Music Director for a music collective for young people aged 10-16
Deadline for applications: 12pm, 13th November 2025
Reports to: Principal Study Leader, Make Music: Young People
Location: The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
Working hours: Weekly sessions in term time: Saturdays, 2–3:30pm
Salary: SCP 56 / £35.71 per hour (inc. holiday pay) or potentially on a freelance basis (if preferred), providing you meet IR35 requirements
About The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
We’re a place where you can hear rock legends or pop icons on the same night as folk trios or opera singers. Where new musicians are nurtured and showcased on the same stages as platinum- selling performers. And where youth choirs and tambourine- shaking toddlers practice in the same spaces as our acclaimed orchestra Royal Northern Sinfonia.
Whether you’re front of house, waiting in the wings or keeping things running behind the scenes you will be part of a team that means 2 million people enjoy top– notch gigs, concerts and classes in our own venue at Gateshead Quays, out in communities across the North-east and through live-streamed performances and digital lessons.
About the Role
Make Music are recruiting for a Music Director to lead a creative group music making session for young people aged 10 to 16 who want to learn about improvisation, creativity, and collaborative composition in the popular, contemporary and jazz traditions. Young people learn new ideas and approaches to improvisation, develop their ability to play by ear and gain invaluable ensemble skills, and have great fun creating and playing music with others.
We are looking for a Music Director to lead weekly sessions, prepare the group for performances, help players grow in confidence and develop their skills, and have an inclusive and supportive approach. Sessions will take place on Saturdays 2–3:30pm at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, across 30 weeks during term time.
About you
Are you self‑motivated, happy working in a team environment and flexible enough to adapt to a changing environment? If this sounds like you, read on to find out how you can hit the ground running.
Experience
* Proficiency on your instrument and being well‑versed in popular, contemporary and jazz styles
* Being comfortable teaching repertoire by ear as well as creating suitable hand‑outs and resources to support theoretical knowledge and transcriptions of new compositions
* Teaching improvisation and creative music‑making skills through a variety of approaches within a group setting of varied abilities and diverse knowledge base
* Facilitating the creation of new music through collaborative processes within a group setting of varied abilities and diverse knowledge base
* Working with young people aged 10‑16
* Ability to share passion for music and inspire students
* Being adaptable with students of different ages, levels of knowledge, and learning styles
* Using initiative and being resourceful and efficient
* An inclusive approach to working with young people
* Performing at a professional level is desirable
Skills and knowledge
* Excellent communication skills, both with young people and with colleagues
* Inclusive music practice
* Safeguarding in education contexts
Main duties and responsibilities
* Lead a weekly practical music group, helping young people to develop their improvising, composing and listening skills and knowledge of popular, contemporary and jazz traditions
* Work with the Make Music Young People team to make sure that we have all the right safeguarding and pastoral care in place for children and young people and work closely with peers to keep up high standards in this area
* Bring and/or create relevant and useful materials to support your teaching and planning
* Work closely with peers to connect the collective with our more advanced, auditioned youth band, Jambone, and other areas of The Glasshouse International Centre of Music’s artistic programme
Evaluation and Reporting
* Contribute to the evaluation and monitoring of programme performance where required
* Support and contribute to consultation with young people, as required
* Keep up to date with current developments in relation to your own performance practice, specialist education and learning practice
* Develop and lead high‑quality inclusive music learning activities performances, events, rehearsals, recordings and resources, as agreed
* Lead exemplary practice in inclusive group music‑making
* Work with colleagues to remove barriers to engagement and make sure music learning activities meet a range of different needs, interests, and contexts
* Attend and/or lead performances, events and programme activities, as required
* Attend team and organisational meetings as agreed
* Understand and work in line with operational handbooks and guidelines
Marketing and Comms
Work with the Senior Programme Leader to support effective recruitment of young people
Health and Safety and safeguarding
* Work with Designated Safeguarding Officers and Director of Safeguarding to implement safeguarding policies and procedures throughout the programme to maintain high standards of safeguarding and pastoral care of children and adults at risk
* To accept personal responsibility for understanding and following Health and Safety, Child protection, Equality and Diversity and other policies within the Trust
But don’t worry if you’re not a perfect match for the job description and criteria, we’d love you to apply anyway. We are more interested in your determination, positivity, and willingness to get stuck in.
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