Our church has now formally announced its opening to hire a new music director and organist.
JOB DESCRIPTION FOR MUSIC DIRECTOR AND ORGANIST
Parish Profile:
Church of the Advent of Christ the King is an Anglo-Catholic parish and its worship services are primarily governed by the liturgical practices of that tradition. High Mass is sung every Sunday and on major holy days. The full schedule of Holy Week services is observed. A Latin chant Mass is sung twice each month on Saturday evening. There are occasional celebrations of Solemn Evensong and Benediction. The Advent Sunday service of lessons and carols has become a much anticipated highlight of the church year. The selection and performance of music at Advent is appropriate to an SATB choir. Schola Adventus is a choir composed of professional singers who are paid at a level comparable to other church choirs in the San Francisco Bay Area. The parishioners are accustomed to liturgical music performances of exceptional quality and have expressed a preference for traditional Anglo-Catholic hymns, anthems, motets, and Mass propers. The music program has been focused on Gregorian chant and on Renaissance and Baroque polyphony, two genres especially suited to the acoustics of our church building. Our services, nevertheless, leave some room for innovation. Compositions from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as commissioned works by contemporary composers, have been performed.
Qualifications of Music Director and Organist:
1.Masters degree (or equivalent experience) in organ performance / choral direction / liturgical music.
2.Organ performance, hymn accompaniment and choral conducting excellence.
3.Broad knowledge of both choral and organ literature appropriate for Anglo-Catholic worship.
4.Familiarity with the liturgies conducted at this parish, e.g. High Mass, Evensong, Holy Week.
5.Ability to read chant notation and to conduct a volunteer schola cantorum.
6.Computer music notation and arranging skills.
Duties of Music Director and Organist:
1.To program anthems (during Offertory), motets (during Communion), preludes and postludes that complement the liturgical season and lessons.
2.To direct the professional singers of Schola Adventus.
3.To recruit, audition, and hire professional singers.
4.To maintain and enhance your own performing and directing skills.
5.To direct the volunteer singers of the Gregorian schola cantorum and other volunteer singers, as needed.
6.To meet at agreed upon times with the Rector, with other parish liturgists, and with the Music Committee.
7.To introduce, as appropriate, both choral and congregational music that is not familiar to our parish.
8.To submit music information to the Parish Office for inclusion in the weekly service booklet.
9.To find and book substitute organists and singers.
10.To assist in Advent Music Foundation fund raising.
The position of music director and organist at Church of the Advent in San Francisco is part-time employment under contract. Salary is negotiable, based upon educational background and professional experience. The rules and conditions of employment are largely those defined by the Episcopal Diocese of California. The Applicant is expected to provide evidence of qualifications in addition to references.
Direct your letter of inquiry and vitae to: John Klopacz, Music Director Search Committee Chair, at musdir@extasia.org