Summary
Description
Title: Director of Education & Community Engagement
Reports to: Executive Director
Supervises: Registrar, Student Services Team, Faculty
Works closely with: Music Director, Director of Philanthropy, Director of Marketing and Community Relations, General Manager, Education Committee
Schedule and location: Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts (“CMF&CMA”) is based in Boulder County, Colorado. The administrative staff maintain offices at the Center for Musical Arts in Lafayette. The Colorado Music Festival takes place each summer at the historic Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder. The Director of Education & Community Engagement is expected to maintain a visible presence across locations and throughout the broader community. The role allows for some work-from-home to support focus and balance, in alignment with the needs and rhythms of the role.
Pay Status: Salaried, Full-time, Exempt
Starting Salary: $100,000
Benefits and PTO: Comprehensive healthcare plan and generous paid vacation. A 401k is available for employee contributions.
Desired start date: January 2027 at the latest.
Application Deadline: September 4. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and first-round interviews will begin immediately. Early applications are therefore strongly encouraged.
Websites: CMF CMA
Our Mission
Our mission is to inspire and connect community members of all ages by providing access to the best of the world’s music through education and performance. Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts is a one-of-a-kind organization that provides a broad spectrum of music education opportunities and world-class performances to citizens throughout Boulder County and beyond.
About CMF&CMA
At the base of Boulder’s iconic Flatirons, music has long served as a powerful force for connection, creativity, and community. For five decades, the Colorado Music Festival has brought world-class orchestral performance to the historic Chautauqua Auditorium each summer, while the Center for Musical Arts has nurtured generations of musicians through year-round music education and community engagement for thirty years. Together, these programs form a distinctive musical ecosystem, one that bridges professional artistry and lifelong learning and plays a vital role in the cultural life of Boulder County and the broader Front Range.
Since its founding in 1996, The Center for Musical Arts (“CMA”) has been guided by the founding vision-"Music for All…for Life!" Over the past three decades, it has cultivated a culture that is student-centered, flexible, welcoming, community-oriented, and rooted in the conviction that music should be accessible to learners of all ages, backgrounds, identities, and aspirations. A member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education, CMA has become a trusted and beloved community resource, serving more than 700 students each week through individual lessons, classes, ensembles, and community programs. Its mobile Tiny Stage extends that reach, bringing live performances to thousands of audience members throughout the community each year. Together, these programs generate approximately $800,000 in earned revenue annually. As CMF&CMA looks to the future, CMA's philosophy and values will serve as the foundation for the continued evolution of music education across the organization, informing programming both within and beyond its walls.
Founded in 1976, the Colorado Music Festival is a celebrated five-week summer festival that brings together principal players and leading musicians from major orchestras across North America. Under the artistic leadership of Music Director Peter Oundjian, the Festival presents a vibrant season of orchestral and chamber performances featuring internationally recognized guest artists, beloved repertoire, and contemporary works in one of the country’s most striking concert settings.
CMF&CMA is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors and led by a staff of thirteen full- and part-time employees, over 30 faculty, a 78+ seasonal orchestra roster, and additional seasonal staff. The organization operates with an annual budget of approximately $4.2 million (FY26), with 60% of revenue derived from contributed sources. The organization also benefits from strong regional cultural support through the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), a seven-county public funding model that distributes more than $80 million annually to nearly 300 cultural organizations across the Denver metropolitan region.
The Opportunity
CMF&CMA is at an exciting and defining moment in its evolution. With the appointment of Executive Director Aren Der Hacopian, who will join the organization in September 2026 following more than two decades of senior leadership at Seattle Opera, the planned retirement of the founding Education Director, and the celebration of the Festival's 50th anniversary and CMA's 30th, the organization is reimagining the scope of the role to advance a broader vision for music education across Boulder County and beyond, reflected in the new title: Director of Education & Community Engagement.
The DOE&CE will serve as a senior organizational leader responsible for advancing this vision through strategic leadership, innovative programming, meaningful partnerships, and community engagement. The role includes financial and operational leadership of CMA, oversight of community-centered and outreach programming, and, alongside Executive Director Aren Der Hacopian and Music Director Peter Oundjian, leadership of educational programming at the Festival.
Areas of Focus for the Next Leader
While the DOE&CE will oversee a broad portfolio of responsibilities, stakeholders identified the following six priorities as the areas of greatest opportunity and focus during the leader's first several years in the role:
- Assessing community needs and interests to ensure existing programs remain relevant and responsive, and to inform future program development, support enrollment growth, and increase community impact.
- Increasing the visibility and accessibility of CMF&CMA's education programs through stronger marketing, storytelling, outreach, and community-centered programming.
- Strengthening integration and collaboration between CMA and CMF through shared programming, collaborative initiatives, and a unified organizational vision.
- Cultivating strategic partnerships with arts organizations, schools, universities, and community groups to develop mutually beneficial initiatives that strengthen the cultural ecosystem across Boulder County.
- Developing a stronger fundraising strategy and philanthropic culture around education initiatives in collaboration with organizational leadership.
- Assessing and exploring future facility needs related to accessibility, capacity, and operations in support of sustainable growth.
What We Are Looking For
CMF&CMA is seeking a collaborative and visionary leader who believes deeply in the transformative power of music education and its role in strengthening community, connection, creativity, and lifelong learning. An artist educator at heart, the DOE&CE will combine strategic leadership, operational and financial acumen, strong relationship-building skills, and a genuine commitment to student-centered and community-centered music education.
Qualifications and Prior Experience
Strategic Leadership in Music Education – 7–10 years of leadership experience in music education and/or community arts education settings, including leading programs or organizations through growth, transition, and strategic evolution. Experience working within a community music school or similar community-centered arts education environment is highly desired.
Deep Affinity for the Field – Personal or professional experience in music as a performer, educator, or engaged participant, and/or a demonstrated passion for and ability to speak authentically about the impact of music education.
Program Development & Community Responsiveness – Demonstrated success developing and expanding programs in response to community and student needs, with experience building program pathways that support long-term student engagement across ages, abilities, interests, and levels of participation.
Community Engagement, Partnerships & External Leadership – Track record of building partnerships and engaging diverse communities through collaboration with schools, arts organizations, universities, municipalities, and community partners. Experience working with multilingual and culturally diverse communities is strongly valued; Spanish language proficiency would be an asset.
Organizational, Financial & Operational Leadership – Experience overseeing budgets, operations, enrollment systems, and facilities, ideally within a music education or community arts environment. Ability to use data and assessment tools to support enrollment growth, retention, operational effectiveness, and strategic decision-making.
Team Leadership & Relationship Building – Demonstrated ability to hire, lead, support, and develop faculty and staff while fostering a collaborative, inclusive, mission-aligned culture grounded in communication, mentorship, accountability, and care.
Fundraising, Marketing & Visibility – Experience contributing to fundraising, marketing, communications, and community engagement efforts that increase visibility, participation, enrollment, and philanthropic support.
Integrating Performance & Education – Experience working across both presenting/performance and arts education contexts, with the ability to deepen the relationship between these areas.
A Master's degree in Music Education, Performance, Arts Administration, or a related field is highly preferred.
To Apply
CMF&CMA has engaged LJN Advisory to partner with them in hiring for this important role. Please email a cover letter and resume by September 4 to LJN@lornajanenorris.com with “CMF&CMA – DOE&CE Application” in the subject line.
Please attach your cover letter and resume as separate PDF files, and start each file name with your last name. Cover letters should be responsive to CMF&CMA’s mission and to the Areas of Focus as laid out in the full position profile. We will begin interviewing candidates right away and therefore encourage early application. Each application will be acknowledged and given careful attention.
Inclusivity & Accessibility Statement
CMF&CMA is an equal opportunity employer and educational institution committed to diversity and inclusion. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, height, weight, or marital status in employment or the provision of services.
We know that no candidate will meet every requirement listed, and encourage you to apply even if you don’t check every box. We recognize that leadership excellence is developed through many pathways and encourage candidates whose experience may not follow a traditional nonprofit or arts leadership trajectory to apply.
If you require any accommodations during the hiring process, such as for scheduling, interview format, or written materials, please let us know. We are committed to making the process accessible, respectful, and welcoming for all.
