Title: Facilitator, Melody Makers
Reports to: Director of Arts for Life and Artistic Director
Part-Time/Contract – All groups meet weekdays between 10am-3pm
$150/per 60-minute session for 10-week semesters
Current Openings for Fall 2023
Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads Falls Church, VA Fridays 10:30-11:30am (The Terrace)
Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads Falls Church, VA Day and time negotiable
Goodwin House Alexandria, VA Tuesdays 10:30-11:30am
Asbury Methodist Village Gaithersburg, MD (Monday, Wednesday, or Friday – day negotiable) 11am-12pm
Anticipated Openings
Baltimore, MD
Cape Fear, NC
ORGANIZATION
Encore Creativity for Older Adults (Encore), founded in 2007, and headquartered in Washington, D. C., is the nation’s largest choral program for adults over the age of 55. Encore’s mission is to provide an excellent and accessible artistic environment for older adults, regardless of experience or ability, who seek arts education and performance opportunities under a professional artist. Encore is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Encore has grown to 23 choral groups in the Baltimore-Washington area, including 15 Encore Chorales and five Encore ROCKS rock & roll choruses and two Sentimental Journey Singers chorale. Additionally, Encore has a Chorale and ROCKS in NYC, CA, DE, and NC. Encore currently serves nearly 1300 singers.
Encore’s annual program consists of two fifteen-week “semesters” of rehearsing repertoire, followed by concerts that are free and open to the public. All groups rehearse the same music, enabling them to come together for concerts with as many as 250 singers in any one performance. Concerts are held at high quality, high visibility locations including the Kennedy Center.
ARTS FOR LIFE PROGRAM
Encore’s Arts for Life programming is for those with cognitive change including Alzheimer’s and dementias. Currently we offer two programs: Sentimental Journey Singers, a choral program for those with early- to mid-stage cognitive change and their care partners; and Melody Makers, a music experience for with mid- to moderate cognitive change.
MELODY MAKERS
Melody Makers is a 45 to 60-minute musical experience designed for those with mid- to moderate-stage cognitive change such as Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias (Melody Makers) and their care partners or independent living residents (Ambassadors). The session includes vocal exercises, singing of rounds and partner songs, rhythm and movement activities, and opportunities for Melody Makers and Ambassadors to get to know each other and exercise their minds.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Facilitator of Melody Makers will attend a virtual facilitator meeting each semester, plan and lead weekly 45 to 60-minute sessions.
QUALIFICATIONS
The Melody Maker Facilitator should have, at a minimum, a Bachelor’s degree in music, music education, or music therapy. Strong piano and/or guitar skills are required. Experience in early childhood and/or elementary music education desired. Knowledge of cognitive impairments and music therapy is preferred, but not required as basic training is available.
The Facilitator must embrace the philosophy of process over performance. Encore always strives to present quality programming and we also understand the importance of building community, intellectual stimulation, and artistic expression. Therefore, our focus is on achieving these goals through choral singing.
TO APPLY
Please send your resume and cover letter to Dr. Mary Ann East, Director of Arts for Life at [email protected]