The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is seeking an experienced Sacred Music Director (“Director”) for its Oakland, California apostolate. The Oakland apostolate, founded in 2005, currently serves about 400 faithful and is located in the church at St. Margaret Mary Parish (1219 Excelsior Ave.). The Director will produce music for diocesan-approved Roman Catholic worship celebrated according to norms of the Traditional Latin Mass (“TLM”).

The Director works with Canon Benjamin Norman of the Institute of Christ the King to plan music and liturgies throughout the liturgical year. The Director is the primary director and/or supervisor of all choirs that exist or may be developed in the apostolate. The Director develops these choirs and their members so that they may “contribute to the decorum and the splendor of the ecclesiastical ceremonies”, conscious that their “sacred song united to the words … forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy.” [Tra Le Sollecitudini, 1; Sacrosanctum Concilium, 112]

This is a part-time position (less than 32 hours per week).


Duties:


1. Oversee all music and choirs in the apostolate. Music used in the apostolate is subject to approval by the Director following guidelines established by Canon.

2. Organize and schedule organists and choirs for liturgical days and processions requiring music, including Sundays, feast days, first Fridays and Holy Week.

3. Recruit, train and develop choirs and their members, including a men’s schola, a women’s schola and a choir of mixed voices singing sacred polyphony.

4. Direct choirs at the TLM, including Holy Week and Christmas. Choirs sing on approximately 80 days throughout the year.

5. Plan TLM funerals with families. Direct and sing music at funerals as appropriate.

6. Office work: Director will be treated as a professional with flexible office hours as needed to do required paperwork, return phone calls and arrange for fulfillment of various duties of the position. A schedule of hours must be set and agreed to with Canon.

7. Assist St. Margaret Mary Parish in identifying maintenance needs for the church organ.

8. Full compliance with all of the Safe Environment rules of the Diocese of Oakland.

9. Play for TLM weddings and rehearsals as agreed (All compensation will be afforded by the parties to the wedding, and Director will have no obligation to accept any wedding engagement).

10. Direct music in occasional celebrations of the TLM outside of St. Margaret Mary Parish.

11. Schedule and host events during the year such as concerts, sacred music recitals, Lessons and Carols, etc. that will be advertised to other parishes in the Deanery.

12. Work with Canon to prepare a budget for music books, rehearsal space and occasional professional musicians for the apostolate.

13. Develop music-related worship aids for the congregation as necessary, and oversee copyright licenses and reporting.

14. Participate in apostolate and Parish events as needed.


Minimum Qualifications:


1. Bachelor of Music or an equivalent degree from an accredited college or university is preferred.

2. Experience playing and directing choirs in a liturgical church.

3. Willingness and desire to learn, teach and direct Gregorian chant according to the principles and methods generally used in the Institute of Christ the King sometimes referred to as the “Old Solesmes method”.

4. Adherence to all the moral teachings of the Catholic Church.


Necessary Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:


1. Skilled choral director, including the ability to recruit new members.

2. Able to sight-sing and direct choirs from chant books in chant notation as used in the TLM such as the Liber Usualis and Graduale Romanum.

3. Work well with a large number of people.

4. Self-starter; highly motivated and creative; focused on achieving results.

5. Flexible in meeting the needs of the job and following directions from Canon.

6. Good communications skills.

7. Able to manage and coordinate contracted organists. While not essential, it is preferred that the candidate be a skilled organist.

Interested candidates, please send a letter of interest, CV, and three references to Canon Benjamin Norman, at: canon.norman@gmail.com.

The deadline for submission of applications is December 22, 2021.