Director of Music and Choirmaster

Musical Functions

• Plan and oversee music for all sung liturgies, including hymns, chant, motets, mass settings, and other occasional music
• Recruit, manage, rehearse, and conduct the St. Cecilia adult choir and St. Gregory chant schola, as well as the Youth Choir and Junior Choir in collaboration with the Pastoral Associate for Children’s Music
• Cantor chanted Latin masses and other prominent moments of certain sung liturgies
• Oversee the recruitment and training of cantors for sung liturgies in collaboration with the other music staff
• Collaborate with the Pastoral Associate for Children’s Music on annual summer camps, choir retreats, or other parish music projects

Extramusical Functions

• Draft and print worship aids for all sung liturgies, including funerals but excluding weddings
• Supervise the Assistant Director of Music and Organist as well as the parochial duties of the School Music Teacher and Pastoral Associate for Children’s Music
• Recruit and manage paid professional choir members (“choral scholars”) and contract instrumentalists
• Prepare and manage the music program budget
• Oversee the church sound system
• Attend weekly staff meetings

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in music is required, and a master’s degree in choral conducting or sacred music strongly preferred.
• Required Skills:
• Exceptional skills as a choral director and conductor
• Intimate knowledge of Catholic sacred music and liturgy in both the Ordinary and Extraordinary forms, including Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony
• Excellent singing ability and ability to train singers of all ages
• Sufficient keyboard skills to rehearse choirs and cantors; some facility at the organ preferred
• Competence with InDesign, LilyPond, Gregorio, and/or other software required to produce high quality worship aids in-house
• Ability to motivate and train both professional and volunteer musicians of all ages

Essential Job Functions

To Apply

Please submit the following materials via this Google Form. Submissions sent by email will not be reviewed. Questions may be directed to Mr Phil Head, Director of Administration, by email.

• Cover letter addressing your background in Catholic sacred music and liturgy, your experience with choral programs of similar scope, and your vision for sacred music in a parish setting
• Curriculum vitae
• At least two recordings (audio or video links preferred) demonstrating your work as a choral conductor, ideally including sacred polyphony and/or Gregorian chant
• A repertoire list of significant works you have conducted
• Contact information for three professional references, including at least one priest or pastor who can speak to your liturgical formation and sensibility
• Optional: A sample worship aid or other typeset music document you have produced