St George's Cathedral Choir: Tenor Vacancy
A vacancy has arisen for one Tenor Lay Clerk to join the group of nine regular Lay Clerks beginning December 2021 or soon after. Lay Clerks are required to sing at Sunday morning Solemn Mass at St George's Cathedral during term time, as well as other major occasions during the liturgical year, such as Ash Wednesday, Holy Week and Christmas services. There are extra services from time to time, such as Diocesan events and weddings.
Worship at St George’s Cathedral is led by the Cathedral Choristers (mixed) and Lay Clerks. The Cathedral Consort, the cathedral’s youth choir, leads worship at the 10 am Family Mass, and the Choristers and Lay Clerks sing for the 12pm Solemn Mass. Choristers are drawn from local state primary schools in the Elephant and Castle area, as there is no choir school. The Music Staff consists of a Director of Music and Assistant Director of Music (Organist). During full term, Solemn Mass is sung each Sunday at 12pm by the Choristers and Lay Clerks, preceded by a 10.40 am rehearsal in the Song Room. At Solemn Mass there is a predominance of Latin motets and Mass Settings, with Gregorian chant propers.
The year is divided into three terms:
- Michaelmas from early September to Christmas Day
- Lent from early January to Easter Day
- Easter from Easter 3 until mid-July
There are approximately 40 choral Sundays per year.
There is usually one Sunday off at half-term. Lay Clerks are expected to prioritise attendance at the required services, in order to maintain a consistent and cohesive group, enabling us to continue to lead the worship at St George's Cathedral with dignity and musical excellence; also to give broadcasts and make recordings of the high quality associated with a cathedral choir. There is an official list of deputies, but these should be called upon only in exceptional circumstances.
The current standard fee for each service is £65, though for midnight services and other comparable events there is an enhanced fee of £81. Additional opportunities may be available to sing as a Cantor for Masses during the holidays at this enhanced rate, and weddings and funerals also occur throughout the year as extra services.
Applicants should be excellent singers with extensive experience in ensemble and liturgical singing, fluent sight-readers and familiar with Gregorian chant (four-line) notation. The position of a Lay Clerk comes under the heading of regulated activity and as such is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.
If you wish to apply for the post, please send a copy of your Curriculum Vitæ to Jonathan Schranz, Director of Music at music@stgeorges.org.uk together with the names and contact details of two referees, by 5 pm on Friday 19 November 2021. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to deputise at Solemn Mass and/or to an interview and audition at mutual convenience at St George's Cathedral.
