Music Teacher

The School of Dance and Music for Children with Disabilities consists of classes both on-site at Segerstrom Center for the Arts and off-site throughout Orange County, where individuals learn the art form of dance. We are passionate about providing an inclusive, fun, and rich dance experience for students by making dance accessible to all, regardless of ability. Our classes comprise of dance and music lessons from a 3-person team—dance instructor, music instructor and physical/occupational therapist. The dance teacher is the lead voice in our classes, however, our musicians play a vital role because not only do they accompany the dance lesson, they also teach a 10-15 minute music lesson in each class. These lessons usually cover broad topics and they aim to teach the students new vocabulary and tools to enhance the dance lesson of the day. Furthermore, we recognize the scientific benefit and importance of exposing our students to live vs. recorded music. Given the nature of our classes, we encourage musicians of all styles and types of instruments to be a part of our program.

Musician Responsibilities:

• Providing accompaniment to support dance in class;
• Using music to support engagement and class participation;
• Supporting students’ development of rhythm and musicality;
• Making accommodations to ensure each individual student’s needs are met;
• Adjusting music to the needs of students and teachers;
• Communicating with other teaching artists, volunteers, and staff to ensure cohesive instruction;
• Contributing to evaluation and measurement of classes when needed; and
• Undertaking any other tasks or duties that may reasonably be required in relation to the role.

Qualifications: The ideal musician has a special touch in both disposition and experience.  Most importantly, the musician should possess the following:

• A demonstrated sensitivity to students with disabilities and diverse backgrounds;
• A great capacity for patience;
• A compassion for those with different skill sets; and
• An adaptive frame of mind.

To apply, please send your resume to community@scfta.org with Music Teacher in the subject line.