Accompanist

Job Overview
Passionate about music and its power to inspire movement? The School of Dance needs a live musical accompanist to support dance education and performance through piano accompaniment for technique classes, rehearsals, and productions. The incumbent blends advanced piano performance with spontaneous improvisation to enhance modern, ballet, and other dance classes.

Duties & Responsibilities

Provide piano accompaniment for ballet and modern dance classes.

Play piano and percussion for modern dance classes.

Collaborate closely with dance faculty to understand desired musical energy and interpretive goals.

Offer musical support and accompaniment during rehearsals, performances, or recordings.

Accompany special classes, auditions, and master classes outside the regular work week on occasion.

Substitute for classes as needed and attend meetings called by the Music Director for Dance.

Collaborate effectively with students, staff, and faculty to support the academic and artistic mission of the department.

Continuously expand repertoire for dance classes; proactively research, learn, and adapt new musical scores and genres to maintain an engaging, dynamic, and non-repetitive auditory environment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

Demonstrated ability to sight‑read and quickly adapt diverse musical genres.

Strong ear‑training skills with the ability to transpose or rearrange music on the fly.

Knowledge of or willingness to learn how various musical structures align with ballet, modern, and jazz pedagogy.

Excellent interpersonal skills with a history of successful collaboration alongside faculty instructors, guest artists, and student choreographers.

Ability to match tempo, emotional dynamics, and physical phrasing simply by observing dancers.

Minimum Qualifications

High‑school diploma or equivalent.

Minimum of three years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Collaborative Piano, Piano Performance, Music Theory, Percussion, or an equivalent field.

Two or more years of experience playing live accompaniment for professional dance companies, elite pre‑professional academies, or university‑level dance departments.

Experience accompanying a wide breadth of dance genres, specifically classical ballet, jazz, and contemporary/modern techniques.

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