Teaching Artist

The LACO Teaching Artist cohort is a vibrant community of composers, performers, and educators who bring music to life for students across Los Angeles County through accessible and engaging music curricula. Selected by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for their artistic excellence and passion for education, LACO Teaching Artists are active professionals who are looking to further their teaching experience and expand their impact within and beyond the classroom. Working closely with the Director of Learning, Teaching Artists will lead students in immersive experiences centered on active listening, collaborative learning, and creative expression. This is an opportunity to inspire the next generation while deepening your own artistic and pedagogical practices. LACO Teaching Artists are not only skilled musicians and composers, but also empathetic educators committed to equity, creativity, and community impact.

Our in-school residencies run in two semesters:
● Meet the Artists (Fall): a repertoire-focused program immersing students in concert repertoire and living composers
● Meet the Music (Spring): a composition-focused program where students create original works and explore individuality

Teaching Artists play a vital role in LACO’s broader learning initiatives, including participating in Family Days and mentoring students from the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA) and USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative (NAI).

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
● Engage with diverse student populations in grades 3-12 with curriculum varying from music appreciation, music history, basic music theory, and music composition
● Must be able to accept a minimum of five (5) classes per semester
● Facilitate hands-on activities in all aspects of music learning and creative expression
● Aid students in creating and arranging a composition of a piece of music approximately 1-2 minutes in length, to be performed at the final culminating concert
● Participate in professional development retreats and lesson planning sessions
● Collaborate with LACO staff, classroom teachers, fellow Teaching Artists, and LACO musicians
● Support student engagement during culminating events and field trips
● Act as ambassadors for LACO’s mission
● Participate in other LACO events and collaborations as Department of Learning representatives

Salary: $1,500 honorarium | Teaching Rate: $50, hourly | Administrative Rate: $40, hourly

Benefits: 
● Professional development opportunities, including:
● Mentorship with Composer-in-Residence Huang Ruo
● Targeted workshops for classroom teaching
● One on one mentorship with Director of Learning
● Complimentary tickets to LACO concerts

Education requirements: Bachelor’s degree

Deadline to apply: July 15, 2025

Documents required to apply: Resume, References, Work Sample/Portfolio

How to apply: To apply, submit the following:

● Resume: outlining both artistic and teaching experience
● Personal Statement: no longer than 500 words
● Work Sample: (at least 5 minutes in length, any instrumentation)
● Two References: (contact information only)
● Teaching Sample: (optional)

Email your materials with the subject line “Teaching Artist Application” to nichastapanukul@laco.org and include the following in the body of the email.
● Full Legal Name
● Preferred Email (if different from the one you’re sending from)
● Phone Number
● School/Affiliated Organization, if applicable, or: how you heard about this opportunity.

Full job description can be found here.