MUSIC DIRECTOR – WOODLAND SINGERS

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We’re looking for a Music Director to lead our choir from 1 January 2027. You will be responsible for planning and conducting weekly rehearsals, choosing music to add to our repertoire and leading performances.

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About us

We’re a ladies choir with about 30 members:

• 14 first sopranos

• 8 second sopranos

• 7 altos

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We were established almost 60 years ago. Some members have been in the choir many years while others have joined more recently. Most are retired. There are no auditions for joining the choir. Some choir members can read music, but many can’t. The Music Director records practice tracks, which are shared via onto Dropbox, to help with learning music.

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We sing mostly secular music; short pieces of music which choir members enjoy including (but not limited to) pop, jazz, show tunes, spirituals, world music. Some example concert programmes are included in this information pack to give an idea of the kind of music we sing.

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The choir has a large collection of music. We’re keen to keep adding new pieces into the repertoire as some of the music is dated and hasn’t been performed for a long time. There is a budget of up to £500 per year for new music.

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We do 3 concerts each year, typically one per term, on a Saturday night or a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Sometimes we share concert programmes with another local choir or music group. We occasionally do concerts for local charities too, but not normally more than one or two per year.

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We do a tour every two years, usually involving just one concert and with plenty of time for social activities. We hold social events during the year eg Christmas meal, coffee mornings and fundraising events which the Music Director is welcome to join us for. We actively raise funds to support a local charity each year, currently Rugby Food Bank.

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Our current Music Director has been with us for 8 years and is leaving to re-locate to the Isle of Man.

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Our website is www.woodlandsingers.co.uk and our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/p/Woodland-Singers-Rugby-100086323148962/

A membership information sheet is available on our website, with more details about the choir.

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Where and when

We meet on Thursday evenings during term-time (excluding half term breaks) at The Church Centre, St. Mark's Church, Bilton, Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7LX from 7.30pm until 9.30pm.

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How are we organised?

We have a committee of about 10 choir members, including the Chair, Vice-Chair and Treasurer. The committee meets 4-6 times per year, usually on a Wednesday morning but sometimes by Zoom. The Music Director usually attends (and the accompanist if available). Dates and times can be re-arranged to fit with your other commitments.

 

We currently have an accompanist who is willing to stay on when a new Music Director is recruited. If the new Director already has a preferred accompanist, we are open to change. We own a Yamaha P-125a electronic keyboard and an amplifier.

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Remuneration

There is an honorarium of £739.66 (including travel expenses) per term for the Music Director, which covers payment for 12 rehearsals and one concert.

There is also an honorarium of £360.60 (including travel expenses) per term for an accompanist.

The honoraria are reviewed annually, usually in September.

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About you

The ideal candidate will be:

• Enthusiastic about choirs and choral music, either having previous experience as a choir leader or having completed relevant training

• Able to give constructive feedback, suggest techniques for improving performance while being patient and building confidence

• Able to lead, inspire and motivate choir members of different ages and abilities, injecting energy and enthusiasm • Welcoming and approachable

• Able to choose a variety of enjoyable music which is within the choir’s ability but stretching too • A confident communicator with a sense of fun

• Able to make best use of the budget available for choosing new music

• A good organiser

• Familiar with technology such as keyboards, amplifiers and microphones and for recording voice parts onto Dropbox (or similar)

• Well-connected to other local choirs and music groups or willing to make connections to create opportunities for joint performances and shared programmes

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Recruitment process

Submit a CV and covering letter giving us information about your musical background, experience and training which you believe would make you a strong candidate for the position of Music Director. You’re welcome to include links to videos or websites.

The closing date is Sunday 21 June.

 

A maximum of 3 shortlisted candidates will be invited to conduct a choir session lasting no more than 45 minutes at a time slot (to be confirmed) between 7pm and 9.30pm on Thursday 16 July.

 

If shortlisted, you should choose a suitable piece of SSA music. To make sure it’s a piece the choir doesn’t already know, please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance which piece you’ve chosen. You can bring your own accompanist or use ours, in which case you’ll also need to provide us with a score 2 weeks in advance for the accompanist to use.

 

Questions

If you have questions please contact the Chair, Hilary Hall hilary_hall@iconsult.me.uk