Wanted - Musical Director for Asian adventure

Wanted - Musical Director for Asian adventure
Type of post: News
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dan Millgate
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 15 Jan 2017
Looking for a challenge?

A group of expatriates located on the Indonesian Island of Batam, a rapidly growing city of around 1.5 million people just 12 miles and an hour by modern fast ferry from Singapore, is looking for an MD.

We are seeking a confident, energetic and competent musical director with a true spirit of adventure to create a chorus presence from scratch in a musical desert littered with talent and latent enthusiasm but devoid of inspiration and leadership.

And if that’s not sufficient challenge, you also need to know that we cannot pay a salary!

But, we will provide accommodation and as we develop a chorus presence we would expect to generate modest income from memberships and sponsorships. Be aware also that Batam is an ideal place from which to inexpensively explore the fascinating Indonesian archipelago and the countries of South-east Asia.

You probably will be a self-funded retiree, single and preferably with some knowledge, experience of or interest in Asia and the cultures of South-east Asia. You probably will have a background in barbershop or male or mixed choruses but also have an interest in other genres like Doo Wop (with instrumental backing) and a cappella gospel.

The challenge will be to develop male, female, mixed and children’s choruses and inspire and support the development of quartettes or other small break-out groups.

Batam has a sizeable and growing expat community, a surprising number of whom are interested in music and singing. But the really rich opportunity lies in introducing choral singing to members of the Indonesian community.

There is wonderful harmony singing among Indonesian ethnic groups like the Batak community of northern Sumatra but overall there is little tradition of choral or chorus music in Indonesia - yet there is a rich abundance of talent waiting to be awakened…

It’s an opportunity for an aspiring and committed musical leader to create and launch something new and potentially very special.

Email: doug@smilinghillbatam.com
TelDoug +62 813 6470 3361 (mobile – cell)