Classical Music Critic

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It’s why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It’s why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination. And it’s why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it’s worth paying for.

​​About the Role

The New York Times aims to be the preeminent destination of coverage of classical music and opera. Through our reporting, criticism and service journalism, we provide trusted guidance to help people live fuller, more considered lives.

The Culture desk is seeking a multifaceted critic with deep knowledge and expertise, a discerning ear and a lively writing style who can enrich readers' understanding and appreciation of classical music. We are looking for someone who can make the coverage accessible to a general audience while also engaging aficionados of the art form. You will help readers become better informed, with a deeper love and understanding of classical music and the artists and composers who bring it to life.

You are a dynamic, digital-first writer who can conceive of multimedia-first criticism. You can write engaging essays, notebooks and reviews and also eager to embrace strong visual, audio and video components in your stories. In addition, you should enjoy collaborating with a large team of writers and editors across all disciplines and in other areas of the department and newsroom.

This is an in-office position, based in New York City, and includes regular attendance in the office four days each week. There may be some flexibility to work remotely per your departmental guidance.

Responsibilities:

• Write reviews on deadline, including recordings and live performances that require travel.

• Write critical essays, features and appraisals of notable figures, some based on the news and requiring a quick turnaround.

• Participate in audio and video storytelling, for example, delivering criticism on camera, appearing on podcasts, and on social media.

• Routinely collaborate on multimedia stories, and engage with readers on various platforms.

• Write service-oriented pieces that draw on your critical insights.

• Demonstrate support and understanding of our value of journalistic independence and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world.

• You will report to Dance & Classical Music Editor

Basic Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in journalism or related fields.

• Experience working on deadline.

• Demonstrated knowledge of classical music traditions and history.

• Ability to cover classical music in New York, regionally in the U.S. and globally. Also, an ability to cover music available to stream.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A passion for the mission and values of The Times.

• A lively writing style

This position is represented by the NewsGuild of NY.

REQ-018599

The annual base pay range for this role is between:
$124,979.94—$170,000 USD

For roles in the U.S., dependent on your role, you may be eligible for variable pay, such as an annual bonus and restricted stock. Benefits may include medical, dental and vision benefits, Flexible Spending Accounts (F.S.A.s), a company-matching 401(k) plan, paid vacation, paid sick days, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement and professional development programs.

For roles outside of the U.S., information on benefits will be provided during the interview process.

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