ORCHESTRA NORTHERN ARIZONA
Flagstaff's Community Orchestra
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: ARTISTIC DIRECTOR / PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR
Orchestra Northern Arizona welcomes nominations and applications for the position of
Principal Conductor and Artistic Director, available beginning in the 2027-2028 season.
This job combines the responsibilities of Artistic Director (AD) and
Principal Conductor (PC) into a single position.
The AD role serves as artistic leader of (ONA) providing vision, organizational leadership, and community engagement.
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Develops ONA music repertoire in conjunction with members of the orchestra as selected by the Board.
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Interacts with ONA musicians and audiences, during rehearsals and performances as to the music and its history to educate and enhance enjoyment of music.
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Because auditions are not required for membership, the AD will be responsible for leading specific auditions as needed for section Principals/Soloists.
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Responsible for choosing principal players and selecting guest artists and soloists, along with suggestions and approval by the Board.
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Acts as music arranger for music repertoire as needed. Recruits musicians for ONA and acts as community liaison for the orchestra.
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Collaborates with area non-profit organizations, along with the Board of Directors, to benefit the orchestra's financial status and the orchestra's standing in the community.
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Reports AD activities monthly to the Board at meetings or as necessary. Attends board meetings and interacts with committees as directed by the Board, participates in board meetings as a non-voting member of the board.
The PC role is responsible for the musical preparation and performance of Orchestra Northern Arizona.
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Conduct all scheduled rehearsals and performances. When unavailable, coordinate with the Assistant Conductor or another qualified conductor, subject to Board notification.
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Lead rehearsals and performances to achieve the desired artistic interpretation, including balance, blend, intonation, dynamics, rhythm, tempo, phrasing, articulation, and overall musical expression.
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Apply professional knowledge of conducting technique, music theory, orchestration, and instrumental performance to develop the orchestra's musical capabilities and performance quality.
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Delegate conducting and rehearsal responsibilities to the Assistant Conductor, as appropriate.
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Maintain professional, respectful, and collegial verbal and written communication with orchestra members, the Board of Directors, guest artists, and members of the community.
Independent Contractor Relationship
The Artistic Director/Principal Conductor shall perform the contracted services as an independent contractor.
This is a part-time, contracted position with compensation of $1,000 per month for 12 months ($12,000 annually). The position is expected to provide ongoing leadership and support to the orchestra.
Application must include: personal letter of interest and resume. If available, please include sample programs conducted by the candidate.
Email application materials, or questions, to Jodi Jenkins, Search Committee Chair:
jodi@orchestrana.org by October 31, 2026.
Orchestra Northern Arizona | 809 W. Riordan Rd. Suite 100-261, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Download the job posting (PDF format) below.
Brief Overview
ONA is a community orchestra that offers 4 (occasionally 5) concerts at Coconino High School throughout the school year. We rehearse on Monday evenings from 6:30-8:30 PM at Coconino High School for approximately 8 rehearsals prior to each concert. All concerts are free. We do not utilize auditions. Musician members are expected to have some basic musical experience with their instruments. We do not provide instrument lessons. There is a $100/year stand fee that is waived for youth and for anyone who lets us know that the stand fee is a hardship.
ORCHESTRA NORTHERN ARIZONA (ONA) HISTORY
Over 20 years ago, a community orchestra was formed in Flagstaff as part of the community college, now known as CCC. Director Clarence Shaw, a well-known local musician, educator, and conductor, was hired, and the CCC Orchestra was formed. The orchestra quickly developed the tradition of offering performances of the great classical works free of charge. In 2009, funding concerns caused CCC to no longer be able to support the group and the CCC Orchestra was disbanded. Motivated to keep the orchestra going, a group of motivated musicians decided to regroup and formed Orchestra Northern Arizona (ONA). ONA received its non-profit status in 2010 and has been operating continuously since then performing 4-5 concerts per year. ONA strives to stay true to its mission "to entertain our community with free, family-friendly concerts inspiring musicians and audiences alike with an emphasis on classical music." A good overview of ONA can be found at our website orchestrana.org