The Royal Conservatory is thrilled to continue its partnership with TD Bank Group during the 2024-25 concert season by confirming yet another season of sponsorship for the TD Jazz Concerts series in Koerner Hall and hiring its first TD Programming and Logistics Coordinator.
The TD Jazz Concerts start with the Monty Alexander 80th Birthday Celebration Concert and the Jay Douglas All-Stars on October 19. The legendary pianist and composer Alexander performs music from his latest release D-Day and local reggae legend and Juno Award nominee Jay Douglas opens the show. Canada’s award-winning jazz songbird Emilie-Claire Barlow doles out some holiday cheer with her all-star band in a program called Winter Wonderland on December 14.The NEA Jazz Master, Grammy Award winner, and Tony Award nominee Branford Marsalis returns to Koerner Hall with his formidable quartet on February 8. From his initial recognition as a young jazz lion, Marsalis has expanded his vision as an instrumentalist, composer, bandleader, and educator. The Grammy Award-winning quartet Yellowjackets joins forces with a hand-picked Toronto big band to blow the roof off Koerner Hall on April 26. Throughout their storied 43-year history, the group has recorded 25 albums, and received 17 Grammy Award nominations. And finally, on April 30, the International Jazz Day will be celebrated with two young artists making their mark. Grammy Award-winning piano virtuoso Sullivan Fortner is known for his work with Cécile McLorin Salvant, Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, and others. Juno nominated vocalist Barbra Lica has opened for the likes of Christian McBride, Pat Metheny, Bob Dorough, and Terence Blanchard.
The Royal Conservatory is hiring a TD Programming and Logistics Coordinator for a 9½ month-long, paid position, which runs September to mid-June, in other words a full cycle of the Royal Conservatory Presents concert season. The role is generously supported by TD Bank Group (TD) through its corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment, for an emerging professional in the arts to gain a hands-on, holistic learning experience in the many facets of arts programming and administration. This initiative builds on the crew training program ran by the Conservatory during the 2023-24 season and supported by TD, which allowed a broader cohort of skilled, young, and diverse group of people to get on the ground and paid training opportunities.
Mervon Mehta, Executive Director of Performing Arts at The Royal Conservatory said: “We are grateful to TD for recognizing the need in our sector to include a diversified talent pool and to train the next generation of arts leaders. We look forward to working with the chosen candidate not only to advance their career but also to learn from them.”
“TD is proud to continue our support for the TD Programming and Logistics Coordinator position at The Royal Conservatory. Through the TD Ready Commitment, our corporate citizenship platform, we are investing in initiatives that support emerging professionals from communities facing barriers to the arts and cultural sector as they build and develop their careers,” said Robyn Small, Senior Manager, Philanthropy, TD Bank Group. “This position will help create opportunities for the next generation of arts leaders to have a voice in the stewardship of arts and cultural experiences for the community.”
The TD Programming and Logistics Coordinator will work with The Royal Conservatory’s Performing Arts team to develop skills related to concert programming, contracting, and advancing concerts with artists. This will include supporting RCM’s Executive Director of Performing Arts, Programming Manager, and Concerts & Special Projects Manager with the setup and execution of The Royal Conservatory’s 2024.25 Concert Season.
The coodinator will develop a range of skills related to concert programming, from contracting artists to advancing concerts and collecting artist assets, and will also participate in the various grant cycles from government funders such as Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, and the Department of Canadian Heritage, in addition to being included in ticketing and box office, fundraising, and marketing efforts.
The Royal Conservatory is committed to employment equity and encouraged applications from qualified individuals who identify as belonging to one or more equity priority groups, including: 2SLGBTQIAP, Indigenous, Black, persons of colour, persons with disabilities, and/or newcomers to Canada.
