Aspen Leadership Group is proud to partner with Gateways Music Festival in the search for a Director of Development.

Reporting to the President & Artistic Director, the Director of Development will plan, organize, and direct all fundraising activities of Gateways Music Festival, including individual and institutional giving and special events. The Director of Development will identify and plan for future opportunities for fundraising growth including major gifts, planned giving, endowed giving, and capital campaigns. The Director of Development will prepare annual fundraising goals and the budget for review and approval by the President & Artistic Director and the Development Committee of the Board of Directors. The offices of the Gateways Music Festival are in Rochester, New York. Gateways Music Festival is open to a flexible work environment and will consider a remote arrangement with approval from the University of Rochester.

Gateways Music Festival's mission is to connect and support professional classical musicians of African descent and enlighten and inspire communities through the power of performance. For 30 years, it has been a place for classical musicians of African descent to gather, exchange ideas, revitalize their musical energy, perform, and serve as role models for young musicians. Since the first Gateways Music Festival, this unique gathering has drawn broad multiracial, intergenerational audiences who are inspired and engaged by its music, culture, and palpable joy. To meet the growing interest in Gateways, and to serve a vibrant, fast-growing community of Black classical musicians, the Festival is committed to realizing its future as an abundantly resourced, creative, and joyful home for Black classical artistry, participation, and collaboration. Gateways is proud to be the only organization in the United States devoted primarily to strengthening the community of professional classical musicians of African descent.

The 2022 Gateways Music Festival marked a pivotal moment in its history as the Festival made its Carnegie Hall and New York City debut. The Gateways Festival Orchestra was the first all-Black classical symphony orchestra presented by Carnegie Hall in all its 130-years—it was history making for both Gateways and this storied venue. The sold-out concert was broadcast live, and a simulcast audience of thousands tuned in. The groundbreaking 2023-24 season marked Gateways Music Festival's 30^th anniversary, highlighted by two live, in-person festivals—a first for the organization. The fall festival celebrated the music of Joseph Boulogne, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, and featured a chamber orchestra, soloists, the Gateways Brass Collective, and the launch of the Gateways Chamber Players. This new ensemble, with a dynamic lineup of musicians and projects, debuted performing Wynton Marsalis' "Fiddlers Tale," narrated by Phylicia Rashad, with sold-out debut performances in Rochester, NY (Kilbourn Hall at Eastman School of Music), New York City (Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall), Washington, DC (Terrace Theater at Kennedy Center), and Evanston, IL (Pick-Staiger Concert Hall at Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University).

In another first, the spring festival took Gateways on the road for a one-week residency in Chicago, the first of their planned nationwide residencies. The Chicago residency drew combined audiences of over 5,000, featured educational programs through the Young Musicians Institute, collaborations with 16 community partners, and involved over 150 artists. The Chicago residency culminated with the Gateways Festival Orchestra in concert at Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, performing for an audience of nearly 2,000.

The Festival’s Board, leadership, and musicians view these engagements as the first steps in the organization’s long-range plan to meet the growing interest in Gateways by expanding the Festival’s reach and developing ongoing relationships with communities and presenters in cities across the United States.  In addition to providing opportunities for more people to experience Gateways, these national performances also provide opportunities to engage individuals and organizations across the nation in financially supporting the Festival’s efforts and community of professional musicians.

A bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience is preferred for this position as is at least four years of fundraising experience. Gateways Music Festival will consider candidates with a broad range of backgrounds. If you are excited about this role and feel that you can contribute to the Festival, but your experience does not exactly align with every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply. All applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and resume. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of Gateways Music Festival as well as the responsibilities and qualifications stated in the position prospectus.

The salary range for this position is $110,000 to $135,000 annually. In keeping with the University of Rochester and Eastman School of Music's sponsorship of Gateways Music Festival, the Director of Development will be an employee of the University of Rochester. However, the Director's work, reporting relationships, and evaluation will be solely and exclusively dedicated to Gateways Music Festival. Comprehensive benefits are offered through the University of Rochester.

Gateways Music Festival is committed to the inclusion of all qualified candidates.