Vacancy for Organist

Are you an entrepreneurial musician? Would you like to play your part in revitalising church music? Would you relish the challenge of rebuilding a choral tradition?

All Saints Church, also known as Batley Parish Church, is a town centre parish church with a small congregation, in the vibrant and diverse town of Batley in West Yorkshire. Worshipping in the central tradition of the Church of England, All Saints celebrates Holy Communion three times a month and Morning Prayer or Cafe Church once a month. All Saints is home to a fine 3 manual Phoenix digital organ that was introduced in 2010.

Since 2015, All Saints has been without a regular organist or director of music. The task of performing the music at the principal service at 11am has been undertaken by a talented amateur musician in the congregation, but he is often unable to be present on a Sunday morning and is supportive of a plan to recruit a new organist as the principal musician in Batley Parish Church.

Historically, music at All Saints’ Batley has been performed to a high standard. The choir here was affiliated to the Royal School of Church Music, and the music library indicates that a full repertoire of choral music was performed in the recent past. A small choir continued to perform until the Coronavirus pandemic, but has not reformed since. However, the musical tradition that used to exist here was one which was deeply valued by the congregation and many in our church would like to see return.

The Role

The PCC has now secured funding to recruit an ambitious new organist to revitalise the musical tradition in All Saints’, initially for three years. We would like the new musician to focus on three areas for development:

• Renewing the musical life of the congregation through playing a rich range of music for worship in both traditional and contemporary idioms
  
• Exploring the feasibility of restoring an adult choir to lead worship at All Saints’.
  
• Developing our work with children and young people. One of our ambitions is to recruit a children’s choir to sing in All Saints’, initially on a monthly basis, building on the links we have with families through our Sunday school and our longstanding relationship with Batley Parish CE (VA) School

This role would suit an entrepreneurial musician who is both a competent organist and willing to try new things. Our goal is to revive the choral tradition in Batley Parish Church, and our new organist would be the key person in making this happen.

The United Benefice of Batley includes three other churches, and the new organist at All Saints’ would also have the opportunity to make use of the Peter Conacher organ at St Thomas’ Batley (rebuilt and electrified by Michael Fletcher in 1987), and the 1916 Abbott & Smith organ at St Paul’s Hanging Heaton. Both are in good repair.

The salary will be £7,000 a year and will be reviewed annually. Paying for weddings and funerals is additionally remunerated, as is playing the organ at services at other churches in our benefice.

The regular duties will include:

• Playing the organ at the 11am Sunday Worship (Eucharist on the 1^st, 3^rd & 4^th Sundays, Morning Prayer or Cafe Church on the 2^nd Sunday)
• Developing a plan to restore the choral tradition in Batley which may encompass either adult singers, a children’s choir or both.
• Developing a programme of rehearsals
• Working with the parish priest to pick hymns, Mass settings and anthems.
• Following the diocesan safeguarding policies regarding working with children and vulnerable adults, and undertaking suitable training.
• Working with the parish priest and Parish Safeguarding Officer to risk assess musical activities and special events.
• Working with the wider community, especially Batley Parish School, to promote the musical life of Batley Parish Church

The post holder needs to be a self-starter, but there will also be the freedom in the post to expand the scope of the duties of the role in agreement with the parish priest and PCC.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

• Sympathy to the worshipping tradition and inclusive ethos of All Saints’
• Be an able and creative organist with strong keyboard skills, especially in sight reading and improvisation.
• Willingness to work collaboratively with the priest-in-charge to develop music as part of the liturgy and mission of the church.
• Be an able vocal trainer, who can identify potential and develop children and adults with little or no prior experience of choral singing. 
• Ability to work with children and people of all ages from a range of backgrounds, and to command their respect.
• Strong desire to give a first class musical education to those who would not necessarily have the opportunity.
• Understanding of the importance of safeguarding, and willingness to learn.
• An ability to work flexibly to develop a new role
• Willingness to develop skills and to engage with training.

Desirable Criteria:

• A wide knowledge of the liturgy and worship of the Church of England
• Experience of different kinds of worship music, both choral/traditional and more contemporary.
• Experience teaching choirs and working with children
• Understanding of music theory and the music exam process e.g. through the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.
• The ability to inspire and encourage individuals and groups (through fun and humour as well as musical rigour and discipline) to realise musical potential.

Other details

The organist will be entitled to 6 weeks off per year, excluding Christmas Eve & Day, Holy Week, and our Patronal Festival for All Saints’ Day in late October/early November.

An enhanced DBS check will be required for this post along with Safeguarding training.

You must have the right to work in the UK.

This role has a six month probation period and is subject to references of musical ability and teaching skills.

How to apply

Please send your CV and covering letter to Fr Jonathan Bish, the priest-in-charge. frjonathanbish@gmail.com.