Church Music Director

Job Announcement: Music Director

(Part-time, 10-12 hours per week)

St. George’s Episcopal Church

7010 Glenn Dale Road, Glenn Dale, Maryland 20769

www.stgeorgesglenndale.org

The mission of St. George’s Church is to build a Christian community of love and support that actively seeks and includes all people. We commit ourselves to love, serve, pray and grow through worship and education that empowers us to follow Christ’s example in the world. St. George’s is a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

As part of the staff team at St. George’s Episcopal Church, the Music Director oversees the musical aspects of the Sunday services and certain special services in the liturgical calendar. The Music Director works in cooperation with the Rector and music ministry members to create meaningful, creative, and faithful worship. This is a salaried position with an anticipated commitment of 10-12 hours per week.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES. The Music Director will:

-Foster a vision for music ministries that enriches the spiritual life of the congregation. Together with the rector, develop a direction and goals to achieve this vision.

-Be an integral part of the church ministry team, cooperate with all parties, be diligent in preparation and performance, be present at moments as necessary for the proper functioning of the church and the flow of worship (such as an hour prior to Sunday services), and meet regularly with the rector regarding selection of music for weekly services. (Approximately every eight weeks, with additional meetings as necessary for special seasons such as Holy Week)

-Lead music at weekly 10AM Sunday worship services, as well as special services as required in the church year, listed explicitly here: Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, Christmas Eve. Other services may be negotiated but shall not be required.

-Provide for/arrange musical accompaniment for weddings, funerals, and memorial services, as needed. These services will be compensated separately.

-Choose, in coordination with Rector and others, hymns, choir anthems and service music appropriate to the themes of worship and seasons of the church year, with an eye towards promoting diversity in musical styles and including other instrumentation, such as guitar and percussion.

-Choose and perform preludes, postludes, and occasional other pieces of special music during services, including piano and possibly other instruments and/or voices.

-Be open and adaptable to the theological perspectives of St. George’s and the Episcopal Church.

-Be attentive to copyright issues and share appropriate information with the church office for license reporting purposes.

-Coordinate ordering of anthems for the choir, with attention to the music budget

-Manage St. George’s music library WITH the help of a volunteer.

-Provide oversight and coordination of the Music Ministry budget, including budget for supply accompanists, licenses, and music supplies.

-Provide oversight and coordination of:

 Rehearsals, including livestreaming on Zoom in some circumstances.

 Musicians, including soloists and accompanists.

 The Choir, which sings on Sundays and special occasions.

 Substitutes when the Music Director is not present.

 Informal recruitment of new members, e.g. announcements during services, and integration of new members.

CORE COMPETENCIES

-Technical

Bachelor’s Degree in Music or equivalent experience.

Technical skill in playing the piano.

Technical skill in congregational accompaniment, choral leadership, and direction.

Possess a working knowledge of the liturgical calendar and applicability to musical selections, or be willing to learn.

Possess a working knowledge of a variety of worship music styles, e.g., traditional, contemporary, blended.

Ability to teach and lead choir members to sing their parts in harmony.

-Leadership

Ability to create a welcoming and joyous environment for St. George’s musicians and a vibrant worship and music experience for the congregation.

Ability to encourage and develop the musical talents of the choir members and parishioners who play musical instruments.

-Work Style

Ability and willingness to work independently with minimal supervision.

Ability to work as part of a cohesive team.

Ability to plan ahead and adapt to unexpected situations.

This position is based upon a one-year contract, with an option to renew annually. The selected applicant will be required to complete a background check prior to beginning employment.

To Apply: Send cover letter and resumé with the subject line, “Music Director – your name”.

Applications will also be accepted via postal mail, St. George's Episcopal Church, Music Director Job Search, PO Box 188, Glenn Dale MD 20769

Deadline:

Best consideration given to applications postmarked/received by August 31, 2024

Salary Range: Begins at $18,000