Organ Scholarship

All Saints’ Blackheath is seeking to appoint an Organ Scholar for one year from 1 October 2022. The appointment may be renewed for a subsequent years at the discretion of the Vicar, the Director of Music (DOM), and the Assistant Director of Music (ADOM).

 

The Organ Scholarship at All Saints’ Blackheath is a new venture for the church; we will be happy to be flexible to meet the needs of particular candidates, whether they be school age, university students, or post-study.

 

The Organ Scholarship provides a superb opportunity for a talented young musician to build her/his skills in a supportive environment, whilst contributing significantly to the musical life of the parish.

 

All Saints’ Blackheath

All Saints’ Blackheath is a lively parish in the southeast of London with a busy music life. A robed (SATB) choir performs a Sung Mass every Sunday (except in August), performing a wide variety of repertoire from Gregorian Chant to new commissions for the choir. In addition, the choir sings for significant feast days and for a monthly Choral Evensong service.

All Saints’ has a fine three-manual Hill organ (1857), which was extensively restored recently by Harrison and Harrison.

Earlier in 2022, All Saints’ expanded its music team to include an Assistant Director of Music (Max Puller) to work alongside the Director of Music (Matthew Dunn), who has been in post since summer 2018.

Alongside regular services, All Saints’ hosts numerous concerts each year (including an upcoming Mozart Festival in October 2022), organ recitals and cathedral trips for the choir.

The addition of an Organ Scholar is seen as another significant building block in an expanding music provision at All Saints’.

Outline of role

The duties of the Organ Scholar will be agreed each year with the Vicar, DOM and ADOM.

These may vary according to the age and experience of the Organ Scholar. In general, the Organ Scholar is to:

    • Develop their skills as an organist and liturgical musician
    • Play the organ for selected elements of services (for example, playing some voluntaries, hymns or accompanying the choir as agreed with the DOM and ADOM)
    • Assist the DOM, ADOM or visiting organists (for example, by acting as page turner, registrant etc.)
    • Become a third member of the music team and assist with ad hoc tasks (for example, supporting the Choir Librarian with distribution and collection of music)

In addition, the Organ Scholar may sing in the choir when not required to play the organ.

 

Person Specification

The scholarship is open to candidates ideally aged 16 to 25, though we will be willing to consider other candidates, who are looking to further their experience of playing the organ, accompanying and rehearsing choirs within the setting of Anglican worship at All Saints’. The post is open to non-Anglicans, but the scholar should be sympathetic to the beliefs, traditions and ethos of All Saints’.

 

Conditions of Scholarship

Terms of the Scholarship

The scholarship will commence on 1 October 2022 unless otherwise agreed with the Vicar. Unless terminated (see below), or by either party giving to the other not less than one month’s notice in writing, the scholarship will continue until 30 September 2023.

 

Reporting Arrangements and Organisational Position

The Organ Scholar will be a full member of the music team, reporting to the Assistant Director of Music, who will be responsible for day-to-day management and pastoral care.

 

Honorarium and Conditions of Service

    • An honorarium of £1,000 per annum (distributed monthly in arrears) will be paid to the Organ Scholar. It is anticipated that the Organ Scholar will use this to fund organ tuition and organ music. The DOM and ADOM can assist in finding appropriate organ tutors if required.
    • The Organ Scholar will be present at least three Sunday mornings in every four to assist as required, except during school holidays (see below). Sundays off shall be chosen in consultation with the DOM and ADOM.
    • The Organ Scholar shall be entitled to all Sundays off during the school holidays. Additional leave will be only by prior arrangement with the DOM and ADOM.
    • The Organ Scholar shall have use of the organ, grand piano and choir vestry without charge. All such usage is to be booked in advance in the parish diary to avoid conflict with other church users.
    • The Organ Scholar may not use church facilities for teaching or other purposes without receiving prior consent from the Vicar and Churchwardens.
    • If the Organ Scholar is prevented by illness, accident, injury or other incapacity from properly performing her/his duties, she/he shall inform the DOM and ADOM without delay. If the condition lasts for more than seven days, she/he shall provide a doctor’s certificate, so that the whole period of absence is certified. If the absence is duly certified, the scholar will be paid her/his honorarium for up to two calendar months. Thereafter, her/his honorarium will be reviewed.
    • The Organ Scholar is responsible for paying for her/his own transport to and from All Saints’ Church. Other expenses of office will be reimbursed monthly on submission of receipts.
    • In accordance with the Child Protection Act and the Child Protection Policy of the parish, the successful candidate will be required to obtain statutory clearance under the enhanced disclosure provisions of DBS before the appointment can be confirmed (if applicable).

 

 

Termination of Scholarship

All Saints’ Blackheath may suspend the scholarship of the post-holder, or terminate this agreement with immediate effect, if the Organ Scholar:

    • commits any act of gross misconduct; or repeats or continues (after written warning) any other serious breach of the conditions of service;
    • is guilty of any conduct which in the reasonable opinion of the Vicar and Churchwardens brings her/him, the parish, or the Church into disrepute;
    • is in the reasonable opinion of the Vicar and Churchwardens, after due consultation with the DOM and ADOM, deemed to have insufficient competence in the performance of her/his duties.

 

Employment status

No part of this document, or any agreement with the appointed Organ Scholar shall be deemed to constitute a contract of employment. This is a flexible, self-employed position and the Organ Scholar would be expected to administrate her/his own accounts, submit her/his own tax return to the Inland Revenue and make provision for her/his own tax and national insurance contributions.

 

Safeguarding

The position would be subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure.

 

Selection procedure

Applicants are requested to write a covering letter and enclose a CV with a referee’s contact details.

Interviews will consist of a short conversation with the DOM, ADOM and Vicar, along with the opportunity to play two contrasting pieces on the organ and a hymn.

Applicants should address their covering letter and CV to: max [at] maxpuller.com.

We very much hope that you will choose to apply and look forward to receiving your application.

 

Max Puller

max [at] maxpuller.com

August 2022