Available Positions

Position Title: Parish Music Director
Hours: Part-time, 10 hours per week
Remuneration: Per RCCO Salary Guidelines
Reports to: Incumbent
Start Date: Negotiable, 2023

The Parish Music Director provides leadership for the music ministry at St. George’s Anglican Church, Ajax by enhancing the church’s liturgies through music, by leading the St. George’s Choir, and encouraging congregational singing and musical participation. The Director works in consultation with the Incumbent to execute and implement the musical elements of our Anglican worship and liturgy. This includes, but may not be limited to, providing music for Sunday, feast-day and pastoral worship, empowering and equipping the parish in its musical expression of our faith. The Director will normally play our 3-Manual “Classic” organ or Grand Piano, bringing their particular musical gifts to light, along with a willingness to learn, grow, and develop as a pastoral musician. The relationship between the Parish Music Director and the Incumbent is one of the most important in the liturgical life of the parish. Together, they share a ministry, supporting a hybrid model of church that enables the faithful worship of the congregation and the neighbourhood both in person and online.

Duties & Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of the Parish Music Director include, but are not limited to:

Planning and preparation of appropriate high standards of choral and liturgical music for all services of worship through personal preparation and through the direction of the choir and other musicians as required.
In consultation with the Incumbent, provide leadership in selecting and preparing music for Sunday worship, feast and fast days (Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, Christmas, etc.); pastoral liturgies such as weddings and funerals; other deanery, area and diocesan musical events as appropriate.
Demonstrate a commitment to learning about, or have familiarity with the Anglican liturgy and flexibility with musical styles, so that music is sensitive to the Anglican tradition and its liturgical seasons. Pastoral sensitivity to the diversity of the congregation is important.
Lead the hymns, the choir, and play the organ and/or the piano at all services.
Recruit, mentor, prepare and provide leadership to members of the choir, along with occasional guest musicians in a professional and positive manner.
Exercise musical leadership of the parish’s group of volunteer singers, during weekly evening rehearsal times, Sunday rehearsal and service, while demonstrating ease with teaching and training in an adult context.
Encouraging congregational participation in the liturgies through appropriate use of repertoire and musicality (key, tempo, etc.); and other musicians when beneficial to our worship.
Taking primary responsibility for the church’s musical resources including preparing the annual budget, maintenance of the choral library, choir robes, instruments, instrumental maintenance, hymn books and materials.
Demonstrate good communication skills, appropriate time management practices, good humour and professional relationships within the parish.
Provide leadership within the worshipping communities of St. George’s by working closely with clergy and other community members. Including, how the musical ministry at St. George’s can be grown and enlivened with the gifts we have available to us.
Other music-related duties which, in consultation and agreement with the Incumbent, may arise from time to time.

Qualifications

Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree of Music or Royal Canadian College of Organists (RCCO) diploma
Membership in the RCCO is preferred
Knowledge and understanding of the Anglican tradition of church music is an asset
Experience in selecting, rehearsing, and directing appropriate choral music
Ability to play proficiently in various styles of music on the organ and piano
Ability to lead ensembles through an open, honest and approachable style
Ability to identify talents in others and to invite new people to participate in the life of the church through music.
A desire to creatively expand the music ministry of our church is an asset.
Demonstrable communication and collaboration skills

Other terms and details

Submit your application

If this position is of interest to you, please submit your résumé and cover letter to applications@stgeorgeschurch.ca . Sample recordings of instrumental or choral works may be submitted as applicable. Inquiries about the position are also welcome! Applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Parish Music
Director

ST. George’s is searching for a parish music director.

Contact

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