About The Role
A Sung Eucharist is offered on Sundays at 11.00am, preceded by choir practice.
A weekday evening choir practice is currently held on Wednesdays. There is a small, committed choir and supportive clergy. Occasional midweek festival services and usually 3 or 4 joint Team services during the year.
There is scope to develop the musical life of the church, including exploring the possibility of involving children in music. The church has a fine Beale and Thynne organ (1896), with a regular service contract in place.
This position could work well alongside other musical/working commitments.
It is not essential that the Director of Music is a practising Anglican, but the successful candidate must be sympathetic to the Anglican tradition as it is expressed in the Richmond Team Ministry.
The Organist/Director of Music is to:
• lead the weekly choir practice (at present on a Wednesday evening) and rehearsals before the 11:00am service (to end in time to allow for a pre-service voluntary)
• Conduct the choir and play the organ (or piano where appropriate) at Sunday services and festivals, playing voluntaries before and after the service, accompanying, and improvising as needed.
• Seek to maintain and build up the choir, working to recruit new members and develop both the skills of choir members and the current musical repertoire.
• Help engage the congregation in worship through the choice and presentation of music.
• Select appropriate music for services, in collaboration with the Team Vicar or other ministers.
• Meet with the Team Vicar, other ministers and colleagues, for the planning and review of music in worship.
• Fulfil the role of Organist/Director of Music at Festivals and Holy Days observed at St John the Divine, and to support the music at those observed at other churches in the Team.
• To make reasonable endeavours to play and arrange the music for occasional offices.
• To encourage the social life of the choir.
• To oversee the maintenance and tuning of the organ and piano.
• To oversee the organisation of the music library.
• To comply with Health and Safety requirements, including making Risk Assessments.
• To comply with our Safeguarding Policy – this includes being subject to an enhanced DBS check.
The Director of Music must:
• Be an excellent and experienced organist in performing and accompanying choirs (ARCO or equivalent qualification as a minimum).
• Be a skilled choir trainer who can work with singers with a wide range of abilities.
• Have a good understanding of liturgy and of the role of music in worship.
• Enjoy a range of musical styles.
• Be able to work sympathetically within our church tradition.
• Be a sensitive and inspiring leader, and an easy communicator, to bring the best out of choir and congregation.
• Be a team player, able to work collaboratively with the Team Vicar and other ministers, with church officers, and members of the congregation.
• Be sociable.
• Have good computer skills for administrative duties.
• Be prepared to work within and committed to our Safeguarding procedures and be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Desirable
The Director of Music should:
• Be open to exploring fresh ways of enhancing the music in the liturgy
• Be keen to develop the broader involvement of children and young people within the musical life of St John’s.
• Be keen to promote St John’s as a venue for concerts and other musical events.
• Be able to bring a good sense of humour to the work.
Equal Opportunities
The Diocese of London is committed to creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive workforce which represents our context and wider community. We are aware that those of Global Majority Heritage/United Kingdom Minority Ethnic (GMH/UKME) and disabled people are currently under-represented among our clergy and workforce, and we particularly encourage applications from those with the relevant skills and experience that will increase this representation.