Organ Scholar

Organ Scholar Position

Christ Church, United Methodist

524 Park Avenue

New York, New York

ATTN: Steve Pilkington, Director of Music and Organist

Description:

Christ Church is looking for an accomplished organist to assist in an excellent music program through accompanying, service-playing and the performance of standard organ literature.

The music program includes a principal choir of 18 professional singers and a few volunteers, a parish choir, a children’s choir and a handbell choir. The main choral repertory ranges widely from chant to Bach to Britten to Esenvalds, surveys various American sacred music styles, with an emphasis on standard Anglican literature as well. Newly composed music is highly prized. Small ensembles of instrumentalists appear periodically for mass settings and some choral/orchestral repertoire.

A high level of technical mastery is required to fulfill the musical needs of the program as related to anthem accompaniment, hymn playing, and the weekly deployment of organ repertoire spread across a wide spectrum of literature. Additionally, the organist must also be comfortable playing the piano in a supporting liturgical role.

Duties to include one or two midweek choral rehearsals; one principal service on Sunday morning, seasonal liturgies and one or two concerts a year. The contract runs for 10 months.

For over a quarter of a century, organ assistants at Christ Church have gone on to hold esteemed positions in major churches and chapels across the Northeast.

Instrument: 4-manual Casavant organ (1950) with recently refurbished reeds and a movable console. The organ is an excellent service and repertoire instrument in a beautiful Byzantine setting seating 700 people. The congregation is lively, inclusive and activated by social justice issues as well as being dedicated to meaningful and moving worship experiences.