Musical Director

SOUTHREPPS CHORALE (NORTH NORFOLK) SEEKS NEW MUSICAL DIRECTOR 
Southrepps Chorale is a non-auditioned SATB choir, in Southrepps located mid-way between North Walsham and Cromer in North Norfolk. Founded in 2011 as a community project by current Musical Director, Stephen Richards, it continues to flourish with c. 55 members meeting in Southrepps Village Hall NR11 8NW each Tuesday evening from 7.30pm to 9.15pm. 

The choir is formally constituted and run by chair and committee, in conjunction with the Musical Director who has full control over repertoire and artistic matters. The MD will be assisted by a professional piano accompanist.

The successful candidate will be someone who:
·    Is an experienced choral conductor.
·    Has a clear understanding of vocal technique (particularly with regard to the more mature voice).
·    Has good communication skills and a sense of humour.
·    Has an enthusiasm for and knowledge of music from multi genres.
·    Appreciates that this choir is still a village-based community project that seeks to give an expressive and a collegial experience to all its members regardless of their individual music skill level.
·    Is able to challenge the choir with new ideas and repertoire.
·    Is keen to work in a collaborative manner with the choir and committee.
·    Is able to develop the less-experienced while also engaging the more accomplished.
·    Ideally, has contacts with other professional singers and instrumentalists. 
·    Has had some experience of working with instrumentalists. 

The choir performs in concert two or three times a year and has traditionally sung two services a year in St. James Church, on Remembrance Sunday and a Carol Service. Since 2010 there has been a professional music festival in the village each summer and the Southrepps Chorale performs a concert, often the opening concert of the festival. 

Most years the choir has organiSed a workshop or come-and-sing, in autumn or spring, open to visitors from other choirs, and sometimes with a guest director.    

Southrepps Chorale feels it is important to support living composers, and it has a history of commissioning new music and of course delighting in giving world premieres!  

The choir has found its own distinctive voice amongst other choirs in North Norfolk. It is not a traditional choral society, nevertheless it aims to deliver performances of outstanding music with competence, expression, emotion and joy. In its choice of repertoire, its members delight in being led down tracks they didn’t know existed while recognising their technical limitations. They like to be challenged, but quite a few are non-readers, and the MD will want to find successful rehearsal strategies that encourage all to reach their potential. Our singers have access to John F’s Rehearsal Files as a benefit of membership.

Highlights of past concerts, repertoire and commissions are on our website. Copies of our constitution, our financial accounts and our music library holdings are available on request. 

Expressions of interest in the position of MD can be made confidentially to Carolyn Nash, chair of the Southrepps Chorale. If anyone would like an initial informal discussion with Stephen Richards, they are welcome to make direct contact with Stephen (07790 774405). 

Application should be made by letter and CV, to the chair by email. Applications close on 30th May. The committee envisages candidates attending an interview with the committee and a short-list to be invited to take a 45 min. rehearsal with the choir.

Ideally we would like to make the appointment in early summer 2024, in preparation to take over in January 2025. There would be a possibility of working in tandem with Stephen during the autumn term if that was felt to be of mutual benefit. 
 

CONTACTS

Chair: Mrs Carolyn Nash

Tel: 01263 768976   email: nash_carolyn@yahoo.com

MD: Stephen Richards

Tel: 07790 774405   email: sarich433@gmail.com

www.southreppschorale.org.uk