Cantabile Youth Singers of Silicon Valley (www.cantabile.org)invites interest from leaders passionate about the arts and youth programming to serve as its Executive Director.
WHO ARE WE?
Cantabile Youth Singers is an internationally renowned choral program providing world-class music education, vocal training, high-profile performances and leadership opportunities for the youth of the greater Silicon Valley communities in Northern California. Founded in 1994 by Signe Boyer and under the leadership of Artistic Director Elena Sharkova since 2004, the Cantabile Youth Singers’ innovative music curriculum and artistically superb, deeply moving, genre-defying concert programs received the highest praise from the international choral community and garnered several awards from professional associations, including the coveted Chorus America award for adventurous programming in 2020.
Explore Cantabile’s Work
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With over 180 singers ages 6 to 18, Cantabile offers six performing choirs and three levels of preparatory classes. Its groundbreaking program includes solo voice coaching and choral singing, stage presence training, and a graduated music theory curriculum. Instruction is enhanced by mindfulness and yoga, choreography and improvised movement, as well as focus on self-realization and compassion, and an appreciation for the diversity of humankind, cultures, languages, and the arts.
Cantabile singers engage their hearts, minds, and voices in joyful, creative learning that fosters life skills such as community building, art appreciation, advocacy, the pursuit of excellence, self-discipline, leadership, and teamwork.
Vocalise, Cantabile’s premier choir, has been chosen to perform at such prestigious professional forums as the XII World Symposium on Choral Music (New Zealand, 2020), the American Choral Directors Association National Convention (Kansas City, MO, 2019), the California State Convention (San Jose, 2018), the XI World Symposium on Choral Music (Barcelona, 2017), and the Western Division Conference (Los Angeles, 2016). Cantabile claimed a top-level Gold Medal at the European Choir Games in Sweden in 2019, earning top honors and recognition in a category that featured youth choruses from around the world. Now in its 14th year, Cantabile’s Young Men’s Division provides training, concert opportunities, and camaraderie for boys & young men with changed voices.
Every year Cantabile singers appear with local professional arts organizations: San Jose Symphony and Chorale, Opera San Jose, New Ballet, and have performed with prominent ensembles and notable musicians such as Kronos Quartet, Conspirare, composer Joe Hisaishi, among others.
Cantabile’s commitment to promoting new choral music for young singers was the driving force behind the creation of a New Music Commission Fund in 2014. Since then, Cantabile has commissioned and premiered more than twenty choral compositions by Jocelyn Hagen, Sarah Quartel, Will Todd, Tim Sharp, Andrea Ramsey, Stephen Hatfield, Eric Tuan, and Tom Shelton, among others. In 2020, Cantabile was awarded the Chorus America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming in recognition of its dedication to fostering and promoting new music. In June 2025, Cantabile presented the world premiere of We Are the Garden by Jocelyn Hagen at Bing Concert Hall, a large-scale collaborative work celebrating youth voices, environmental stewardship, and community connection. The organization will bring the work to Carnegie Hall in June 2027, continuing its tradition of championing significant contemporary repertoire for young singers on internationally recognized stages. In June 2026, Cantabile’s top choirs will tour England with concerts in London, Cambridge, Stratford-upon-Avon and Barnsley.
“What I want for my students, and I know they are doing it already, is to listen to their own voice, listen to the unique song that they have in their heart and most importantly hear the songs of others.”
– Elena Sharkova, Artistic Director
“Cantabile is much more than ‘club choir.’ We are a group of musical enthusiasts, ambitious artists, and a community that thrives in cultural collaboration and appreciation. From performing unique Indonesian choreographies to blending with German vocalists, my experience in Cantabile has played a crucial role in widening my global perspective and instilling my fascination with international cultures. We truly care about the origin of our pieces and carry that essence throughout every performance. It is truly a special moment when everyone comes together in harmony.” – Cantabile Graduate .
Cantabile Youth Singers reflect the diverse community of Silicon Valley and include students from over three dozen cultural origins. Cantabile views its diversity as a wealth of shared experience upon which to build empathy and appreciation for others – it regularly performs music that directly addresses relevant issues of social justice, and empowers young people to engage in musical activism, leading with the notion that “people who make music together cannot be enemies.” .
In 2015, Cantabile was the first youth chorus in the country to establish its own student chapter of the American Choral Directors Association to offer mentorship and leadership opportunities for advanced students. Each year, ten or more students are engaged in musical, social, and administrative assistantships. Cantabile graduates attend prestigious collegiate programs, most of them continue to sing with top a cappella groups and university choirs.
Organizationally, Cantabile’s Board and staff have recently prioritized investments in organizational capacity. From 2024 to 2025, Cantabile Youth Singers completed a full professional human resources audit and created new committees of the board dedicated to technology and benefits. The current Board is six members and the goal is to expand to 9 members by 2027. In March 2026, Cantabile celebrated its 32nd anniversary at a sold-out gala concert.
What Cantabile is looking for in its Executive Director
- An entrepreneurial and strategic business leader. The Executive Director will bring a personal drive to develop long-term strategies that focus on the organization’s health and sustainability. They will be responsible for fundraising and board development efforts and supervise the day-to-day operations.
- A self-starter with strong interpersonal skills. The Executive Director will be a grounded, proactive individual who will partner with the Artistic Director and the Board to drive artistic ambition, human resource capacity, and financial & operational practicality. They will support and mentor Cantabile’s committed professional staff. .
- An outgoing relationship builder who is passionate about youth programming. The Executive Director will be enthusiastic to champion the value of vocal music and youth choral singing to parents, students, donors, and partners. They will bring a high cultural and emotional intelligence that allows them to build authentic relationships with diverse groups. They will seek out new and sustained methods to spread Cantabile’s message throughout Silicon Valley.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a trusted partner and collaborator with the Artistic Director, operationalizing their vision and producing the organizational structures and resources to achieve it. Lead the development and implementation of Cantabile’s strategic trajectory, supporting alignment and accountability among stakeholders and constituencies.
- Provide responsible, disciplined financial leadership—balancing organizational sustainability with artistic risk-taking and ensuring the proper resources for long-term planning.
- Oversee the Director of Operations and supervise the development of lean and practical internal operations that deliver high customer service and leverage technology.
- Lead Cantabile’s organizational marketing effort that increases the organization’s visibility, reputation and profile; communicates its distinctive approach; and lays the groundwork for enrollment, fundraising, and board engagement efforts below. Leverage digital marketing and social media. Develop diversified strategies to maintain and increase enrollment.
- Lead Cantabile’s fundraising efforts. Structure effective fundraising processes, serve as the relationship manager for donors, and partner with the Board in these efforts.
- Support the Board of Directors in their effort to grow opportunities for board member engagement and expand the Board.
- Provide supportive, collaborative leadership to the staff, ensuring the organization has the necessary human resource capacity to support its growth and deliver an exceptional experience.
- Represent Cantabile within the professional arts & education field and to the press, in coordination with the Artistic Director who also serves as an organizational spokesperson. Represent Cantabile throughout the region’s communities, proactively seeking opportunities.
Who the Executive Director works with .
The Executive Director and Artistic Director dually report to the Board of Directors (currently seven members) and work in close partnership with one another, in service of the Artistic Director’s vision.
The Executive Director’s direct reports include two full-time staff (Director of Operations and Program & Communications Coordinator) as well as external administrative contractors (currently supporting finance and development). The Artistic team reports to the Artistic Director and includes Conductors/ Educators (two full-time and two part-time) and part-time accompanists.
Cantabile’s operating budget is approximately $1,000,000, averaging 70-80 percent attributable to earned income and 20-30 percent attributable to contributed income. .
Qualifications
- 5+ years of progressively responsible management experience in the nonprofit sector.
- Grounded demeanor with exceptional interpersonal skills and high emotional intelligence, including the ability to speak persuasively about Cantabile’s mission and programs and build trusting relationships.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and advance long-term organizational strategies while overseeing day-to-day operations.
- Experience directing, supporting, and mentoring a professional staff or team.
- Experience in youth-serving programming, education, and/or performing arts valued. Passion for supporting youth-serving programming.
- Experience with marketing and enrollment efforts, in a youth-serving context valued.
- Experience in fundraising, with experience with individual donors and special events a plus.
- High integrity and ethical standards.
- If not already based within commuting distance of Silicon Valley, willing to relocate and spend time building relationships in the vibrant community.
Leaders with some, but not all, qualifications and who bring transferable experience are invited to apply, as well as leaders with similar arts/music education experience.
Employment and Compensation
- Salary: The compensation package will be competitive and informed by a variety of factors, including but not limited to, experience, qualifications, and training needs at the time of hiring. The hiring range will start at $125,000. The Board is committed to developing a meaningful bonus structure that acknowledges individual and organizational performance.
- Start Date: Negotiable, Targeting Late 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will continue to be accepted until the position is filled.
- Cantabile operates in a flexible hybrid working environment.All administrative work is performed remotely. Full-time employees work 40 hours per week on a mutually agreed upon schedule that balances staff, chorister, donor, and community engagement. Staff and Board meetings are conducted virtually. In-person activities encompass weekly attendance at select rehearsals, donor & prospective parent meetings, and marketing/visibility/relationship building opportunities, as well as seasonal attendance at performances and events (fundraising events, parent sing-a-longs, staff/board retreats, and similar). There are some weekend and evening hours for the aforementioned activities. The Executive Director will design their schedule to best achieve the organization’s strategic goals and support and engage the staff and Board in these efforts. Cantabile’s core programming aligns with the academic year and summer months are slower. Candidates who wish to be considered for a modified leadership commitment, such as 32 hours a week, may note this on their application. Cantabile is committed to finding a long-term partner to support their growth and sustainability and is willing to discuss individual candidate’s preferences and accommodations to achieve this.
- Compensation package includes a health insurance stipend, competitive paid time off, and professional development funding. A technology stipend is provided to cover the use of one’s personal cell phone and home office. The Board is supportive of partnering with the incoming Executive Director to continue to research and expand employee benefits as the organization’s revenue grows. A relocation stipend will be considered for non-local candidates. A company laptop will be provided.
How to Apply
This search is being facilitated by Syrah Gunning, Senior Consultant, Executive Search & Development of the DeVos Institute of Arts and Nonprofit Management, a leading provider of arts management services, training and thought leadership for arts, cultural, and educational sectors worldwide. Learn more here.
To apply, please upload your resume and answer the following brief questions online here.
If you have questions or require accommodation of any kind throughout the process, please email Syrah Gunning at segunning@devosinstitute.net.
