Music of Remembrance invites applications from arts management leaders interested in providing strategic and collaborative leadership in the inaugural role of Managing Director.

WHO ARE WE?
Music of Remembrance (MOR) is a Seattle-based performing arts organization focused on addressing questions of human rights and social justice. Established in 1998 to ensure that voices of witness to the Holocaust be heard, it has grown into a creative catalyst for “testimonies for tomorrow” – persuasive works that explore the consequences of intolerance toward the other. Under the visionary leadership of founder and Artistic Director Mina Miller, it honors, unearths, and shares stories of 
the resilience of those who have been persecuted or excluded for their faith, ethnicity, gender or sexuality.

MOR brings together world-class musicians, composers, and performing artists for concert performances, educational programs and recordings. Over the years, its repertoire has grown from mainly small chamber ensembles to include song cycles, choral music, choreography, dance works, musical dramas, film scores, and fully-staged operas. Most notably, it has commissioned and premiered over 40 important new works which inspire compassion, understanding, and empathy while preserving the memory of historical injustices. Many of these works come from some of today’s leading composers; others are by emerging composers that MOR has championed. (See the full list of commissions here).

The organization’s commitment to addressing both timeless and contemporary themes has led to collaborations with more than 20 composers, including Jake Heggie, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Tom Cipullo, Lori Laitman, Mary Kouyoumdjian, and Paul Schoenfield, whose MOR commission Camp Songs was a finalist for the 2003 Pulitzer Prize in Music. As music journalist Thomas May described, “MOR has proved to be ahead of its time in grappling with issues of social justice and persecution. Commissions in recent years have become, alarmingly, more and more topical.”

Miller leads with a visceral awareness of the power of memory – and the stories of persecution and exclusion that need to be told. As she describes, “If history has taught us anything, it’s the terrible price of silence in the face of injustice suffered by others. Music has a power to reach people’s hearts in ways that textbooks and newspapers cannot. We do not merely look back at history, but confront its meaning and important implications for our future. We bring past and present together, combining music that preserves memory with intimate emotional stories that draw on those lessons to address urgent questions of today. We continue to discover and share a priceless legacy of musicians, artists, writers and political free thinkers who refused to be silenced.”

Recent programs have introduced new works speaking out on the worldwide refugee crisis and the plight of families separated by borders; the threats of nuclear war; the consequences of religious intolerance, xenophobia, and racism; the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans; and the persecution of LGBT communities by the Nazis. The coming season spotlights the lived experiences and creative traditions of Indigenous artists, delivers a powerful musical statement about the current women’s rights struggle in Iran, and traces the reverberating effects of cultural vandalism. Read the 2023-2024 Announcement Here

Reflecting on its work, composers and artists have shared:

"The journey I’ve been able to take with Music of Remembrance has forever touched and changed me as a composer. Being able to explore and tell important, often surprising stories of Holocaust survival, remembrance and legacy in this powerful way has affected every aspect of my work as an artist and human being.” - Jake Heggie, composer

“Music of Remembrance is that rare organization that presents music with a conscience, performances with a conscience.” – José Rubio, baritone

MOR’s home season is at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall. It annually tours to San Francisco and Chicago, and aspires to expand this touring domestically and abroad. MOR has produced nine audio CDs, an opera DVD, three documentary films, and a suite of virtual programming including online concerts and educational outreach
offerings. It additionally hosts a young artist award that nurtures early-career musicians aspiring to address human rights questions through their art.

Music of Remembrance’s evolution and success has been dually driven by the visionary leadership of its founder and Artistic Director, Mina Miller, and its exceptional artistic collaborators. Its core ensemble, drawn from the ranks of the Seattle Symphony, is joined by world-class soloists, artistic teams, and composers who create and
perform masterpieces that express the organization’s powerful vision. MOR benefits from a committed Board of Directors, each of whom provide meaningful ambassadorial leadership, as well as a family of dedicated donors, patrons, foundation partners, and volunteers who enable it to thrive.

Music of Remembrance has an approximately one million dollar operating budget and has enjoyed 25 years of balanced budgets.

WHAT’S NEXT?
For nearly thirty years, Music of Remembrance has been led by its founder and Artistic Director Mina Miller. In recent years, Miller and the Board of Directors have been envisioning Music of Remembrance’s future, which will include a focus on organizational sustainability, an amplified messaging and visibility effort and a diversified philanthropic effort. Recognizing that both the artistic and management roles have increased in scope and complexity as the organization has evolved, Miller and the Board have designed a new leadership role which will split the artistic and management responsibilities and support Music of Remembrance’s next stage of evolution. In support of its long-term organizational sustainability, Music of Remembrance received a transformative gift. At this important juncture, Music of Remembrance invites interest from committed arts management leaders who have a passion for advancing this important institution as its inaugural Managing Director.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN THIS POSITION
The Managing Director is a new position which will serve as a trusted collaborator to its CEO & Artistic Director and Board of Directors.

At their core, they will be a persuasive communicator and entrepreneurial relationship builder driven to expand Music of Remembrance’s impact and visibility. They will be able to articulate a compelling case for MOR’s commissions, productions, artists, and future legacy to audiences, industry partners and supporters. They will bring experience developing engaging messaging, marketing and communication efforts that celebrate and amplify a distinct organization’s contribution. They will have experience in considering a variety of presentation/distribution approaches and an interest in exploring and pursuing presentation/distribution channels new to MOR with an entrepreneurial approach.

They will have experience in fundraising and board engagement efforts that will enable them to support the expansion and diversification of MOR’s contributed revenue portfolio in collaboration with the CEO & Artistic Director, Director of Development, and Board of Directors.

They will have strong operational acumen which will enable them to balance day-to-day organizational operations with long-term strategy development.

Required Skills and Attributes:

● 5+ years of progressive leadership or management experience, preferably in a non-profit setting.
● A passion for classical repertoire, the development of new works, music history, dramaturgy, or similar.
● An entrepreneurial, resourceful and pragmatic spirit.
● Experience working with industry partners, venues, presenters, or similar, preferably in a performing arts environment.
● Experience leading messaging, marketing, and communications strategies in a performing arts environment.
● Experience in fundraising including grant writing and working board members.
● Attention to detail and nuance in written and verbal communication.
● A mission-driven, strategic thinker, able to make thoughtful decisions when faced with competing priorities.

Preferred Qualifications:

●  Master’s degree or equivalent experience in the performing arts, or a related field.

Employment and Compensation:
● Salary: $90,000 - 100,000
● Start date: Negotiable, Approximately early 2024.
● Music of Remembrance's office is located in Seattle, WA. The Managing Director must be Seattle-based in order to have an in-person presence approximately 2-3 days per week. The Managing Director will travel annually with out-of-town tours, and meet with donors, partners, and institutional funders. A relocation stipend is available for non-Seattle based candidates.
● Benefits: Full employer sponsored health insurance (individual) and paid time off inclusive of all federal holidays.

HOW TO APPLY
This search is being facilitated by Syrah Gunning, Director, Executive Development of the DeVos Institute of Arts Management, a leading provider of arts management services, training and thought leadership for arts, cultural, and educational sectors worldwide. Learn more here.

To apply, please click the link at the top of the page. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will continue to be accepted until the position is filled. If you have questions or require accommodation of any kind throughout the process, please email segunning@devosinstitute.net.

Music of Remembrance welcomes inquiries from all interested candidates and encourages individuals identifying as BIPOC, LBGTQIA+, neuro-diverse, and differently-abled to consider the opportunity, as well as individuals who meet some, but not all, criteria and bring relatable experience that they feel would prepare them to excel in the role.​​​​