Church Organist/Choir Director

Darnestown Presbyterian Church Position Description Title:​Director of Ministry of Music Purpose: To coordinate and plan the music program of the congregation, providing appropriate organ and piano music for worship and other religious services. Scope/Accountability: This is a salaried, part-time position, accountable to the pastor as head of staff, with two paid weeks off per year. Responsibilities: · ​Plan the music program and make appropriate recommendations to the pastoral staff; · ​Meet regularly with the pastor to create a worship service of fluid continuity, including the coordination of scripture readings, sermon subjects, hymn choices, and choir anthems; ​ · ​Prepare the annual budget request for all music programs;​ · ​Coordinate and/or direct and accompany all active choirs, primarily the Chancel and Bell Choirs, plus any Children or Teen Choirs that we may form; · Provide choir rehearsals on weekday evenings or Sunday afternoons. ​ ​ · ​Plan, prepare, and play organ and piano music appropriate to each service of worship, including the prelude, the offertory, the postlude and other music as required;​ of note, the church has a new electronic Allen Organ. · ​Accompany the congregation’s singing of hymns;​ · ​Rehearse sufficiently for optimum performance at the instruments;​ · ​Respond to the other music needs that come through other staff persons;​ · ​Select and order music and maintain music library, both physically and electronically;​ · ​Arrange for a substitute musician when unable to perform at any services;​ · ​Arrange for soloists and other performers as needed;​ · ​Arrange for the appropriate tuning, maintenance, and repair of the organ, pianos and other musical instruments;​ · Work with appropriate staff to develop and implement a music program that is attractive to children and youth in the congregation and local community; · As budgets and schedules permit, organize and plan music festivals for the bell choir and chancel choir to attend for growth of skills; · ​Collaborate with local churches for performances of larger works to engage in community outreach, including scheduling rehearsals, hiring instrumental ensembles, and performing/conducting the final performances; · ​Actively pursue community outreach programs to expand the exposure of the DPC music/worship program (examples include organ recitals, piano recitals, choir concerts, hymn sings, and other ensemble concerts as appropriate).​ Relationships: Relates to the pastor as head of staff, other staff persons, the Worship Committee, the choirs, other performers and soloists.