organist position in Sydney, Australia
  • CGM
    Posts: 700
    I saw this on Facebook and thought to cross-post it here: an opening for Assistant Organist at St. Mary's Cathedral (Roman Catholic) in Sydney, Australia. Click on the file below to see all the details.
    SydneyCathedralOrganist.jpg
    1079 x 1321 - 120K
    Thanked by 3M. Jackson Osborn chonak CHGiffen
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,416
    It's almost enough to make one seriously consider moving to Sydney!
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • PaxMelodious
    Posts: 443
    It's almost enough to make one seriously consider moving to Sydney!


    I would have thought that the chance of there not being an Australian or New Zealand citizen capable of and interested in the position is close to zero.

    Church-musician is certainly not on Oz's skills-list.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,416
    ...would have thought...
    Oh, no doubt you are correct, Pax.
    Still, it's nice to dream about - even if one knows that he is dreaming.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    Perhaps some of our Aussie readers will take an interest!
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,325
    Someone tell @Jes!
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen StimsonInRehab
  • agonzalez_espagonzalez_esp
    Posts: 11
    Where did you originally see this post? (What Facebook page?)
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,782
    The Cathedral currently has four organs: the Whitehouse (1942), Sharp (1960), Bellsham (1985) and the Letourneau (1999).

    https://www.stmaryscathedral.org.au/music/cathedral-organs/

    Interestingly I can't find the above job advert on their site...
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    This is the kind of program being discussed.

    https://www.facebook.com/StMarysCathedralChoirSydney/videos/2373574116015018/
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • BruceL
    Posts: 1,072
    You will have no trouble seeing the conductor's gesture!
  • JesJes
    Posts: 576
    Thank you @stimsoninrehab for sending me an email!!!
    Thanks @irishtenor for tagging me.
    @paxmelodious sorry, I'm not sure which Aussies you've heard?!?
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • JesJes
    Posts: 576
    I know they have a console outside the sanctuary too. I wonder if they'd make an adaptation video screen or mirror so that a woman could play from external?
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • vansensei
    Posts: 219
    This would be such a cool program to play for. I'm not an organist, nor could I afford to ever live in Sydney. But they easily have the most reverent OF Masses I've ever seen.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    How many reverent OF Masses have you ever seen?
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    Jes - the Skills List is an official list of jobs for which there is a shortage of home grown workers (typical bureaucracy's misleading jargon).
    I see an interesting example of Aussie ingenuity mentioned.
    Until the arrival of the Letourneau organ, the Whitehouse and Sharp organs were played simultaneously by two organists using headphones and a two-way microphone system.
  • BruceL
    Posts: 1,072
    How many reverent OF Masses have you ever seen?


    GCZ, they are actually not that infrequently seen these days. I find this sort of comment generally unhelpful to the betterment of the sacred liturgy. Best to offer those sentiments up for better seminary formation of clergy, etc., since without the support of the clergy, these reforms are impossible to sustain (in this age and any other)!
    Thanked by 1a_f_hawkins
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Bruce,

    I didn't mean to be unhelpful. I sought to understand the comment Vansensei made in its proper context.
    Thanked by 1mmeladirectress
  • vansensei
    Posts: 219
    Not many. Long story. But I am VERY impressed with how the liturgy is conducted over there.

    The organist whom they hire is going to have the job of a lifetime...
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Vansensei,

    a)You frequently attend the OF, but don't find it reverently celebrated?
    b)You infrequently attend the OF, and find it reverently celebrated a fraction of the number of times you attend?
    c) You rarely attend the OF because it is so hard to find a reverent celebration?
    d) You infrequently attend the OF, but find it celebrated reverently most of the time, or even always?
    e) something else?
  • vansensei
    Posts: 219
    No, I grew up around very, very culturally Catholic parents who have stepped inside a church, collectively, about ten times ever. I only became a weekly Massgoer and reverted to the Faith about five years ago, and that was with the Latin Mass.
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • Palestrina
    Posts: 422
    It seems to me that the organist hired will get the education of a lifetime! This is a Westminster-grade position - forget the salary, forget any other factors... this is a school of liturgical artists. There’s something there that money can’t buy and most colleges can’t offer.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,982
    All I know of Australian organs is from recordings I own of Siegfried Franke at St. Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne and Pastór de Lasala playing the 1898 Norman & Beard organ at St Patrick's Catholic Cathedral, Parramatta, They clearly do have some good instruments and organists in Australia.
  • mmeladirectress
    Posts: 1,100
    ccwatershed gives links to some podcasts of the St Mary's Cathedral Choir
    http://www.ccwatershed.org/blog/2019/may/28/st-mary-cathedral-choir-sydney-australia/
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,416
    Many thanks for that link, Mme.
    And! It was nice to see that the church was quite full.
    And! I counted about 4 or 5 seconds reverberation in a full church.
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