculum and progress. Communicate in a timely way with the YMP Program Coordinator about program plans as needed
• Prepare students and/or participate in two performances per year on-site and possibly others off-site
• Evaluate each student’s musical growth and performance.

Status: Hourly beginning January 2025

Location and Hours: CMC Mission District Branch; Saturdays, 12:00–2:00pm during the academic school year

Compensation: $73.50/hour. Additional opportunities are available for compensated performances and meetings, free practice room and studio rental as available.

About Community Music Center (CMC): Community Music Center’s mission is to make high quality music accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities, regardless of financial means. We’re committed to centering equity and inclusion in our programs and across all aspects of our organization. We are a nonprofit institution founded in 1921 with branches in the Mission District, Richmond Districts, and at partnership sites throughout San Francisco serving 3,400 students annually. 

Application Process: Email a resume and cover letter to: cmcfacultyopenings@sfcmc.org. Please include “YMP Faculty Position” in the subject of your email. Only those being considered will be contacted. No phone calls, please. CMC is an equal opportunity employer.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

The faculty of Community Music Center share the belief that the joy and satisfaction of learning to make music should be available to everyone, regardless of age, talent or means. Community Music Center seeks instructors with experience teaching a variety of styles, including western classical, jazz, rock, blues, Latin, flamenco, middle eastern and Chinese music.

Community Music Center expects faculty to provide well-rounded, quality music instruction: 

• encourage creativity, originality and personal expression 
• establish consistency in attendance and progress
• demonstrate the value of proper practice habits
• exercise flexibility and sensitivity in response to the student
• tailor teaching to the individual needs, abilities, and goals of each student
• teach a full palette of fundamental musical skills
• turn momentary failures into positive lessons
• review previously learned material to establish continuity
• answer the students’ questions and encourage follow-up inquiry and research
• inspire students through passion, talents and love for teaching which in turn will foster their musical and personal growth