Youth Orchestra Music Librarian

 

Youth Orchestra Music Librarian

Civic Engagement Department

Youth Orchestra Program

 

Work Status:	Part-Time	FLSA Status:	Non-Exempt
Location of Job:	Davies Symphony Hall San Francisco, CA	Hourly rate:	$25.00–30.00 hourly, depending on experience
Schedule:	Hybrid, majority in-person - Weekend hours in conjunction with SFSYO services and periodic evening services - 1–2 in-office days midweek, schedule negotiable	Regular Hours:	- August through April: 20–25 hours/week - May through July: 5–10 hours/week
Reports To:	Director, Youth Orchestra Program	Supervisory:	No

 

THE ORGANIZATION

The San Francisco Symphony is among the most adventurous and innovative arts institutions in the United States, celebrated for its artistic excellence, creative performance concepts, award-winning recordings, and standard-setting education and community engagement programs. Since it was established in 1911, the Symphony has grown in acclaim under a succession of distinguished music directors: Henry Hadley, Alfred Hertz, Basil Cameron, Issay Dobrowen, Pierre Monteux, Enrique Jordá, Josef Krips, Seiji Ozawa, Edo de Waart, Herbert Blomstedt, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. In May 2026, the Symphony announced Elim Chan as the 13th Music Director in its 115-year history, beginning with the 2027–28 season. One of the most sought-after artists of her generation, Elim Chan embodies the spirit of contemporary orchestral leadership with her crystalline precision and expressive zeal.

The San Francisco Symphony presents more than 200 concerts and presentations annually for an audience of nearly 350,000 in its home of Davies Symphony Hall and around the Bay Area. As a cornerstone of its mission, the San Francisco Symphony provides some of the most extensive education and community programs offered by any American orchestra. The Symphony’s free music education experiences engage students in grades 1–12 throughout the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), serving more than 25,000 students annually.

In 2001, the SF Symphony became the first American orchestra to launch its own in-house record label, SFS Media. Recorded live in concert and engineered at Davies Symphony Hall, SFS Media recordings showcase music by contemporary composers as well as core classical masterworks. San Francisco Symphony radio broadcasts, the first in the nation to feature symphonic music when they began in 1926, today carry the Orchestra’s concerts across the country. In 2004, the SF Symphony launched the groundbreaking multimedia Keeping Score series on PBS-TV and the web; the series was made available for unlimited free streaming on the Symphony’s YouTube channel in 2020. In 2014, the San Francisco Symphony inaugurated SoundBox, an experimental and eclectic live music series, which takes place in an alternative performance space located backstage at Davies Symphony Hall. In 2023, the San Francisco Symphony partnered with Apple for the launch of a new classical music streaming app, Apple Music Classical, and has since released 17 spatial audio recordings of live concert performances through the app. For its adventurous programming, the Symphony has been honored 19 times by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and the Symphony’s recordings have garnered France’s Grand Prix du Disque and Britain’s Gramophone Award, as well as 17 Grammy® Awards.

JOB SUMMARY

The Youth Orchestra Music Librarian will support the SFS Youth Orchestra by managing all orchestral materials and ensuring timely, accurate preparation for rehearsals and performances. This position works under the guidance of the YO Director. The Music Librarian will interact frequently with SFSYO members, the SFSYO Music Director, SFSYO Apprentice(s), SFS musicians who serve as faculty, and other SFS staff on a limited basis. The position will also take direction from the SFS Music Library staff as necessary.

The YO Music Librarian is a part-time role (up to 25 hours per week) aligned with YO rehearsals, performances, and other events. The schedule includes most Saturdays during the season, with occasional Sunday and evening commitments, plus some weekday hours as needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Manage all orchestral performance materials for the SFS Youth Orchestra

• Coordinate acquisition timeline with SFS Principal Librarian; catalog and return materials in a timely manner after each cycle
• Maintain an extensive performance library of approximately 300 works
• Enforce library policies with SFSYO musicians, consulting with YO Director as necessary
• Consult with SFSYO faculty on bowings
• Prepare digital and physical performance materials (orchestra parts, scores, and coach books)
  • Errata correction, printing and binding
  • Fix page turns
  • Copy bowings/fingerings/articulations, etc.
• Manage and distribute digital practice parts
• Assemble and prepare folders for rehearsals and performances
  • Build/stuff/decollate folders

Rehearsal Support

• Distribute and collect folders for all services
• Field questions from SFSYO musicians and faculty

Audition Support

• Coordinate annual seating and entrance auditions in collaboration with YO Director
• Consult with SFSYO faculty to select audition excerpts
• Assemble excerpt packets and distribute to SFSYO musicians
• Proctor entrance and seating auditions

Administrative Support

• Assist YO Director with other administrative tasks if/when needed
• Provide onsite rehearsal coverage for YO Director as needed
• Assist with administration of biennial Bay Area Youth Orchestra Festival
• Support YO Director in tracking library expenses, managing budget
• In tour years, additional duties would be assigned in consultation with YO Director and CCEO

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 1–2 years of experience working in an orchestral music library
• Strong knowledge of orchestral repertoire is essential; prior orchestral performance experience strongly preferred
• Bachelor's degree in music or library science preferred.
• Experience working collaboratively with diverse groups, including youth (ages 11–21), professional musicians, families, and administrators.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

         None

EEO STATEMENT

In alignment with the values statement above, the San Francisco Symphony is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.