Director of Music Applications 2017/18

The Durham University Chamber Choir seeks to appoint a new Musical Director for the academic year of 2017-18.

The Choir

The Choir is comprised of 23 competitively auditioned singers, who perform secular and sacred music across all genres. The Choir is well reputed for its high standards of singing and musicianship, and performs regularly throughout the year in venues such as the Cathedral Chapter House, St Margaret’s Church and Durham Castle. Each academic year is rounded off with a week on an international tour– recent locations include Budapest, Amsterdam and Kraków. This year the Choir will be going to Vilnius in Lithuania.

Responsibilities

The appointed Musical Director will conduct the Choir for the year, and is responsible for all musical aspects of the society. This includes holding auditions (with the rest of the Executive Committee), choosing repertoire and putting it together to form coherent concert programmes for the three main concerts each year. The Musical Director will also have a joint input on decisions regarding collaborative opportunities – for example, this year we were involved in a joint Christmas concert with DUOS and Northern Lights, as well as a Verdi Requiem as part of a global project.

How to apply

Application is by CV and covering letter, to be sent to meg.griffiths10111@gmail.com by 5pm on Sunday 5th March. Late applications will not be considered under any circumstances. The CV and covering letter should be no longer than one side each; please use the CV to list relevant experience and engagements in a bullet-point fashion. The covering letter should explain why you are suited to this position, why you would like to be Musical Director of the Choir and expand on experiences mentioned in your CV that enhance your suitability for the role.

Application process

Applicants will be invited to an audition where you will have a short length of time to work with the Choir on two pieces given to you in advance. More information about this will follow if you choose to apply for the role. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to an interview with the current Executive Committee which will include questions about any ideas for repertoire that you might have.

Audition dates

Auditions will take place on the evening of Wednesday 8th March in a location to be confirmed; applicants should keep this evening free of commitments. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to an interview later that evening, and the interview will take place on Thursday 9th March.

Best of luck for your applications,

Megan Griffiths

Manager, Durham University Chamber Choir 2016/17