Sage

Gateshead
Royal Northern Sinfonia -
Section Leader Flute
Deadline for applications: (22/04/21)
 Sage Gateshead
Recruitment Pack

About Sage Gateshead

Sage Gateshead is an international music centre with two auditoriums and a rehearsal space all with
world class acoustics, a 25 room Music Education Centre, bars, restaurant, café, shop and public
space creating a ‘town square’ for anyone to enjoy for free.

From our iconic Foster + Partners building on the banks of the Tyne, the charity works across the whole of
the North of England. We are home to the UK’s leading chamber orchestra Royal Northern Sinfonia, a multi-
genre programme of events & festivals featuring musicians from across the world, a junior conservatoire
training the next generation of musicians, an extensive programme of music for social impact, evening
and day-time classes for people of all ages and a multi-genre artist development programme.

At Sage Gateshead all genres of music have equal status and we believe passionately in international
level excellence and the imperative of inclusion. Some of the musicians we have worked with recently
are Kamasi Washington, KT Tunstall, LA Master Chorale, Terry Riley, John Grant, Nightmares on Wax,
Maarju Nuut and St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 2019/20 we presented around 500 events for a live audience of 500,000, 6.6 million people heard
our work via stream or broadcast and 430,000 visited our building, including national and international
visitors. Each year we support over 200 musicians through our artist development programme and we
work with c.20,000 children and young people and 20,000 adults in our creative learning programme.
We provide employment for over 400 people, in our first decade, our economic impact was £283 million.

We are for audiences, for artists, for the North and for the long-term. Everything we do is guided by our
values: Creative, Diverse, Focused, Leading, Responsible.

Royal Northern Sinfonia

Principal Conductor: Dinis Sousa.

Based at Sage Gateshead, Royal Northern Sinfonia is the orchestra of the North East of England and
Cumbria.

To appropriately serve audiences across this large and diverse region, which incorporates urban centres
as well as sparsely populated rural areas, the orchestra has developed a unique flexibility in scale. While
the musicians play together regularly, performing formations can range in size from chamber music
groups to full symphonic ensemble.

As a full-time orchestra, the musicians of RNS are deeply rooted in their local communities in the North,
and care passionately about making all music they perform accessible to the widest possible audiences.
This increasingly is evolving into more participatory and co-created projects, and digital work. They also
regularly take part in creative learning and schools projects, and have a special relationship with both
Sage Gateshead’s Centre for Advanced Training for Young Musicians, and the two ‘In Harmony’ Schools
in Tyneside.

At the heart of the orchestra’s work sits the music of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. but RNS
are also keen explorers of many other musical worlds, across periods of music history and genres. A
recent addition to the orchestra, is its inclusive ensemble RNS Moves, comprised of disabled and non-
disabled musicians and digital instruments. What defines all RNS performances, whatever the notes, is a
spirit of joy and infectious enthusiasm coupled with a deep desire to communicate.

RNS has been a key part of the cultural landscape of the North East for over 60 years, with past musical
leadership including such luminaries as Ivan Fischer, Richard Hickox, Heinrich Schiff and Conductor
Laureate Thomas Zehetmair. The orchestra has developed a distinctive tradition of working with play-
directors, including Principal Artistic Partners Lars Vogt and Julian Rachlin, with whom it has toured
extensively internationally, flying the flag for Tyneside and the North East internationally.

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Recruitment Pack

A Future for Live Music

2020 has been a challenging year for the cultural sector as a whole and has threatened the performing
arts across the country, including Sage Gateshead. The Covid-19 pandemic presented us with huge
challenges. In April 2020, we faced a staggering £10m drop in revenue and a seven-figure deficit. We have
weathered the first phase of this crisis because of the great support from our audiences and donors to
our 3-year, £3m Crisis, Recovery and Renaissance campaign, alongside emergency government funding,
and a team restructure which saw us lose many valued colleagues. This Crisis, Recovery and Renaissance
campaign is so named as a statement of our aim to play an active role in the region’s recovery and to get
back to providing world class music and learning for people from all walks of life.

Under the wider banner of A Future for Live Music in the North East, we are planning for the future. We have
moved our work with young people and musicians online, offered support to people in local communities,
created a Digital Stage and embarked on a new series of socially distanced live performances. Beyond
this we are talking to our audiences and communities about ambitious artistic plans which put culture
at the heart of the region and its recovery. We are also partners in a major development of the site next
to our building, which will lead to the creation of a unique cultural, entertainment, business and leisure
campus, turning the whole of Newcastle Gateshead Quays into a high-profile destination. Building on 15
years of success, this promises to be a new era for Sage Gateshead.

Working at Sage Gateshead

Sage Gateshead is a cultural charity and one of the biggest employers in Gateshead. Our team includes
our full-time orchestra Royal Northern Sinfonia, over 100 tutors, musicians and music leaders, an
administration and operations team and a large group of casual Front of House team members.

We believe Sage Gateshead is a great place to work – a creative and friendly environment, where no
two days are ever the same. We invest in training and support for our team and we offer a range of
company benefits aimed at promoting well-being, goodwill and an engaged workforce:

Sick pay – after 6 months’ full pay for 6 weeks rising in steps to full pay for 6
months after 3 years’ service
We provide an auto enrolment pension through Scottish Widows where the
employee contributes 5% and Sage Gateshead contributes 3% making a total
contribution of 8%
Ticket, café and car park discounts at Sage Gateshead
Bike to work scheme & Travel ticket scheme providing loans for annual travel
passes
Voluntary health care cash plan through HSF, eye test scheme, support in
promoting and maintaining positive mental health

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Working in the North East

If you are reading this pack and are not based in the North East of England, you might be considering
what it would be like to move to the region for this role. First you’d be in good company – people in all
parts of the Sage Gateshead team have moved to the region for their roles and to join one of the country’s
biggest cultural charities. From members of our orchestra, musicians and tutors to our Managing Director
and right across our administration team, we’re full of people who have discovered the North East in
taking a role with us.

When talking about why the region is a great place to live and work, the quality of life in Newcastle
Gateshead always comes up first. It is the ultimate 20 minute city in a region which gets lots of sunshine
and not very much rain! 15 minutes from the city centre are stunning beaches up the coast and the
Northumbrian hills. Newcastle City and Gateshead borough offer a really wide range of living options -
from city centre, suburban through to rural living, all within 10 minutes of Sage Gateshead. It is one of the
most affordable places to live in the UK, has a great gastronomic scene, great sports, nightlife, parks and
public spaces and of course a fantastic cultural scene, of which we are a part.

All of this means work/life balance is much easier than in bigger centres and family life is a really
important part of the region’s culture. Of course everyone finds their own version of a place’s culture, but
one characteristic which almost everyone agrees about is that people are incredibly friendly and there is
a strong sense here of wanting to ensure things are fair and inclusive for everyone.

If you are considering this post and do not currently live in the region and would like to speak to someone
about what it’s like to live here, do let us know. We can arrange for you to talk to someone about it. We
recognise that it’s a big step and we recognise that you may not know what it would be like.

If you apply and are offered the role and this requires you to move, we’ll help with an induction to the
region as well as induction to the organisation.

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Recruitment Pack

Sage Gateshead Values

Sage Gateshead’s success comes from the work of the teams who deliver the objectives of the
organisation. Teams are made up of individuals who each bring a different set of skills, knowledge and
experience which collectively contribute to achieving team and organisational success.

Sage Gateshead is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can
all be ourselves and succeed on merit. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies,
flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums and services to support staff from different
backgrounds.

Sage Gateshead has five core values, these are:

Creative – in outlook and championing creativity and learning, particularly for

Children & Young People, developing new ideas and open to change, in our
organisation, our artists, our music and our audience
Diverse – in our music and our programme, our audience and our workforce
Focused – on being professional, commercial and entrepreneurial to help deliver
our mission
Leading – there is excellence in all we do, in the music sector, in the local
community and throughout our work
Responsible – for our decisions and accountable for our actions

Diversity and Inclusion

You will be welcomed at Sage Gateshead and will find an inclusive environment where different views
and experiences are valued, and everyone is able to be themselves.

We recognise and understand the importance of diversity and inclusion and want our workforce to be
representative of the audiences, people and communities we serve.

Sage Gateshead has a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working
arrangements, employee engagement forums, facilities, and services to support all employees.

Sage Gateshead is a unique place where artists come to perform, develop work, teach, where audiences
from a wide range of backgrounds come to hear, make and participate in all genres of music and we are
an active participant in communities in the North.

It is our policy that all applicants and employees receive equal treatment irrespective of sex, race,
disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, marital status or civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity
or gender reassignment. We are a Disability Confident employer and positively welcome applications
from disabled people. We support flexible working and job-shares.

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Recruitment Pack

Royal Northern Sinfonia – Section Leader Flute

Deadline for applications: Thursday 22 April 2021 at 9am
Department & Team: Royal Northern Sinfonia & Classical Team
Location: Sage Gateshead
Working Hours: The Musician shall be required to work in line with the NMT/MU agreement, here.
Salary: £39,351

Position in Organisation
Reports to: Head of Orchestra and Stage
Works in conjunction with: RNS musicians, Classical Team

Purpose of the Role and Person Specification

We are looking to appoint a dynamic and enthusiastic musician of the highest international calibre to the
position of Section Leader Flute.

As one of six wind and brass Section Leader positions in the orchestra, the Section Leader Flute is one of
the key roles in Royal Northern Sinfonia. The successful candidate will be able to form a cohesive team
with wind colleagues in orchestral programmes across repertoire ranging from the Baroque period to
the music of today, while also displaying soloistic virtuosity and charisma in orchestral solos and solo
concertos.

The successful candidate will be a keen chamber music player and excited about the prospect of
performing in many different formations under the banner of RNS, taking the lead where necessary.
They will be determined to play their part in audience development, brimming with project ideas, and
be passionate communicators about classical music to different audiences in different settings. They will
be as comfortable in learning and participation environments as they are at home on the concert stage,
and value both equally. They will want to play a full part in orchestral and musical life in Tyneside and see
themselves as advocates for the orchestra and Sage Gateshead.

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Recruitment Pack

Responsibilities and Duties

The role of Section Leader Flute will include, but is not limited to:

Rehearsals and performances in a range of venues and formats

Media work, digital projects and commercial recordings

Chamber music and ensemble performances in a range of formations

Solo repertoire / formal recitals

Directing performances of works where appropriate

Section Leader meetings and other orchestral committee work

Panel membership for auditions and recruitment

Working as part of a team to create new performance formats

Attending receptions and speaking to audience members, individually and from the stage

Creative Learning is a vital part of Sage Gateshead and of the orchestra’s work. Duties within this area
can include, but are not limited to:

Informal chamber music performances and recitals in community or learning settings

Demonstration of instrument to a range of audiences

Introducing performances

Participating in planning and evaluation meetings

Coaching of individuals and ensembles, both adults and young people

Masterclasses

Engagement with Sage Gateshead’s Young Musicians’ Programme, which includes two ‘In Harmony’
Schools and Young Sinfonia

We are only accepting applications for either Section Leader Flute or Principal Flute and cannot
accept applications for both.

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Recruitment Pack

Selection Process, Submission Guidance

and How to Apply

Our audition process will take place over four stages, and by submitting an application you are confirming
that you are available for all four of these stages. Please find below all the information about each stage;
this should give you everything you need to submit your final application.

All live auditions will be held at Sage Gateshead, St. Mary’s Square, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8
2JR. We are establishing a travel fund to assist towards UK travel expenses for candidates who are
offered a stage 2/3 audition and who might otherwise not be able to afford to travel for financial reasons;
expenses for Stage 4 are covered under the RNS/MU freelance agreement. Candidates who are invited
to audition will be sent further details of how to apply to the travel fund when they are offered an audition.

At the end of Stage 4, the successful candidate will be offered a full-time contract with the orchestra,
to begin in September 2021, with a 12 month probationary period, following the model of the European
‘Probejahr’. Towards the end of the probationary period, a decision will be taken whether the candidate
has passed their probation, or not, and will be communicated to the candidate in good time for them to
make the necessary arrangements.

If after carefully reading all of this you have any further queries please email:
classical@sagegateshead.com

Stage 1 – Digital Submission (Deadline Thursday 22 April 2021 at 9am)

Please submit a video of no more than 5 minutes in length, we regret that the panel will not be able to
listen to anything longer than this. Your submission will be played blind to the panel and needs to be
recorded live and in one take.

There are details on how to submit your digital application further down in this pack.

The following repertoire for Stage 1 is listed below. The excerpts for Stage 1 are available here.

JS Bach - St Matthew Passion - Aus Liebe will mein Heiland

Beethoven - Leonore Overture No.3 - Adagio and Allegro
Bizet - Carmen Entr’acte
Prokofiev - Peter and the Wolf - Fig. 2-4

We will aim to notify successful candidates from Stage 1 by 3 May 2021.

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Recruitment Pack

Stage 2 – In Person Live Auditions at Sage Gateshead (Monday 24 May 2021)

Stage 2 will fall into two sections. If shortlisted for a Stage 2 audition, candidates will be sent Stage 2
excerpt pack.

Part A) A live audition of Mozart – Flute Concerto in G major or D major and orchestral excerpts played to
the panel from behind a screen. An accompanist can be provided if required.

Part B) A live audition consisting of orchestral excerpts performed to the panel. The repertoire for Stage
2, part A and part B is listed below.

Mozart – Flute Concerto in G major or D major – 1st mvmt – exposition

Excerpts:
Debussy - Prélude à l’après-midi d’un Faune - opening to Fig.4
Dvořák - Symphony No.8 - mvmt 4
Faure - Pavane - opening to letter B; Letter I to end
Mendelssohn - A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Scherzo, opening to C; O to end
Stravinsky - Danses Concertantes mvmt 4, bar.149–151
Brahms - Symphony No.4 - mvmt 4, bar 97-105
Rossini - William Tell Overture - Andante to allegro Vivace

The candidate may be told after either Part A or B that they have not been successful in the selection
process and therefore will not go through to the next stage. If a Candidate is successful in being offered
a Stage 3 audition, accommodation will be provided.

Stage 3 – Auditions with Royal Northern Sinfonia (Thursday 25 May 2021)

An orchestral audition with Royal Northern Sinfonia playing pre-selected repertoire, conducted by
Principal Conductor, Dinis Sousa. The repertoire for Stage 3 is listed below.

Bach - Susser Trost, mein Jesus kommt, BWV 151 (1st movement until Soprano
entry)
Beethoven - Leonore Overture 3 – Adagio; Letter E until bar 360
Mendelssohn - A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Scherzo)
Brahms - Symphony No.4 - 4th movement solo (from letter D to Letter E)
Prokofiev - Symphony No.1 – (last movement)

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Recruitment Pack

Stage 4 – Digital Project Work, Chamber Music, and Interview (Dates between 26 June – 15 July 2021)
Stage 4 will consist of rehearsals and the recording of orchestral repertoire for use in digital projects.
Stage 4 will also include chamber music and an interview with members of the panel and a member
of management. This stage of the process will be paid work as governed by the RNS/MU Freelance
Agreement.

If the candidate is offered a Stage 4 audition, we will ask for the candidate’s availability by Wednesday
26 May.

How to Upload your Digital Submission

Here is a short guide for uploading your Stage 1 Digital Submission video to YouTube. This will be a private
submission and will be heard by the panel only.

Smartphone/Tablet
Step 1: Open the YouTube app (Downloaded from your app store of choice if you don’t already have it)
and sign in to your account. Press the ‘video’ button in the top right corner of your screen.
Step 2: This will bring you to a menu to select your video, select your chosen video, taking you to a ‘trim’
screen. Press ‘next’ (top right).
Step 3: Name your video. The video name should be the following format: Initials – position applied for.
Step 4: At this point you should select the option ‘Unlisted’ for your privacy settings. This will allow you
to share the URL link so the Audition Panel can view your video, it still shows that this video is not public
and can’t be seen by anyone that doesn’t have the link. Press ‘upload’ (top right). Once this has finished
processing it will appear in the menu.

Computer/Laptop
Step 1: Go to www.youtube.com. Make sure you are signed in to your YouTube account. In the top right
corner you will see ‘Create.’ Press ‘upload video’.
Step 2: This brings you to an upload screen, press ‘Select files.’ This will bring up your file menu; navigate
to the file and select ‘choose’ or ‘done’.
Step 3: After you have selected the video and uploaded it, it will bring you to the Video details screen,
where you can name and describe the video. Please create the video name using the following format:
Initials – position applied for.
Step 4: Press ‘Next’ until you are on the ‘Visibility’ screen. At this point you should select the option
‘Unlisted’ from the list. This will allow you to share the URL link so the Audition Panel can view your video
submission, it still shows that this video is not public and can’t be seen by anyone that doesn’t have the
link.

Technical Guidelines
Your digital submission should be no longer than five minutes in length. The final submission should be
recorded ‘as live’, in one take and be unedited. Please use your smart phone camera with the internal
microphone and no additional audio or visual enhancement equipment. Please do not include any talking
in your submission.

Your video should be landscape and you and your instrument should be face on and central to the
camera. The panel will only hear the audio of your submission.

Please label your submission as outlined in the ‘How to Upload your Digital Submission’ section above.

Along with your digital submission please send a CV and monitoring form via our online application,
here. The monitoring form is available as a Word document here and a PDF here.

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Eligibility and Right to Work in the UK

It is a criminal offence to seek employment and certain voluntary work if not legally eligible to work in
the UK. Under the Asylum and Immigration Act it is a criminal offence to employ a person unless they
are British citizens, Commonwealth citizens with right of abode in the UK, citizens of any country in the
European economic area, or a person with current and valid permission to be in the UK or who qualifies
for a category specified by the Home Secretary where employment is allowed.

Successful applicants will be asked to present the relevant documents to demonstrate their eligibility
to work in the UK. More information can be found here.

Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable

adults
Sage Gateshead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people
and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. For posts where
there is contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults, the job advertisement and person
specification will specify that a check is a requirement.

Equal Opportunities Monitoring

Sage Gateshead aims to be an equal opportunities employer, and it is our policy all applicants and
employees receive equal treatment regardless of sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief,
age, marital status or civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity or gender reassignment. Recruitment and
selection procedures will be monitored to ensure that individuals are selected and treated based on their
relevant merits and abilities.

In addition, we use a system of anonymised short-listing.

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