Director of Sacred Music | Jesuit High School of New Orleans, LA

jmiraflor

Jesuit High School New Orleans, LA

Jesuit High School is a non-profit, Catholic, college-preparatory school for boys in grades 8-12. The mission of Jesuit High School as a Catholic, college preparatory school is to develop in its students the competence, conscience, and compassion that will enable them to be men of faith and men for others. Jesuit High School does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, or national or ethnic origin.

Position Title: Director of Sacred Music

Works as a 10-month employee reporting to the Chaplain.

Position Summary

The Director of Sacred Music will oversee and direct the sacred music program at Jesuit by leading weekly rehearsals and providing musical accompaniment for the school liturgies.

Primary Responsibilities

-Conduct and lead weekly rehearsals for the student choir
-Collaborate with students to enhance their vocal and musical abilities and foster a sense of teamwork
-Coordinate and provide musical accompaniment for the monthly school Masses
-Select appropriate sacred music for the liturgy in consultation with school leadership and clergy
-Be available for a limited number of night and weekend Masses, as well as special events that require musical support, such as Ring Mass, underclassmen on-campus retreats, Father-Son Mass, Mother-Son Mass, Grandparents Day Mass, Christmas Eve Midnight Mass, and Baccalaureate Mass
-Develop and implement a comprehensive sacred music curriculum that aligns with the school's educational goals
-Provide opportunities for students to develop their musical talents through performances and showcases, such as the Christmas concert and spring concert
-Collaborate with other educators and administrators to integrate sacred music into the overall school experience
-If the position is filled on a full-time faculty member basis, the director will teach classes in an academic department with one course reduced to accommodate additional responsibilities

Professional Requirements

-Appreciation and support for Catholic and Jesuit religious ethos
-High standards of personal integrity and character that is consistent with the discipline, norms, and teachings of the Catholic Church
-Strong interpersonal skills and desire to engage members of the school community
-Collaborative and team-oriented spirit
-Availability for night or weekend events
-High work ethic and commitment to timeliness in all school-related commitments

Salary and Benefits

Jesuit offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and a benefits package including retirement and insurance plans, which include employer contributions.

https://jesuitnola.isolvedhire.com/jobs/1086373.html

jmiraflor

More about the program from my personal experience:

I am the current Director of Sacred Music and have been in the role for the past three years. I've enjoyed Jesuit High New Orleans with its strong school culture, supportive administration, and strong Jesuit presence of both priests and those in formation. Sadly, I cannot stay in the role since I am a Jesuit in formation for priesthood and will be moving on to study theology.

I inherited the choir which had been singing simple chants and hymns, which was a good foundation for introducing the choir to singing the Propers (I've used Fr. Samuel Weber's propers, Adam Bartlett's Source and Summit propers, and have on occasion used the Graduale), hymns with organ and brass (there are plenty of brass players with the school being in New Orleans), and singing some basic polyphony in Latin and English.

We've gotten to the point of rehearsing twice a week after school, but I would like to see the program develop into a class that can count for credit and thus rehearse at least every other day.

The school is about to renovate the chapel this Summer, taking out the carpet in the choir loft, removing the acoustic paneling which lines the barrel vaulted ceiling, and adding art along the walls and painting the night sky onto the ceiling. The administration seems open to one day adding a pipe organ in the choir loft (which has two chambers on either side designed for actual pipes). We currently have a two manual digital Phoenix organ, whose speakers are positioned behind grills on either side of the choir loft in the chambers.

The entire school body knows the basic chanted ordinary in Latin: Kyrie XVI, Sanctus XVIII, Memorial Acclamation A from the Roman Missal, and Agnus Dei XVIII. They sing it well during retreats and daily Masses in our smaller chapel (the wooden one pictured above), and hopefully they'll sing it better during all-school Mass once the acoustic treatments are removed this Summer.

I've been graced with having the budget to hire an organist for every Mass. And so I've been able to focus on directing the choir without having to play and direct.

If you have any questions, feel free to message me!

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