We seek a part-time music director to enhance our commitment to excellence in worship and liturgy.
The people of St. Martin’s appreciate the centrality of liturgical worship in our parish and recognize the intrinsic and fundamental role of music in supporting and enhancing liturgy. There are many paths to the Holy Spirit and many forms of musical expression that can facilitate that journey. Accordingly, we seek a music director who is comfortable with diverse musical styles and who will maintain our decades-long tradition of excellence in our music program.
The music director will lead a committed volunteer choir of ~25 adults, youth, and young adults. Music at St. Martin’s is supported by a Bond Pipe Organ Opus 35 (with 35 stops and 16 ranks), a Baldwin grand piano, a set of 3-octave handbells, a music library in classical (spanning the 16th-21st Century) and contemporary styles, and an endowment dedicated for music. Parish instrumentalists include adult guitarists and youth who play strings in Davis High School’s award-winning music program. The nave of the church has good acoustics.
The college town of Davis lies half an hour from Sacramento, an urban center and state capital. Davis is known for the quality of its schools, planning for sustainability, progressive-leaning politics, a vibrant downtown and farmer’s market, and bicycles. The University of California, Davis, provides an array of cultural events at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts and the Ann E. Pitzer Center, an excellent library and a nationally-ranked music department. Sacramento supports various music companies and performances, and San Francisco, with its rich musical offerings in all styles, is only a 75-minute drive away.
The choir vests during the program year…
…and wears summer casual June-August.
Youth musicians
The Music Director works under the direction and supervision of the Rector.
Required qualifications
- The ability to play the organ, piano, keyboard and sing.
- The ability to read music proficiently and sight-read music as needed.
- Ability to direct a choir while accompanying them.
- Ability to support the Rector’s leadership.
- Ability to work collaboratively with a variety of people in the choir and congregation.
- Ability to select a variety of music to suit the diverse musical tastes of the congregation and choir.
- Ability to work with choir members who span a wide range of musical experience.
- Ability to make a commitment to be present and assist at all regular services that include music, and special services (as described below) other than during planned vacations and illness.
- Completion of The Episcopal Church “Safe Church Program.” The church will pay for the costs to complete this program.
Preferred qualifications
- Knowledge of The Episcopal Church theology, traditions, liturgy, music, and lectionary cycles.
Duties: weekly
- Select the music and hymns, in consultation with the Rector, to be used at the 10:00 a.m. Sunday service and all other services that include music, such as Tenebrae, Holy Week services, Easter Vigil, Lessons and Carols, and an occasional Choral Evensong.
- Provide organ, piano or keyboard accompaniment for the 10:00 a.m. service, including hymns, liturgical music, anthems, preludes, and postludes.
- Plan, direct, and lead rehearsals for the choir on Thursday evening (or some other evening to be arranged) and before the 10:00 a.m. service.
- Ensure that St. Martin’s abides by appropriate copyright laws for all music used in worship.
Duties as needed or requested
- Coordinate with the Rector and Worship Committee.
- Arrange for a substitute organist for Sundays for planned absences, except in cases of sudden illness or personal emergency.
- If available, provide organ or keyboard accompaniment for special services including funerals, memorial services, weddings, Bishop’s visit and any other special services as requested by the Rector. If the Music Director is not available then a substitute will be hired.
- Purchase new music as needed or requested.
- Engage and rehearse a brass quartet for music at Easter and Christmas Eve.
- Recruit and work with volunteers to maintain a filing system of church music and ensure that the choir area is maintained and organized.
- Recruit and work with volunteers to ensure that choir robes are clean, serviceable, and organized.
- Arrange for maintenance of musical instruments.
- Write the Music Program Report for the church’s annual report.
Salary and Benefits
The Music Director will be paid a stipend commensurate with those of other Episcopal church musicians in our region, with an expectation of quarter time work (0.25 FTE) averaged across the year. Additional compensation will be provided by the family for funerals, memorial services, and weddings. The Music Director is entitled to use church facilities to teach organ or piano, and for recitals and concerts, and will be provided with funds for continuing education.
Vacation and Sick Leave
The Music Director is entitled to 6 Sundays of personal time off annually.
To apply
Please send…
- a letter of interest,
- resume or CV, and
- names and contact information for three references
to search committee chair Carole Hom (worship@churchofstmartin.org). Please include your last name and first initial in the name of each file.
Review of applications will begin on 1 June 2018; the position is open until filled. For questions, please contact Carole.
