2025-2026 Woodwind Technique Instructor

The Chicago High School for the Arts seeks a Woodwind Technique Instructor for the 2025-2026 school year.

Title: Woodwind Technique

Department: Music

Classification: Part-time instructor

General Summary: 

The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts ®) develops the next generation of artistically gifted, diverse scholar artists through intensive pre-professional training in the arts combined with a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum. The school approaches the development of students through a whole-student approach and through a continuous learning environment for all staff to continuously develop their understanding of our scholar-artists. We strive to build upon and improve our practices to make sure we are always serving all of our students to the best of our abilities.

Position Overview: 

This course provides focused, instrument-specific instruction to develop tone quality, technical facility, musical expression, and ensemble awareness of woodwind instruments. The goal is to support students in advancing their individual musicianship while preparing them for success in band, orchestra, chamber ensembles, and solo performance. The techniques classes will allow students concentrated time to develop the vocabulary of their instruments.  Material will include scales and arpeggios in all keys, from memory, over the full compass of the instrument, as well as regular etude assignments.  As relevant, technique classes will also address healthy playing posture, breathing, tone, and vibrato.  Upper-level technique classes will incorporate chamber music as a regular part of the curriculum.

The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in woodwind performance and pedagogy, with the ability to work with students at varying levels of advancement within a group setting.

Through completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate improved tone, technique, and control on their primary instrument.
• Perform major and minor scales, arpeggios, and technical exercises fluently.
• Interpret solo and ensemble repertoire with musicality and stylistic awareness.
• Apply effective practice strategies and self-assessment tools for their playing.

Classroom and professional duties include, but are not limited to the following: 

• Embrace and promote the ChiArts vision, mission, educational approach, goals, and core values 
• Prepare structured lessons that encourage and foster skill development, critical thinking, applications, and ethics. 
• Instruct conservatory-level courses, serving students with various learning styles, abilities, and needs. 
• Employ outstanding classroom management skills and implement the school code of conduct. 
• Regularly assess student achievement, skill mastery, and career development skills. 
• Submit unit plans on a timely basis. 
• Manage classroom administration and record keeping, including grades, attendance records, student progress, and documentation of student work. 
• Regularly communicate with students, parents and other ChiArts staff to share artistic progress, encourage positive behavior, and resolve behavioral and artistic issues. 
• Attend and participate in faculty and administrative meetings, parent conferences, open house, other school functions, and in- service professional development sessions, as needed.
• Collaborate with the staff to develop “best practices” tailored to the unique philosophy and instructional approach of ChiArts and to the needs of its student population. 
• Collaborate with other ChiArts artistic and academic faculty and the larger arts community.