Musician/Choir Director, Part-Time, Episcopal: Haverhill, Massachusetts
Position Description: Musician/Choir Director
Trinity Episcopal Church, Haverhill, Massachusetts
Trinity Episcopal Church is a small, inclusive, inner-city church in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Our community has about 100 active participants, and our average Sunday attendance is about 37. We are deeply involved with our neighborhood community. Our building hosts a neighborhood nonprofit founded by the church, as well as a Montessori Preschool. Over the last three years, we have become a bilingual, bicultural community (English and Spanish). Our 10am worship service is conducted bilingually each week. We are working to build a bilingual, bicultural music program.
Music is a core part of Trinity’s identity. We have hosted organ recitals and other musical events over the years, and founded the Academy of Creative Arts at Trinity (ACAT), an afterschool arts and music program for neighborhood children hosted at the church.
The choir consists of 11 adult singers, including 7 Anglos and 4 Latinos. Historically, we have sung a wide variety of music, from Bach and classical, Gospel and contemporary. Over the last 18 months, we have been incorporating popular Spanish hymns into our service as well, often accompanied on keyboard. During the program year (September through June) the choir rehearses on Thursday nights (7-8:30) and Sunday mornings before the service (9:15-9:45). The church owns an Aeolian-Skinner organ Op 998 and a Kurzweil Keyboard SP5-8. We also have a chime of nine bells.
Our other parish staff includes our Priest-in-Charge (PIC) (half-time), Parish Administrator (half-time), Lay Assistant for Latino Ministry/Church School Director (quarter-time) and Sexton (half-time). We are also supported by many dedicated lay leaders.
Job Responsibilities
1. Be directly responsible to the Priest-In-Charge (PIC). Meet regularly with the PIC and work collaboratively to plan and lead the music program. Our main goal right now is to grow into our new identity as a bilingual, bicultural community.
2. Choosing hymns and anthem appropriate to the liturgical season and weekly lectionary texts, balancing English and Spanish/Latino language and culture.
3. Support the choir and congregation as we learn music outside of our first language and culture.
4. Work 10-15 hours per week, including work at home and/or other practice sites.
5. Be responsible for leadership of the choir.
6. Provide organ and/or keyboard music and direct the choir at the main Eucharist on Sunday and for special services: Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, and Holy Week
7. Provide, as appropriate, organ and choral music for funerals, marriage liturgies, and other additional services not listed above, subject to employee’s availability. In all cases these shall include stipendiary payment beyond the base salary. Such stipends shall be established as part of the annual contract.
8. Assist in the hiring of substitute musicians when the Employee is not available.
9. Purchase music and music related supplies and arrange for copyright permission fees within the ranges provided by the parish’s operating budget.
10. Maintain the music library in an orderly fashion, ensuring that there are an adequate number of copies for the members of the choir. No copyrighted materials shall be photocopied or stored in an electronic retrieval system unless the required permissions have been received from and fees paid to the copyright holder.
11. Arrange for proper maintenance for the organ, keyboard, and chime.
12. Prefer music reporting to OneLicense, attending to our accounts with RiteSong and other online publishers and vendors. This is negotiable depending on skills and experience.
Skills sought
1. Experience playing organ or piano. Experience in worship settings, especially Episcopal settings, is a plus.
2. Experience directing choirs with a range of music styles and ability levels. Knowledge of voice types and strategies for inclusivity during rehearsals.
3. Fluent in English and Spanish, or fluency in one language and willingness to work at becoming fluent in both languages. This can be done as part of work hours. If desired, the parish may be able to provide instruction.
4. An excellent keyboardist and organist, or an excellent keyboardist willing to learn to the organ. This can be done as part of work hours. If desired, the parish may be able to provide instruction.
5. Ability to choose appropriate music based on themes from lessons and seasons.
6. Desire to help nurture a bilingual, bicultural community.
7. Dedication to using music to enhance and support worship.
8. Ability to collaborate with the PIC and other staff.
9. Good interpersonal skills for working with the choir and other church members.
10. Attention to good and timely communication with the PIC, staff, choir and others.
11. Reliability and punctuality in showing up for worship and rehearsals and in meeting deadlines.
The position will start as soon as possible. Although the choir only sings from September to June, the organ is played in the service throughout the whole year. Salary is $22,000, with room for flexibility depending on skills and experience.
To apply, please send a CV and cover letter to the Rev. Jack Clark at priest-in-charge@trinityhaverhill.org.
Additional Information: www.trinityhaverhill.org