Director of Music Ministries

St. Augustine’s (St. A’s) seeks a compassionate, collaborative, and organized musician to fill a part-time position as Director of Music Ministries. The congregation and choir appreciate the invitation to sing and bring their musical gifts to their devotion to and praise of God. As St. Augustine said, when we sing, we pray twice!

St. A’s is a Gospel-centered community of faith located in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson. We are a warm, hospitable, and thriving congregation in the Episcopal tradition. In the last several years our members have drawn closer together and deepened their faith. Our care for each other, love of God, and the need to sing and pray together binds us in relationship with our parish and community. St. A’s is also a truly multi-generational congregation, with a lot of energy and a desire to share its gifts with each other and the world!

Croton-on-Hudson is a village in Northern Westchester that is convenient to the region. As a major transportation hub, it has express service to and from Grand Central Station and is also an Amtrak stop on the Northeast/Atlantic Corridor. Artists and musicians appreciate how much creativity is celebrated in our town.

At St. A’s, our Director of Music Ministries plays a vital role as a ministry and liturgical partner with our priest, who believes deeply in the importance of music in our worship, is a graduate of Yale Divinity School where she received wonderful exposure and interaction with musicians as well as in the parishes she has worked in that have phenomenal music programs. Currently, music is offered weekly on Sunday morning. Mid-September – May, this includes our Director of Music Ministries and a volunteer choir of approximately 10 regular members. During the summer, our Director of Music Ministries provides accompaniment to congregational hymn singing and other instrumental offerings (mostly organ or piano preludes/postludes). The choir does not currently gather and sing during the summer.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Rector in selecting appropriate music for each
• Provide piano and/or organ accompaniment/music at one regularly scheduled service each Sunday.
• Nurture, recruit, and rehearse once a week with our volunteer adult
• Welcome and support musical participation by the congregation on Sundays and special holiday services.
• Direct the choir at one Sunday service from mid-September –
• In addition to Sundays, the Director of Music Ministries will collaborate in the planning for and serve at the following services:
  • Christmas Eve (2 services)
  • Holy Week (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil)
  • Easter Sunday – Choir & Music for 2 services
• Administer the music program with flexibility, compassion and efficiency through well- timed communication to Rector, staff and volunteers as necessary, upholding copyright law, and maintaining musical instruments.
• Secure reliable and professional musicians for special services (e.g., Trumpet for Easter Sunday) and for Sundays when the Director of Music Ministries is away.
• Provide music for wedding and funeral services, as

Qualifications

• Enthusiasm and passion for the role of music in the worship life of a congregation and in the spiritual lives of all people
• Knowledge of and appreciation for the Episcopal/Anglican liturgy and traditions
• Understanding of the role of congregational singing in worship and techniques in how to guide and encourage participation
• Creative, compassionate and hospitable approach to collaborating and communicating with our choir, clergy, leadership and congregation
• Demonstrable experience and skills in leading a volunteer choir with care, compassion and structure.
• Warm, flexible and organized training and leadership of a volunteer choir
• Excellent piano and/or organ skills
• Ability to sight-read music and improvise at an intermediate level
• Understanding of vocal technique
• Relevant experience

Salary is $24,000 - $27,000/year, depending on skill level and experience, and includes 5 Sundays off per year (during which qualified substitutes must be secured by the Director of Music Ministries). Wedding and funeral stipends are in addition to the salary offered.

To Apply

Please send cover letter and resume to the Rector at: [email protected] Be sure to include “Director of Music Ministries Applicant” in the subject line. Qualified applicants will be scheduled for an in-person audition, during which they will be required to:

• Play a prepared piece demonstrating your musical skills (piano or organ)
• Play a hymn on the organ as you would in a worship service (we will send the music in advance)
• Improvise on a hymn tune
• Play a piece of congregational music from a lead sheet on the piano (we will send music in advance)
• Demonstrate their ability to adjust performance to conform with our style of worship.