Music Director

The National Federation Of Music Societies; Mansfield; On-site; GBP 3,000 - 5,500; Part time

Job summary

Mansfield Choral Society (MCS) is seeking a Music Director with drive, enthusiasm and musical experience to advance the choir. The role involves directing a 50-strong SATB amateur choir, supporting a wide repertoire from classical to contemporary pieces, and collaborating on occasional collaborations with other local choirs.

Applicants should have experience directing large choirs and ideally some orchestral conducting experience.

Qualifications

• Experience directing large choirs.
• Some experience conducting orchestras preferred.
• Ability to work with volunteers and committees.

Responsibilities

• To affect the musical training of the choir in such works chosen by the M.D.
• To conduct the choir and other performers at concerts.
• To ensure that the highest possible musical standards are achieved both at rehearsals and concerts.
• To audition soloists from within the choir for any performance and to make recommendations to the Committee in the light of such auditions.
• To make recommendations to the Committee for the engagement of soloists and to audition them if necessary.
• To lead the Music Committee.
• Other duties will be augmented and detailed in an agreed Job Description between the successful candidate and Mansfield Choral Society.

Skills

Chorus direction

Conducting orchestras

Musical leadership

Job description

Music Director

Mansfield Choral Society

Mansfield Choral Society (MCS) is seeking to appoint a new Music Director with the drive, enthusiasm and musical experience to take us to the next level.

MCS is a well-established amateur, non-audition SATB adult choir of around 50 voices of a variety of ages and abilities, known for the friendliness of its welcome. Throughout the year we perform a wide breadth of choral music, ranging from large classical choral works to contemporary pieces and arrangements of musical theatre, both accompanied and a cappella.

In recent years we have performed the Bach Magnificat, the Vivaldi Gloria, Duruflé Requiem, John Rutter’s ‘Gloria’, Chilcott’s, ‘The Little Jazz Mass’, Elgar's, ‘The Music Makers’, Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo by Joseph Horovitz, and a host of shorter, lighter works.

Our aim is to continue developing our musical and technical skills so that our performances continue to improve, along with our reputation. We do attract new members every year and our concerts are well supported.

Applicants should have experience in directing large choirs, together with, ideally, some experience of conducting orchestras.

Principal duties expected of the Music Director are:

• To affect the musical training of the choir in such works chosen by the M.D. with the agreement of the choir.
• To conduct the choir and other performers at concerts.
• To ensure that the highest possible musical standards are achieved both at rehearsals and concerts.
• To audition soloists from within the choir for any performance and to make recommendations to the Committee in the light of such auditions.
• To make recommendations to the Committee for the engagement of soloists and other performers needed for concerts, and to audition them if necessary.
• To lead the Music Committee.
• Other duties will be augmented and detailed in an agreed Job Description between the successful candidate and Mansfield Choral Society.

This is a paid position: a negotiated fee is paid to our Music Director for rehearsals and performances. MCS is a registered charity and relies upon member donations/subscriptions and income from concert performances to fund its activities.

We currently rehearse from 7-9pm on Thursday evenings, at Ladybrook Community Centre, Ladybrook Lane, Mansfield, NG18 5JJ. The choir year runs from September to early July, with a break for some school holidays. We also hold 2 Saturday morning rehearsals every term. The choir performs 3-4 full concerts per year in the Mansfield area. There are occasional short outreach performances, and the choir sometimes collaborates in concerts with other choirs from the area.

The successful applicant for this role will be warmly welcomed into our choir family, and will encounter hardworking, enthusiastic singers and musicians who are keen on both having fun and preparing concerts to the highest possible standard.