YOLA National Artist and Faculty Liaison

Position: YOLA National Artist and Faculty Liaison

Department: Learning

Status: Non-Exempt, Part-Time

Pay Rate: $25.00 p/hr

Hours: Approximately 10 hours per week, increasing later in the spring, and further increased during the YOLA National Festival. *Not to exceed an average of 29 hours per week per calendar year. 

About the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association:

Founded in 1919, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association's mission is to perform, present, and promote music in its varied forms at the highest level of excellence to a diverse and large audience, both at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association is dedicated to continuing its pre-eminent status in the music world of the 21st century.

About the YOLA Program:

YOLA is Music and Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel’s signature program. YOLA was inspired by El Sistema, the music education system which provides young people with free musical instruments and intensive musical instruction In Venezuela. Central to YOLA’s mission is the promotion of healthy growth and development through the study, practice and performance of music. Simultaneously, YOLA positively invests in each child’s development as a musical ambassador of peace, hope, and understanding amongst a diverse population of cultures, backgrounds and beliefs. YOLA currently serves more than 1,500 elementary, middle, and high school students throughout Los Angeles.

YOLA National Festival 2024:

This July, the LA Phil will be hosting the YOLA National Festival (YNF) in Los Angeles, CA. The YOLA National Festival invites over 170 musicians ages 12-18 from El Sistema-inspired programs throughout the United States to perform as part of a top-tier, national youth orchestra. Musicians will convene for 10 days of learning with world-renown faculty, guest artists, and conductors.

All travel, lodging, and meals are provided at no cost for participating musicians. YNF will be housed on the campus of the California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, and will have engagements at the Beckmen YOLA Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the Hollywood Bowl.

Job Overview: 

The Artist and Faculty Liaison is a key member of the YOLA National Festival team, responsible for maintaining professional and strong relationships with guest artists and YOLA National faculty. This role involves serving as the primary contact for these artists and faculty members, overseeing travel arrangements, delivering program updates, and assisting the application review platform. The liaison will play a critical role in planning and executing the YOLA National Festival, ensuring that all guest artists and faculty have a seamless and enjoyable experience. The Artist and Faculty Liaison reports directly to the Manager, YOLA National, and supports the Program Coordinator, YOLA National as well as the YOLA Community as a whole.

Key Responsibilities:

• Communication and Relationship Management:
  • Act as the primary point of contact for guest artists and YOLA National faculty, fostering strong and positive relationships.
  • Regularly communicate with artists and faculty to provide updates on festival programming and logistics.
  • Address any concerns or requests from artists and faculty promptly and professionally.
  • Ensure tasks given to YOLA National Faculty are completed in a prompt and timely manner
• Travel Coordination:
  • In conjunction with the YOLA National Travel Coordinators
    • Arrange travel logistics for guest artists and faculty, including flights, accommodations, and transportation to and from the festival location.
    • Ensure that all travel details are coordinated in a timely and efficient manner.
• Acceptd and Application Management:
  • Ensure that applications are reviewed by YOLA National Faculty in a timely manner
  • Secure Faculty to Review applications
• Database Maintenance:
  • Maintain up-to-date profiles and information for all guest artists and YOLA National faculty.
  • Ensure accuracy and completeness of artist and faculty profiles.
• Festival Planning:
  • Collaborate with the YOLA National Festival team in the planning and execution of the festival.
  • Relay pertinent information from faculty to the YOLA National Team
• On-Site Support:
  • Act as the primary point of contact for guest artists and faculty during the YOLA National Festival.
  • Accommodate their needs, both artistic and logistical, to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.
• Administrative Support:
  • Assist with administrative tasks related to artist and faculty management, including documentation, contracts, and payments.
  • Maintain records of all communication and transactions related to artists and faculty.
• Feedback and Improvement:
  • Gather feedback from guest artists and faculty to continuously improve the festival experience.
  • Work with the YOLA National Festival team to implement improvements based on feedback.

• Other tasks as assigned

Position Expectations:

• Attitude and Enthusiasm: Display a positive and welcoming attitude when communicating with all faculty and guest artists. Show enthusiasm for the YOLA National Festival and inspire a sense of belonging and excitement among participants.
• Commitment to Excellence: Approach all tasks with a commitment to delivering high-quality work. Strive for accuracy, thoughtfulness and thoroughness in every aspect of the role, keeping YOLA and the LA Phil’s mission at the forefront. 
• Professionalism: Maintain a professional and courteous demeanor in all interactions with YOLA National faculty and guest artists as well as all of the YOLA and Learning community. Uphold a standard of respect and decorum in all communications and relationships.
• Proactive Problem-Solving: Demonstrate a proactive and solution-oriented approach when addressing concerns or requests from faculty and artists. Find creative and effective solutions to ensure their needs are met.
• Effective Communication: Communicate clearly, concisely, and in a timely manner. Ensure that information and updates are conveyed to faculty and artists with precision and accuracy.
• Responsiveness: Be prompt and efficient in responding to inquiries, whether they are related to travel arrangements, program updates, or any other aspect of the role.
• Team Collaboration: Work collaboratively with the YOLA National Festival team and other colleagues to achieve the festival's goals and objectives. Foster a cooperative and supportive environment for successful teamwork.
• Continuous Improvement: Strive for ongoing improvement by actively seeking feedback from faculty and guest artists. Use this feedback to identify areas for enhancement and work with the YOLA National Festival team to implement improvements.
• Documentation and Record Keeping: Maintain meticulous records of all communication and transactions related to artists and faculty. Ensure that documentation is organized, complete, and easily accessible.
• Adaptability: Be flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances, schedules, and requirements. Embrace challenges with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn and grow.
• Voice: You are an extremely valuable part of the team, as such your voice and opinion matters. Should you have any ideas or thoughts about any aspects, share them with the team. 

• In Office and Work From Home: You are expected to collaborate with the Manager, YOLA National to create a schedule that is best suited for you and the team. This will typically mean that 70-80% of your time will be spent in office with the rest of your time working from home. This will fluctuate based on the needs of the project. 

Support System and Tools:

• Team: You will be a considered a part of the YOLA National team. You will be supported by the following people in your work
  • Manager, YOLA National: Your direct supervisor who can help you solve immediate problems, help you create pathways to achieve your goals, provide guidance and guidelines to help you navigate your work and can check your work whenever needed. 
  • YOLA National Program Coordinator: An administrative expert in all things YOLA National, this person will help you navigate the platforms and technologies we use though out the department. This is also your first person to ask basic questions to and will help support your initial training.
  • The YOLA and Collaborative Learning Department: Made up of 10 full time and several part time staff, you will actively collaborate with these folks on a multitude of tasks. They can also help provide support and guidance should you need to seek extra help or input, and come with many creative ideas and thoughts. 
• Tools: The Learning Department utilizes a variety of tools that are provided to you to help you mangage your scope of work and complete your tasks in the most efficient ways possible. Below are some of the primary tools you will use.
  • Laptop – provided by the LA Phil
  • UKG Dimensions – a platform that allows you to 
  • Microsoft Office Suite – SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook Mail, Word, PowerPoint, Excel are the base platforms used to create documents and share throughout the department.
  • Zoom- A video meeting platform that allows you to meet with anyone from anywhere on your devices
  • Slack- a professional instant messaging platform that allows you to communicate with any LA Phil employee quickly and effectively. Best used for quick questions or sharing links.
  • Monday.com - a project and task manager that helps keep you and the team on track to achieve your goals
  • Acceptd – and application manager that students can directly upload audition videos and materials to, and faculty can evaluate in real time.
  • Concord – A platform used to create and share contracts with faculty and guest artists that can also be reviewed by our Legal team

Qualifications:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management abilities.
• Attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Knowledge of classical music industry or arts education is advantageous.

• Knowledge of Summer Camps or Summer Music Programs is a plus.

An Equal Opportunity Employer: It is the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The Association does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status or any other basis prohibited under federal, state or local law. The Association also provides reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).