Coordinator, Steans Institute - Highland Park, IL, US

Position Title: Steans Institute Coordinator · Department: Steans Institute · Reports To: Steans Institute Assistant Director · Salary: 18.50/hr (non-exempt) · Company Description · At Ravinia, we believe in the transformative power of shared, live-music moments and their ability ...

Job description

Position Title: Steans Institute Coordinator

Department: Steans Institute

Reports To: Steans Institute Assistant Director

Salary: 18.50/hr (non-exempt)

Company Description

At Ravinia, we believe in the transformative power of shared, live-music moments and their ability to inspire individuals, strengthen communities, and foster a more connected world. Beyond presenting outstanding performances by the world's greatest musicians, our mission as a not-for-profit organization is to develop broader, more diverse audiences and performers in the music industry with our Reach Teach Play community engagement and education programs, our Steans Institute's collaborative and experiential artistic training programs, and more. Together, Ravinia's initiatives serve tens of thousands of students, families, and emerging professional musicians.

Steans Institute is an artist development program for the next generation of classical and jazz musicians. Our world-renowned fellowship programs empower emerging professional classical pianists and string players, classical singers, composers, and jazz instrumentalists to refine their craft, collaborate with peers, and elevate their musicianship to new heights.

The tuition-free experience at Ravinia includes housing and meals, plus instruction from a world-class faculty of headlining artists and scholars. Performance opportunities include a mix of public master classes with renowned guest artists, concerts programmed from repertoire chosen by fellows, and concerts curated by the Steans Institute's faculty.

Position Summary:

Ravinia Festival seeks passionate and dedicated staff for its summer conservatory, the Steans Institute. The Coordinator is an important member of Steans' administrative team, reporting to the Assistant Director of the Institute, and working closely with the Steans Institute Manager to support summer program operations and key artistic functions. Key responsibilities include coordinating artist hospitality; supporting back of house logistics for concerts and master classes in Ravinia's Bennett Gordon Hall; and serving as team leader for seasonal employees.

The ideal candidate is an organized and collaborative worker with a passion for helping bring live music to life. This is a seasonal position beginning with part-time remote or hybrid work in April 2026, followed by full-time in-person work in Highland Park, IL— including work during nights and weekends—from May through August, 2026.

Steans offers employees the unique opportunity to engage in various aspects of arts administration at the Institute. The fellows are young professional musicians (ages at the beginning of their careers and the faculty includes world-renowned musicians and teachers. The ideal candidate is an organized and collaborative worker with a passion for helping bring live music to life. 

Interested candidates, please submit cover letter and resume

Key Responsibilities

Administrative Coordination

• Serve as a team leader for seasonal staff of Program Assistants (PAs), prioritizing and delegating daily tasks and requests to ensure timely completion and response

• With Steans Institute Manager, coordinate catering with preferred vendors and local restaurants, including tracking and communicating dietary restrictions

• Coordinate daily transportation assignments, including artist arrivals, departures, and shuttles; execute high-level artist transportation as necessary

• Support the creation and production of program inserts for all concerts and master classes using Adobe InDesign, including sourcing program notes, ensuring accuracy of all information, and overseeing in-house printing and distribution

• Support the maintenance of Ravinia-owned off-site residential homes used to house artists, including coordinating cleanings with outside vendors and overseeing regular house walkthroughs.

Back of House and Concert Logistics

• Work with Assistant Director to support PAs in stage management roles for all concerts and master classes, including pre-concert preparation

• Coordinate post-concert media processing, including audio cutting and distribution, YouTube uploads, and distribution of audio recordings to donors and fellows.

• Communicate, track and fulfill comp ticket requests for Steans fellows and faculty for concerts across the Festival

• Manage in-season music library check-out system, including purchase and dissemination of sheet music for concerts and master classes as necessary

Other duties and operational support as assigned

Knowledge and Skills Required

• Demonstrated ability to work well as part of a team and independently

• Demonstrated ability to juggle multiple priorities and deadlines; flexibility and creativity under pressure

• Strong written and oral communication, organization, and problem-solving skills

• Punctuality and ability to work outside of normal business hours

• Knowledge of Google Suite

• Must have or be able to establish summer residence in the greater Chicago area

• Acceptable driving record.**

Education and Experience

• Previous employment in arts administration or experience in the performing arts a plus

• Knowledge of classical chamber music, vocal art song, or jazz a plus

**Driving Record Requirements to Operate Ravinia Fleet Vehicles

• Drivers must be age 19+

• Record must be free of any violation for speeding in excess of 19 mph over the speed limit within the last 3 years

• Record must be free of multiple speeding violations (of any severity) within the last 3 years

• Record must be free of any at-fault accident violations within the last 5 years

• Ravinia reserves the right to extend requirements beyond those noted above

Work Environment

This is a seasonal position beginning with part-time remote and/or hybrid work in April 2026. May-August 2026, schedule includes full-time, in-person work, nights and weekends with opportunity for overtime. Located at Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL.

Benefits

Monthly cell phone stipend. Some meals provided throughout the summer. Eligible for Illinois Paid Leave plan.

How to Apply

Interested candidates, please submit cover letter and resume

Ravinia is an Equal Opportunity Employer

As an equal opportunity employer, Ravinia strongly believes that diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives is essential to our success and we strive to create and sustain an equitable and inclusive environment for all our employees. Ravinia does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status under federal, state, or local law. We encourage individuals of all identities and abilities to apply.