Director of Music Job Description

Introduction:

Post:Director of Music

Employer:Holy Trinity Parochial Church Council

Hours:2 days per week, including Sunday mornings

Salary:c.£8-10,000 per annum

Reporting Line:Rector

The ideal candidate is a professional and skilled musician, who is a committed follower of Jesus Christ, knows the Father’s love and engages with the Holy Spirit. They should have significant experience of leading music in worship for a variety of ages and backgrounds, and of working with and managing volunteer choirs and instrumental groups. They will have leadership qualities and the appropriate administrative and organisational skills for this role.

Background:

Holy Trinity Clapham is an Anglican Church situated in a prominent position on the northern side of Clapham Common and within a stone’s throw of Clapham High Street, a vibrant, busy, bustling shopping, clubbing and eating sector of Clapham. A significant part of the parish is on Clapham Common, a highly used resource, especially in the summer months, for picnics, games, family outings and major London music festivals.

We are a diverse congregation (average weekly congregation of 280 adults and 60 children) whose purpose is to ‘Connect People with God’ through Worship, Evangelism, Discipleship and Service. We have three services on a Sunday: The main morning service is at 10am and is a mixture of the formal and the contemporary with groups for the children (average 120 adults and 50 children). Three times a month it is Parish Communion with a choir and organ, and once a month a more informal ‘Morning Worship’ with much of the musical worship led by the band. The evening service at 6pmhas a contemporary feel and a strong emphasis on applied biblical preaching and worshipping God. The band is led and co-ordinated by our part-time Worship Band Leader and there is an average of 150 adults and 10 children. We also have an 8amsaid Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer).

Holy Trinity has a fine Hunter Organ, fully restored in 2004 (the appeal fund raised £40,000), and an enthusiastic adult choir. A large part of the Director of Music’s role has traditionally been in playing the organ for services and leading and developing our choir. We are willing to consider a non-organist in this role, on the understanding that a separate permanent job would be created for a professional organist with whom the Director of Music would work closely. The organ is used both for traditional hymns and as an integral part of the musical life of the church including performances with choir and orchestra.

Holy Trinity has an extraordinary and inspiring history as the church where William Wilberforce and those known as the ‘Clapham Sect’ worshipped, a group of men and women who were instrumental in the movements to bring slavery to an end throughout the British Empire and to transform British society in the nineteenth century through the Reformation of Manners as they encouraged men and women to a real personal faith in Christ.

Purpose of appointment:

Everything at Holy Trinity Clapham has the purpose of "Connecting people with God" through Worship, Evangelism, Discipleship and Service. This post is at the heart of that purpose.

Reporting to the Rector, you will enable the growth, development and smooth running of all the music in the church. The role will require you:

  • To initiate or increase people’s relationship with Jesus Christ through their encounter with music at Holy Trinity - whether they are listening or participating
  • To connect people with God and each other including: people interested in using music as an expression of worship;

Christians pursuing music as a major part of their calling;

people searching for God and/or a Christian community through music

  • To foster the creativity of the Holy Spirit amongst and through Holy Trinity’s community through music.

In addition to this, we would like you, in conjunction with the leadership team and Worship Band Leader

  • to develop a vision and strategy for music and worship
  • to develop a wider vision of developing the connection between the church and the arts (see appendix)

Essential Skills:

  • You are a professional and skilled musician, with a passion for choral and instrumental music.
  • You have an openness to, and experience and knowledge of,different styles of music and worship.
  • You have experience and a good track record of runningchoirs and orchestras/instrumental ensembles.
  • You are an experiencedconductor, able to inspire and lead.
  • You are either a proficient organist or, having a sympathetic understanding of the instrument, you are willing to help us appoint a permanent organist with whom you would work closely.
  • You have knowledge of the great traditions of English choral music and other appropriate repertoire, with a willingness to develope.g. instrumental music/solo song/small ensemble work to help people find different ways into the presence of God.
  • You understand children’s approaches to music and have a desire to develop children’s work in singing and playing so that singers ‘come through’ into the adult choirs but also are valued for what they contribute at present.
  • You are able to engage and communicate well and able to motivate, manage and organise volunteers. You have a proven track record of working with all age groups and abilities and the ability to recognise and encourage gifts in others.
  • You are able to manage a budget and have goodadministrative skills.

Desirable Skills

  • You are a composer and arranger. A proven track record here would be valuable.
  • You have the ability to work alongside rock and jazz musicians in “contemporary” worship perhaps playing in the band. Possibly a mentor role could be developed.
  • You have a vision for music and the arts in the church grounded in a thoughtful theological understanding of the place of music in worship and in the wider life of the church and the community.

Christian character and Personal qualities:

  • You have a mature Christian faith, in full sympathy with our ethos, values and vision for growth
  • You are a person of integrity with a godly character, a person of prayer.
  • You seek excellence in yourself and others, while working within our current level of resources. You are able to work imaginatively and flexibly with what we have and are able to adapt to changing situations
  • You are good to work with as a fellow-Christian, and command respect for your leadership, character and professional abilities. You are able to work well within a team with people with different gifts and backgrounds from yours.
  • You demonstrate not only gifts of leadership, but a servant character to match this: you don’t see music as a vehicle for your own ego.
  • You have organising abilities and a gracious spirit when dealing with the variety of people and expectations present at Holy Trinity.
  • You have a determination to push forward on initiatives while also having flexibility in dealing with the needs of the community.

What we can give you:

  • Full support of the clergy and PCC
  • A small but enthusiastic volunteer choir
  • An excellent Hunter organ, and a church building with superb acoustics
  • A lively worship band, with part-time paid Worship Band Leader, leading our evening services and other events and services where there is contemporary worship

Additional Details and Requirements:

It is a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) of the post that the post holder be a Christian (and preferably a communicant member of the Church of England) in full sympathy with the aims and ethos of the parish’s purpose and mission. You will have 6 Sundays off per year (?)There is a 6-month probationary period and a 3-month notice period.