Interim Sub-Organist and Assistant Director of Music

Overview

Interim Sub-Organist and Assistant Director of Music

Bradford Cathedral seek a musician of the highest calibre and commitment to join the Music Department to work to these ends. They will be an accomplished liturgical musician, an organist and choir trainer, who is willing to offer themselves to work with the resources that we have, and to experiment with new material and ideas to achieve the aims of our vision.

Deadline for applications will be Wednesday 28th June.

Interviews will take place on Thursday 6th and Friday 7th July.

Please see attached Role Description for full details.

Main Responsibilities

• Attend all rehearsals and services at which the Cathedral Choir is singing, contributing by playing the organ for services, broadcasts, recordings and tours with the Cathedral Choir as required.
• Take regular rehearsals with the Cathedral Choir; there will also be opportunities to conduct the choir at services. 
• Teach choristers music theory, accompanist to the Grace Notes as arranged. sing as part of the Cathedral Choir from time to time.
• Play the organ for weddings, funerals and other larger scale services or events at the Cathedral, at the agreed Cathedral fee.
• Have the right to gain further remuneration by offering private piano and theory lessons to the choristers and junior choral scholars at an agreed Cathedral rate. 
• Ensure the smooth running of established systems, updating the labelling of music, ordering new music and typesetting new music, using Sibelius software. 
• Administer the Wednesday@One Organ Recitals and Tuesday Coffee Concerts, by booking performers, in consultation with the Director of Music. 
• Manage visiting choir bookings
• Attend regular meetings, giving particular priority to the weekly diary/staff meeting and music department meeting.
• Have pastoral wellbeing of the choristers and junior choral scholars as a priority, abiding by the cathedral’s Safeguarding policy at all times.
• Give adequate time to the preparation and practice of music for Cathedral services.
• Expected to attend any training advised by the Cathedral and encouraged to attend ACO Conferences. 

The Ideal Candidate

You will be able to demonstrate:

• An understanding of the past and present life of Bradford Cathedral and its context;
• A commitment to the vision with an energy, enthusiasm, and an understanding of how to shape the Cathedral’s musical life and department in response to it;
• A high level of musicianship as an organist and choir trainer;
• An appreciation for the breadth of church music, a willingness to explore its diversity, and the means to enable musicians of different cultures to work together and participate in each other’s musical cultures;
• Personal values that are aligned to the Cathedral as a Christian institution;
• A team-player, and are able enhance a healthy working culture
• Flexibility and resilience.

About us

Bradford Cathedral has a thriving musical tradition. The 90 children and adults in our choirs come to the cathedral to sing at four choral services each week. Our education programme gives over 45 young people from different backgrounds free singing lessons and tuition in music theory. Our organ recitals draw some of the finest performers from the UK and abroad. From time to time, musicians from other Christian traditions are involved in our musical worship.

With reference to the 2023 vision (attached), music is a key means by which we will become more accessible so that more people can recognize Jesus. Our vision document includes the following aims that relate to music:

We will excel in intercultural worship and seek to better reflect our city’s many cultures and ethnicities without our community life.

We will be a centre of intercultural practice, learning from and encouraging other local churches.

Our worship will be known for its beauty and diversity: grounded in the English choral tradition, it will be an exemplar of Church of England worship that values and weaves together culturally rooted expressions of faith from across the Anglican Communion.