Volunteers – Summer Music Camps

Volunteers – Summer Music Camps

The Canadian Opera Company (COC) is looking for an energetic and responsible Volunteers to support for the COC’s Summer Music Camps.  

The COC’s Summer Music Camps offer children and youth entering grades 1 to 9 the opportunity to create their own opera over the course of one of four fun-filled weeks in July. Participants explore every element of an operatic production, including singing, composing, story creation, drama, movement, and stage design. At the end of the week, participants present a special performance of their work to family and friends.

Volunteers will work with the Community Partnerships & Programs Department, which consists of four full-time employees, and will report to the Senior Manager, Community Partnerships & Programs, Coordinator, Community Partnerships & Programs, and Summer Music Camps Assistants.

The COC’s Summer Music Camps take place at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto (in the Education Centre and Rehearsal Hall) located at 145 Queen St. W. Hours can vary depending on position, but they would fall between the following times:

Little Company (Grades 1 to 3): July 6 to 10, 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Junior Company - Week 1 (Grades 4 to 6): July 13 to 17, 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Junior Company - Week 2 (Grades 4 to 6): July 20 to 24, 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Intermediate Company (Grades 7 to 9): July 27 to 31, 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m.

NB: Campers will enter these grades in September 2026. Volunteers must be older than the age of the participants for the week(s) that they are volunteering.

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers will help with a variety of tasks and responsibilities including:

• Supporting the Camps Assistant with administrative and logistical tasks (e.g. room organization, set-up and clean-up);
• Supporting the teaching artists during lessons;

• Supporting the Design specialist and Design Assistant with the creation and building of sets, props, and costumes, setting up and cleaning up the studio, and helping to organizing and maintaining arts and crafts supplies;
• Encouraging a safe learning environment for participants;

• Supporting participants during their activities;
• Working with the assistants/artists to supervise children during lunch;
• Other related projects as necessary.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

These volunteer positions will be suited to individuals who:

• Are current secondary students looking to fulfill their volunteer hours and gain experience for their resumes or undergraduate students looking for volunteer and/or experiential learning opportunities;
• Have an interest arts education and working with children and/or teenagers;
• Have an interest in theatre, drama, music, visual arts, and/or opera;
• Are comfortable working well independently and in a team environment;
• Are available to volunteer for the duration of one or more of the weeks of camp;
• Are committed, reliable, and enjoy working in creative environments.

BENEFITS

In addition to gaining experience in arts education, and collaborating with teaching artists, young people, and a large institution in delivering public programming, volunteers will receive tickets to select opera dress rehearsals in the 2026/2027 season and may receive professional references.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Fill out the application form by 11:59 p.m. on May 14, 2026.

Successful applicants will be invited for interviews. Those invited to volunteer will be required to complete AODA and Health & Safety training as well as providing a Vulnerable Sector Verification prior to the start date if over the age of 18. 

The COC is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities in all parts of the hiring process.  If you require an accommodation, please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.

The COC thanks all applicants in advance. Only those considered for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls please.

ABOUT THE CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY

Based in Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the largest in North America. General Director David C. Ferguson joined the company in 2024, forming a leadership team alongside Artistic Director Roberto Mauro and Music Director Johannes Debus. Recently, Ian Derrer was appointed the next General Director of the company, slated to begin his term in July 2026. The COC enjoys a loyal audience, including a dedicated base of subscribers, and has an international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation. Its diverse repertoire includes new commissions and productions, local and international collaborations with leading opera companies and festivals, and attracts the world’s foremost Canadian and international artists. The company is an incubator for the future of the art form, nurturing Canada’s new wave of opera performers and creators with customized training and support. The COC’s purpose-built opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, is hailed internationally as one of the finest in the world.

The COC regards equity and diversity as an integral part of artistic excellence and is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment. We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community in which we live and serve. The COC seeks applicants who embrace values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. Applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit/Inuk, other members of racialized and visible minorities, people with disabilities and/or 2SLGBTQ+ are encouraged to apply.

For more information about the Summer Music Camps and all COC community outreach initiatives, please visit our website at www.coc.ca/Camps or contact education@coc.ca.