Description
Mission
The ASO changes lives through music by entertaining, educating, and inspiring audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Our concerts, community events, and free education programs are offered across the state, with a special focus on arts access for underserved communities.
Overview
Great orchestras do more than perform great music. They become an essential part of the communities they serve.
For more than a century, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra has enriched the cultural life of Birmingham and the state of Alabama through artistic excellence, music education, community engagement, and live symphonic performances of the highest artistic standard. We seek a music director with a strong vision for programming and performance and with high energy for new opportunities who will help the ASO define its next century.
The Next Chapter
The Alabama Symphony Orchestra invites applications and nominations for the position of Music Director beginning with the 2028–2029 season.
As Alabama's preeminent orchestra, the ASO stands at an exciting moment in its history. Guided by an ambitious strategic plan and supported by a dedicated board of directors, exceptional musicians, and committed staff, the Orchestra seeks a visionary artistic leader to help shape its next chapter and to help advance the economic and cultural vitality of Birmingham and its surrounding communities.
This is an opportunity not only to lead an outstanding orchestra but also to shape the cultural future of an entire state.
About the Alabama Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1921, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra is one of the Southeast's leading cultural institutions, the state of Alabama's only full-time professional orchestra, and a proud member of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM). The ASO annually presents approximately 30 classical concerts (10 of them pairs), 8 pops concerts (3 pairs), 19 family/educational performances, and a wide range of community engagement programs while serving thousands of students through artistic collaborations, statewide partnerships, and various other education initiatives.
About Birmingham
Birmingham is a city defined by resilience, innovation, and transformation. Home to world-class healthcare and higher education, a thriving arts community, and an exceptional quality of life, Birmingham offers an exciting environment for artistic leadership.
Requirements
The Music Director We Seek
- Inspires musicians to achieve the highest artistic standards.
- Creates compelling programming rooted in tradition and innovation.
- Embraces education and community engagement.
- Serves as a visible ambassador throughout Birmingham and Alabama.
- Builds collaborative relationships with musicians, staff, board members, donors, and community partners.
- Communicates with authenticity, curiosity, humility, and integrity.
- Possesses a long-term vision for artistic excellence and organizational growth.
Responsibilities
- Provide artistic leadership for the orchestra.
- Develop inspiring concert programs.
- Conduct subscription, pops, education, and special performances.
- Participate in fundraising and donor cultivation.
- Serve as the orchestra's principal artistic spokesperson.
- Champion education initiatives and community partnerships.
- Collaborate on long-range artistic planning.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will demonstrate artistic excellence, exceptional conducting and rehearsal skills, outstanding communication abilities, a collaborative leadership style, and the ability to inspire musicians while engaging donors, civic leaders, and audiences.
