Director of Music and Organist

Applications for this position will be accepted through April 15, 2024. In addition to a resume and cover letter, please submit professional references and up to five relevant recordings that showcase both organ playing and choral conducting abilities.

Reports to: The Dean

Oversees: 

• The Assistant Director of Music and Organist
• The Music Associate and Music Administrator 
• The Associate for Liturgy and Technology
• The Staff Singers of the Cathedral Choirs
• Additional staff and volunteer support for liturgy and music
   

Read a full description of the music program at Trinity Cathedral.

Position Vision: The Director of Music and Organist bears responsibility, under the dean’s leadership, for all aspects of the music ministry of the cathedral. In light of the central place that liturgy and music occupy in Trinity’s life and mission, the director serves as a senior leader of the cathedral parish and a critically important colleague to the dean and clergy.
The director partners in this work with the clergy canons and lay directors of other ministry areas, and supervises the work of all staff members serving in liturgy and music. As the leader and steward of an internationally-renowned choral program, the director engages singers of all ages and backgrounds, overseeing their musical and spiritual development and nurturing the loving, joyful community of our choirs as they continually strive for technical excellence. The director also supports and cultivates a network of volunteers and donors to sustain and expand the presence of Trinity’s music ministry in Columbia, the diocese, the wider Church, the nation, and the world.
In all things, the director will marshal the extraordinary resources entrusted to Trinity for this holy work, striving always for the greater glory of God and the highest good of our people.

Key Relationships:

• The Dean, who bears ultimate canonical responsibility for the cathedral’s liturgy and music.
• The Sub-Dean and Canon Pastor, who serves as the dean’s chief of staff and oversees day-to-day operations.
• The Assistant Director of Music and Organist, who in all things supports the work of the Director of the Music and Organist and is, in turn, mentored and supported by the director.
• The Music Associate and Music Administrator, who manages the music ministry office and oversees administrative details, communication with choirs and others, planning for tours and concerts, and generally seeks to ensure that the director and assistant director can focus on liturgy, music, and building relationships with choristers.
• The Associate for Liturgy and Technology, who produces all printed materials necessary for liturgical and musical offerings, and who maintains essential systems including live streaming cameras, climate control in the cathedral, and the cathedral sound system.
• The Canon Catechist, who oversees the cathedral’s ministries of Christian formation for all ages, and who seeks to integrate learning opportunities within our larger liturgical life.
• The Director of Youth Ministries, who works to serve the needs of middle and high school youth, and who therefore bears responsibility for building relationships within the Cathedral Choir of Boys and the Cathedral Choir of Girls.
• The Director of Communications, who oversees all of Trinity’s print and electronic communications.
• The Director of Finance and Human Resources, who assists all ministry areas with budgeting and accounting.

Regular Duties:

• Ensure that all Trinity liturgies are offered to the glory of God, are conducted according to the customs of the Anglican choral tradition and the rubrics of The Book of Common Prayer, and are, as appropriate, enhanced by sacred music of the highest possible standard.
• Lead the Trinity Youth Chorus, the Cathedral Choir of Boys, the Cathedral Choir of Girls, the Cathedral Choir of Adults, and the Cathedral Singers (and any other choirs and ensembles that the director and dean deem prudent to assemble).
• Schedule, rehearse, and conduct all choirs, communicating clearly and effectively with choristers and their families.
• Actively recruit, train, and retain new choristers of all ages.
• Cultivate a community of love, respect, mutual care, musical excellence, and joy.
• Challenge and support all Trinity musicians in their musical development.
• Plan and prepare all musical selections for the liturgical year, including organ voluntaries, congregational hymns, service settings, anthems and motets, and music for weddings, funerals, and other special services.
• Plan, schedule, and facilitate a calendar of concerts, recitals, and other extra-liturgical musical offerings, engaging Trinity musicians and outside groups.
• Participate fully in the common life of the cathedral, engaging parishioners, directly overseeing and supporting the work of staff members who serve in liturgy and music, and partnering with staff members serving in other areas to advance our common mission and ministry.
• Supervise music ministry staff members, maintain and promote a healthy work environment, and provide regular feedback and opportunities for growth.
• With the support of the Director of Finance and Human Resources, the Treasurer, and other lay leaders, develop and oversee the annual budget for the music ministry.
• Other duties as assigned by the dean.

Occasional Duties:

• Ensure regular maintenance, tuning, and general proper functioning of all Trinity instruments necessary for services, performances, and rehearsals.
• Advise the dean and vestry on potential improvement, expansion, or replacement of any cathedral instruments.
• Plan and execute, with the support of music ministry staff and volunteers, an annual Choir Camp for new and returning choristers.
• Plan and execute, with the support of music ministry staff and volunteers, occasional domestic or international choir tours and residencies.
• Lead, organize, and cultivate relationships with the Friends of Music, a community of Trinity parishioners and community members committed to the long-term financial support of the choirs and music ministry.
• In concert with the sub-dean and canon pastor, the canon catechist, and the director of youth ministries, appoint and help guide a lay committee to lead and oversee the Kanuga Parish Weekend, and incorporate the choirs’ participation into the program for the weekend.
• Assist with the planning and execution of diocesan events hosted at the cathedral, maintaining Trinity’s standards and expectations while welcoming graciously our bishop and other diocesan leaders.

Skills and Requirements:

• Verifiable history of leading, teaching and inspiring choristers and other musicians of all ages.
• Demonstrated excellence in cultivating choirs, planning liturgies, and playing the organ.
• Four-year college degree. Post-graduate training in choral conducting, organ performance, and sacred music. Doctoral level work is desirable, but not required.
• Excellent communication, coordination, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Expertise in planning programming and enlisting volunteers.
• Knowledge of the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Episcopal Church and the customs of the Anglican choral tradition.
• Thoroughgoing commitment to all Safe Church protocols established by the diocese.
• Enthusiasm for ministry with and to professional and amateur musicians, including children and their families, imbuing rigorous musical training with a spirit of joy and fun.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Competitive compensation commensurate with the qualifications of the candidate.
• Benefits include employee health coverage, pension contribution, four weeks (including four Sundays) annual leave, two weeks (including two Sundays) continuing education time, and sabbatical time to be determined with the dean.