YOLA at Heart of LA Musicianship and Recorder/Exploratory TA

TITLE: YOLA at Heart of LA Musicianship and Recorder/Exploratory TA

DEPARTMENT: Music 

REPORTS TO: YOLA at Heart of LA Senior Music Program Director and Associate Director

FLSA: Non-exempt 

HOURS: Approximately 8-12 hours/normal programming week, for 37 weeks/year. Hours are subject to change with academic calendar and/or program needs. 

Salary: $45/hour 

Start Date: 8/18/2025 

Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) provides underserved youth with exceptional programs in academics, arts and athletics within a nurturing environment, empowering them to develop their potential, pursue their education and strengthen their communities. 

Our core values are: Respect, Responsibility, Positive Communication, Inclusion and Support. 

Youth Orchestra LA (YOLA) is the Los Angeles Philharmonic's initiative, supported by a network of stakeholders, to provide access to exceptional instrumental and orchestral education in order to promote youth development. Central to YOLA is the LA Phil's plan to build youth orchestras in underserved communities throughout Los Angeles with community partners. 

POSITION SUMMARY: 

Responsible for creatively teaching musicianship (2nd grade) and recorder/exploratory (3rd grade) to young learners  in YOLA at Heart of LA, a joint venture of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA). He or she will ensure the highest quality music education experience for YOLA at Heart of LA, create curriculum and pedagogy in collaboration with other music faculty and support each child holistically. He or she will support the Heart of LA philosophy and community and help facilitate community and family involvement. 

YOLA at Heart of LA is the second site of Gustavo Dudamel's signature program Youth Orchestra LA, inspired by El Sistema, the Venezuelan music education system that provides a quarter million children with free musical instruments and music instruction. Over the last thirty years, Heart of Los Angeles has become a home-away-from-home for countless numbers of inner-city youth. With YOLA, this vibrant community center has become a hub of intensive and joyful music making. Each participant receives a rich music curriculum focused on cultivating a caring, cooperative, and fun community. The instruments and the program are free to all participating students as long as they uphold their contract to take care of the instrument, practice, and participate in YOLA at Heart of LA music programming. Participating students come from within a five-mile radius of Heart of LA community center, located in and around Lafayette Park, Los Angeles. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: 

As YOLA at Heart of LA faculty member, responsibilities include (but are not limited to): 

• Collaborating with YOLA at Heart of LA faculty to create a shared curriculum, pedagogy, and culture inspired by the ideals of El Sistema
• Working in collaboration with Beginning Strings and Musicianship/Exploratory lead Teaching Artists to establish musical skills and habits
• Creatively teaching musical concepts to foster a well-rounded young musician, with an eye toward joining a YOLA orchestra
• Incorporation of various teaching methodologies (Orff, Kodaly) that build a strong musical foundation 
• Communicating with YOLA at Heart of LA tutors in order to understand each child holistically
• Attending music pedagogy and tutoring professional development sessions 
• Preparation and communication with music teachers, YOLA Conductors, Sr. Program Director, Associate Program Director, LA Phil staff, parents and the HOLA team 
• Assisting with concerts and special events 
• Embodying the El Sistema ideals of mentorship, team teaching, and experiential learning by being a role model and mentor to those entering the classroom to learn, such as YOLA students, Graduate students, or volunteers. 
• Representing the YOLA at Heart of LA program by embodying the Heart of LA core values, and welcoming visitors into the collaborative teaching space. 
• May perform other departmental duties as assigned. 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Demonstrated excellent musicianship and artistry as a teacher/performer. 
• Strong commitment to El Sistema's philosophy of social change through music, and the missions of YOLA and Heart of LA. 
• Four-year undergraduate degree or equivalent experience required; post-graduate degree or equivalent experience a plus. 
• Experience teaching music to young children. 
• Strong knowledge of early learner music curriculum and pedagogy. 
• Experience working with children from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds; experience working in underserved communities. 
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community. 
• Ability to be a strong role model for youth during all working hours. 
• Interest and ability to be a motivational mentor/role model for students, parents, graduate students, and peers as an artist, teacher, and citizen. 
• Ability to work under frequent observation, collaborate with peers and to both give and receive constructive and helpful feedback when needed. 
• Bilingual in English and Spanish, or English and Korean,  a plus. 
• Must pass CA DOJ background check.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.  While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls.  The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.  The building environment may not provide air conditioning and heat in all areas.  Outdoor work is expected in some cases.

PERMISSION TO PHOTOGRAPH 

I give my consent for photographs, video or any other medium to be taken of me at HOLA's discretion. HOLA has the right to reproduce, distribute, sell, transmit, publish, exhibit or otherwise use any and all photographs, video or other materials in which I may appear, or any portion thereof, on any platforms it uses now or will use in the future. 

UNDERSTANDING OF AT WILL EMPLOYMENT STATUS 

I understand and agree that my employment with Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) is at-will, and can be terminated with or without cause or notice by either Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) or myself. I also understand that no supervisor or any employee of Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) has the authority to enter into any agreement for employment for any specified period of time or to make any agreement contrary to the at-will relationship described above. The at-will relationship will remain in effect throughout my employment with Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)