BCL Accompanist Position

Position Type: Part-Time

Reports to: Artistic Director, Zoé Henrot

Schedule: Saturday Mornings

Start Date: Immediately

Rate: $25/hr

Ballet Co. Laboratory is seeking an experienced accompanist, skilled in piano for our ballet classes. The ballet accompanist selects and plays appropriate music for ballet technique classes. The accompanist shall choose and play at a moment's notice music to match the tempo, meter, musicality, and length of various ballet exercises; and/or must be able to spontaneously compose/improvise to the movement appropriately, most often in a classical style, but occasionally in popular music pieces played in a classical style. If you are primarily a reader, you should have some improvisational skill to accommodate instructions, extended endings and to edit/alter music (possibly in real time) to meet phrasing needs of given exercises.

Responsibilities:

  • Provide piano accompaniment for ballet classes

  • Accompany special classes, auditions, sub for other accompanists, and master classes outside of the regular work, if interested/available

  • Effectively collaborate with the Teaching Artist during the dance class

  • Continue to expand their repertoire for dance class

Required Skills:

  • Advanced classical piano technique

  • Excellent sight-reading ability and ability to learn intermediate to advanced music quickly

  • Good to excellent improvisational skills

  • Minimal improvisation regularly needed to provide a short introduction to each exercise and possibly improvise an ending midway through a score or create extended endings on the spot to match the length of the exercise.

  • Advanced improvisers may choose to improvise in-the-moment custom made music for an entire exercise or class as long as is appropriately supports the dance movement

  • Ability to choose within a moment's notice appropriate music to support and inspire the given exercise

  • Familiarity and experience with class structure, types of exercises, and their typical order are essential to keep up with the pace of class

  • Ability to provide a clear sense of beat/pulse/timing to ensure dancers feel confident about where they should be in relation to the music at any given moment

  • Ability to communicate effectively with the teaching artist, making necessary adjustments to the tempo or music choice based upon the instructor's request.

Experience:

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in music or equivalent experience

  • 1-3 years experience accompanying ballet classes