Formerly Otey Memorial Parish

jThe Parish of St. Mark & St. Paul, Sewanee, Tennessee, seeks a church musician to begin work preferably in August 2023. The Parish's music program is grounded in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition and incorporates a variety of styles and instrumentation as appropriate. The Rector's background in music (including Bachelor's and Master's degrees) has made for greatly enhanced working relationships with church musicians over the years.

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The core function of the position is playing for two services each Sunday (currently 8:30 & 11am; 8:30 and 10am in June and July), as well as services on the following occasions: Christmas Eve (2 services), Christmas Day, Epiphany, Ash Wednesday (1 service), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, (Easter Vigil, if restored), and Ascension Day.
 

The primary instrument is a II/11 pipe organ in good working order and revoiced by the Milnar Organ Company in 2022. A 6 1/2-foot Chickering & Sons parlor grand piano built in 1888 and restored in the 1980s to excellent condition is used secondarily in church services. There is a 5 1/2-foot Fischer grand piano in the parish hall and a Kimball console piano in the former rectory.

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The parish has both The Hymnal 1982 and Wonder, Love, and Praise in the pews.

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The following responsibilities are involved in the position of Church Organist:

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1. Lead congregational singing, using tempi and registrations sensitive to the texts being sung, the size and skill of the congregation, and the acoustics of the church building.

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2. Choose appropriate hymns and service music (which the Rector may modify), incorporating cultural diversity normally in at least one selection per service.

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3. Play voluntaries suitable to the liturgical season and/or day.

 

4. Seek out and invite the participation of parishioners with musical abilities, offering accompaniment as needed.

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(5. If a children's choir director has not been added to the staff, assist in recruiting musicians to play for the Christmas pageant and Vacation Bible School.)

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6. Attend staff meetings twice monthly.

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7. Arrange for the tuning and maintenance of the parish's organ and pianos within the church budget allocation, and report annually on their condition.

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8. Keep the church's music library in order, acquiring additional suitable music within the amount provided by the church budget.

 

Compensation for the Parish Organist as described above is based on approximately 8-10 hours per week.