Leader

After more than a decade of very successful and positive collaboration, our current Leader Peter Fender will be stepping down from his position at the end of the 2022-2023 season.

The North London Symphony Orchestra is therefore looking for an outstanding, experienced and dynamic musician to take over the position on a long-term basis from September 2023 and help us develop and improve further.

The NLSO is a friendly, committed and ambitious non-professional orchestra made up of about 65 regular players, including some professional musicians. The orchestra has been taking an exciting new course in recent years under the direction of our Musical Director Robert Max; recent programmes have included Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Strauss’ Don Quixote, Janacek’s Taras Bulba and Ibert’s Flute Concerto. In June 2023 the orchestra will perform Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Highgate Choral Society.

We perform 3 concerts a year in North London and hold 8 or 9 rehearsals a term. These currently take place on Monday evenings from 7.15pm to 9.45pm (with a 15-minute break) during term time at Union Church & Community Centre, Weston Park, Crouch End, N8 9PX. Concerts usually take place on Saturday evenings with a dress rehearsal from 2.30pm to 5.30pm in the afternoon.
 

Your responsibilities

• Lead the orchestra in an engaging, confident and skilful way;
• Give guidance to the first violins and to the string players generally;
• Work constructively in close collaboration with the Musical Director throughout the term to achieve the highest possible standards;
• Work constructively in close collaboration with the Committee as and if requested;
• Work constructively in close collaboration with the other string section leaders;
• Prepare a seating plan for the first violins at the start of each term, rotating players every term for the purposes of creating a fair environment for all and achieving the best possible sound within your section;
• Encourage commitment, enthusiasm and confidence from the string section as a whole;
• Foster a welcoming environment, encouraging dialogue and treating all members with respect and courtesy;
• Take a string sectional rehearsal if required;
• Provide a deputy, in consultation with the Musical Director and/or the Chairperson, if you are unable to attend a rehearsal because of illness or any other unavoidable cause.

Commitment

• You are expected to lead all the planned concerts in a season;
• You are expected not to miss more than one rehearsal a term, save in exceptional circumstances;
• You are expected to attend the afternoon rehearsal on the day of the concert.

Your profile

• Recognised advanced qualification in violin performance;
• Considerable experience as an orchestral player and, ideally, previous experience as a (section) leader;
• Enthusiastic, friendly and engaging with strong coaching skills.
   

For more details about the application process please see:

https://nlso.org.uk/leader-vacancy/

Closing date: 31 March 2023