What are the responsibilities and job description for the Lead Fife & Drum Instructor position at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation?
Who We Are
Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.
Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 89 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.
Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.
About The Position
The Lead Fife/Drum Instructor will assist the Fife & Drum Corps Supervisor in the musical instruction and implementation of their assigned section (fife or drum), interpretive planning and implementation to achieve the overall goals of the Fife and Drum Corps.
Essential Functions:
Required: Degree in Public History, Musical Performance or similarly related fields, or commensurate experience of 4 years of musical performance in a related instrument.
Preferred: Familiarity and past participation in historic music and/or Fife and Drum performances. Proven work in a museum or public history setting. Familiarity with Finale and other digital music software and technology.
Qualifications:
Communication
Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.
Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 89 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.
Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.
About The Position
The Lead Fife/Drum Instructor will assist the Fife & Drum Corps Supervisor in the musical instruction and implementation of their assigned section (fife or drum), interpretive planning and implementation to achieve the overall goals of the Fife and Drum Corps.
Essential Functions:
- Provides instruction and training while ensuring quality performances with historical accuracy, to juvenile members of the Fife and Drum Corps. May participate in interviewing process, observe performances, and provide constructive feedback.
- Advises the Fife & Drum Corps Supervisor of personnel problems or important issues affecting juvenile employees and make recommendations for improvement.
- Conduct research involving period music arrangement, instruments, performance methods and techniques, historic performances, lives of musicians of all races and ethnicities, and related topics.
- Works with the Fife & Drum Corps Supervisor and the Lead Instructor counterpart to determine the repertoire for the Fife and Drum Corps as well as prepare and maintain the performance schedule of Corps members to specific programs.
- Serves as a performer to supplement the program when needed. Participates in program initiatives. Coordinates with other leaders in the Foundation to participate in and support a variety of special events and initiatives.
- Coordinate with Fife & Drum Corps Supervisor to work with other Foundation employees to develop or support other interpretive programs; offer special workshops, symposiums, and other presentations; cooperates in areas of production, research, publications, etc.
- Assists Fife & Drum Corps Supervisor in ensuring that all safety and security procedures established for the staff, site, tools, materials, artifacts/antiques, and equipment are followed.
- Transports staff, performers and program materials to and from the Fife and Drum Building using Foundation approved vehicles and following departmental guidelines.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Required: Degree in Public History, Musical Performance or similarly related fields, or commensurate experience of 4 years of musical performance in a related instrument.
Preferred: Familiarity and past participation in historic music and/or Fife and Drum performances. Proven work in a museum or public history setting. Familiarity with Finale and other digital music software and technology.
Qualifications:
Communication
- Ability to organize and present information in verbal and written form to diverse audiences.
- Ability to follow written and oral instructions.
- Ability to use a variety of interactive techniques in making presentations to guests.
- Ability to present and maintain a warm and enthusiastic demeanor with Corps members, co-workers and guests.
- Ability to deal with the public in both one-on-one and large group situations.
- Ability to balance the needs of the juvenile performers with the needs of the department of Fifes & Drums.
- Ability to make correct decisions in a timely manner to resolve problems.
- Ability to organize and handle multiple priorities.
- Ability to work within a strict set of guidelines.
- Knowledge of the requirements of musical performance and instruction of juveniles.
- Ability to read and assimilate information. Knowledge of the Williamsburg area and Colonial Williamsburg in particular.
- Knowledge of logistics and objectives of Fifes and Drums.
- Must have a valid Virginia State driver’s license.
- Ability to use Foundation computers and existing software including Microsoft Office products, and other Colonial Williamsburg approved media devices and programs as systems are upgraded.
- Proficient on assigned instrument (fife or drum) in proper playing techniques and musical knowledge appropriate to the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums Corp.
- Must be able to pass all tunes in the Fife and Drum Repertoire up to and including the rank of Sergeant to the Fife and Drum Corps Supervisor within 1 year of job hire date.
- Must be proficient in Drum Majoring abilities in order to lead with confidence programming with either the Junior or Senior Corps
- Possesses the ability to establish and communicate goals which support the mission of the organization, to develop strategies to support the goals, and to gain confidence and support of a diverse workforce to achieve those goals.
- Provides timely and effective coaching of juvenile employees, providing clear communication and expectations.
- Ability to solicit feedback, facilitate teamwork, practice open two-way communication and work effectively as a team member with all staff at different levels of the division and Foundation.
