Accompanist and Assistant Music Director

East Grinstead Choral Society

Vacancy: Accompanist and Assistant Music Director (one role)

Deadline for applications: 1st May 2024 at 11pm

A Welcome from Laurence, our Music Director

Welcome, and thank you for your interest in the Accompanist and Assistant Music Director position at East Grinstead Choral Society.

We have created this position as we seek to further enhance and support the music making we undertake as a choir and I hope, as you discover more about us, you will want to become part of our journey.

Since I started with the choir in 2021, we have nearly doubled the size of the choir and of our audiences, and we are commended for the high standard of performance the choir has achieved.

This fulfils my ethos and vision that amateur choirs can still aspire to and achieve excellent concert performances alongside a supportive and encouraging environment during the learning process.

Amateur choirs are the backbone of music making in this country and something I feel very proud to be a part of, alongside my busy career as a conductor, accompanist and bass-baritone soloist. Seeing what we can achieve and finding ways to surprise audiences is a great source of pleasure. East Grinstead Choral Society is one of the friendliest groups I work with and you’ll be sure to receive a warm welcome.

I am looking for a musician who would be happy to work alongside me: who is not only an accompanist, but someone I can truly collaborate with - where we can bounce ideas back and forth for what will work best for this special group of singers. You may be just starting out on your career, or you might be an experienced choir accompanist: if the thought of making the best music we can each Thursday evening appeals to you, please apply.

Enjoy reading this document and don’t forget to apply before the deadline on Wednesday 1st May. I thoroughly look forward to reading your application!

Best wishes,

Laurence Williams

Music Director at East Grinstead Choral Society

East Grinstead Choral Society: Accompanist and Assistant Music Director (one role)

Description of vacancy

East Grinstead Choral Society (EGCS), a leading large amateur choir in West Sussex, wishes to appoint an Accompanist and Assistant Music Director to work closely with our current Music Director from September 2024.

The role will be to assist the MD, accompanying the choir on a weekly basis, taking sectional rehearsals (approximately 5 per term) and deputising at rehearsals when the MD is away.

About East Grinstead Choral Society

EGCS is a non-auditioned choir which has recently celebrated its 70th anniversary; it has a membership of over 100 singers drawn from East Grinstead and neighbouring towns. The atmosphere in rehearsals is warm and friendly and professionals are always made to feel welcome and part of the choir community. We rehearse on Thursday evenings, broadly in line with school terms, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm in the beautiful parish church of St Swithun’s in the town centre and perform either at St Swithun’s or at our local arts centre, Chequer Mead.

East Grinstead is easily accessible from London by a direct train (two trains per hour), and lies approximately 10 miles south of the M25 and 30 miles north of Brighton. Our MD, Laurence, comes down from London each week.

The Society appointed its current Music Director, Laurence Williams, in January 2021. Under Laurence’s guidance the choir has gone from strength to strength; both choir and audience numbers have grown steadily and we have a reputation for staging concerts of a high professional standard. Laurence has experience as an accompanist himself, as a choral director in a wide range of settings and as a professional bass-baritone soloist.

Our three annual concerts (in December, March/April, June/July) draw on a wide range of music encompassing the classical, modern and operatic choral repertoire and always involve professional soloists and instrumentalists. Recent performances include Rutter's Gloria with brass ensemble, a concert performance of The Mikado and a sell-out performance of Handel’s Messiah with baroque orchestra.

In addition choir members are often invited to participate in local events. So far this season these have included: performing La Cenerentola with Barefoot Opera, singing Christmas Carols at Standen (National Trust), and participating in the annual Kidbrooke Park Festival.

We have a close connection with St Mary’s Primary School, East Grinstead. In line with Laurence’s desire to introduce music to as many people as possible, its children’s choir is invited to take part in our concerts whenever appropriate.

The church boasts a beautiful and recently refurbished Bechstein grand piano for rehearsals and a 3 manual well- maintained pipe organ for concerts.

The church is heated and well-lit, and has a beautiful acoustic for making music in.

Concert engagements are at the discretion of the MD and attract additional fees.

Job Specification – Accompanist and Assistant Music Director

• Accompany the choir at regular weekly rehearsals
• Lead sectional rehearsals when required
• Deputise at rehearsals in MD’s absence
• Accompany the choir at concerts when required
• Liaise with MD on a regular basis
• Liaise with stand-in accompanist as required
• Liaise with EGCS Chair as required

Person Specification

Essential skills/qualities

• Excellent keyboard skills (piano)
• Experience as rehearsal pianist
• Ability to read (open) score parts fluently
• Experience of leading sectionals/rehearsals
• Ability to motivate choir members/amateur singers
• Ability to inform on basic vocal technique
• Familiarity with choral repertoire, both sacred and secular, varying genres
• Reliability & Punctuality
• Tact and Diplomacy
• Friendly demeanour
• Ability to stay calm under pressure
• Ability to maintain a sense of humour in all situations

Desirable skills/qualities

• Proficiency as an organist for concerts
• Ability to transpose down a semitone to baroque pitch (we stress this is desirable, but not essential)
• Ability to collaborate with MD regarding concert repertoire
• Some experience of conducting performances
• Good communication skills

Remuneration

• Weekly rehearsals attract a fee of £100 – £125 based on relevant experience
• Deputising for the MD at a rehearsal attracts a fee of £150
• Concert engagements will attract additional fees
• Remuneration is reviewed annually

Applications are invited for this post by 11pm on Wednesday 1st May and should take the form of a curriculum vitae, along with a covering letter which outlines your suitability for the post.  The names and email addresses of two referees should be supplied, one of whom should be a professional musician with whom you have worked recently. Applications received after 1st May may not be considered. We envisage holding interviews and auditions on 16th May, but there will be flexibility for those unable to make that particular date.

To apply for this post, please send your CV and covering letter to the Secretary, Judi De Lang, at judidelang.egcs@icloud.com

For an informal discussion about the post, or if you have any further questions, please contact the Chair, Janet Cole, at janetcole.egcs@gmail.com in order to agree a mutually convenient time for a call.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Janet Cole

Chair, East Grinstead Choral Society

www.egcs.co.uk

Registered charity: 801961