Associate Director of Music-St. Paul's Church/Choir School-Cambridge, MA


QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor’s degree in a music-related field; DMA/FAGO-level organ playing, with commensurate choral training skills and experience.
HIERARCHY Reports to Director of Music; ultimately reports to Pastor.
SALARY $55,000-75,000, commensurate with experience; generous benefit package including health insurance, dental insurance, group life insurance, and retirement fund contribution.

SUMMARY
Located in the bustling heart of Harvard Square, Saint Paul’s Church has been a beacon of traditional Catholic liturgy and worship for over a century. Renowned for its superb acoustic, the church frequently hosts concerts by the Tallis Scholars, Stile Antico, and the Vienna Boys Choir. The parish is home to Saint Paul’s Choir School, a day school educating boys in grades 3 to 8 and the only all-boys Catholic choir school in the USA. SPCS provides world-class academic and musical education to the 20 boy Choristers who sing in the Saint Paul’s Choir, the premier Catholic choir of men and boys in the country, as well as Juniors (Choristers in training), and boys with changing voices (Music Scholars). The choirs sing daily Masses, and undertake regular concert performances, recordings, broadcasts, and tours.

Repertoire is drawn from the finest Catholic liturgical traditions including Gregorian chant, hymnody, Renaissance Masses and motets, and from the Anglican choral tradition. The Choir has recently produced two highly successful commercial recordings, distributed via Universal and Sony Classical, with plans for further projects. The church will soon launch a $35-million capital campaign, a significant part of which will be devoted to updating and renewing the organs of the church, and to maintaining our choral foundation in perpetuity. The church boasts some magnificent instruments, including an 1855 George Stevens chamber organ in the church and several practice organs and a Steinway grand piano in the Choir School. The Harvard and Boston area possesses some of the finest instruments in the country, and Saint Paul’s enjoys a close working relationship with Harvard University.

The position of Associate Director of Music, with responsibilities divided between the Church and the Choir School, requires an exceptional organist and choral director who can provide outstanding liturgical organ playing (including choral and congregational accompaniment, organ works, and improvisations); train the Junior Choristers and Music Scholars; develop, recruit, train, and direct the Parish Choir (formed of excellent adult volunteers with four paid section leaders), teach music theory, share in the administrative workload of the department, and teach private organ lessons to certain pupils. Ample time is set aside for organ practice. Some flexibility can be granted to accommodate a recital career.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING
• Accompany the Choristers in choral Mass at Noon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, at Choral Vespers on Thursdays.
• Accompany the full Choir on Sundays at 11:00 AM, and for all concerts, broadcasts, tours, special services, and recordings.
• Rehearse and/or direct the Choir in the absence of the Director of Music.
• Recruit, train, and direct the Parish Choir at Mass on Sunday at 9:30 AM (accompanied by the Organ Scholar(s)) and at occasional special services like Advent Lessons & Carols.
• Train the Junior Choristers daily; attend all Chorister rehearsals.
• Teach select music history, composition, and theory classes (using the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music syllabus).
• Manage the production of worship materials, the choir library, and other administrative tasks, in collaboration with the Music Administrator and under the direction of the Director of Music.
• Play for weddings and funerals in the absence of the Director of Music; contract substitute organists as necessary; play for the Saturday evening Mass (music currently suspended).
• Act as manager and mentor to the Organ Scholar(s).

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
• DMA/FAGO-level organ playing, with commensurate choral training skills and experience.
• Knowledge and understanding of Catholic liturgical traditions and customs.
• Well organized, able to multi-task and work effectively in a busy, dynamic environment.
• Excellent oral, written, and inter-personal communications skills.
• Ability to handle confidential, sensitive, timely and critical matters requiring good judgment, tact, respect, and discretion.
• Ability to anticipate needs and establish priorities.
• Willingness to support the mission of the Catholic Church.

REMUNERATION AND HOLIDAYS
• Annual salary of $55,000-75,000, commensurate with experience; generous benefit package including health insurance, dental insurance, group life insurance, and retirement contribution.
• Four weeks of vacation are provided during the summer, two weeks after Christmas, and a week after Easter.
• Weddings, funerals, organ lessons, and certain concert activities are remunerated separately.
• Mondays are usually completely free from Church and School duties; candidates will appreciate, that their work life will be considerably more busy during term time than during school holidays.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Please apply by email to music@saintpaulschoirschool.us@ with an application letter addressed to James Kennerley, Director of Music, that explains your rationale in applying for this position, a CV/resumé, three references, and links to recordings (video preferable) that demonstrate your organ skills as a soloist, accompanist, and liturgical player (if possible). All appointments are subject to CORI clearance, and Virtus training in Child Protection. Any questions may also be sent to this email address. International candidates will be actively considered.
Closing date: March 15, 2022, with interviews in late April/early May. Starting date: June-July 2022 (negotiable).