The Cathedral Church of St Nicholas

The Cathedral Church of St Nicholas Newcastle upon Tyne

Director of Music

The Chapter of Newcastle Cathedral wishes to appoint a Director of Music with effect from 1st Sept 2016. Information on how to apply for the post can be found at the end of these notes.

Please note that applications need to be received not later than noon on Monday 29

February 2016.

St Nicholas Cathedral

For over 900 years the Parish Church of Newcastle, (and one of the largest parish churches in England) St Nicholas was elevated to the status of cathedral with the creation of the Diocese in 1882. Its crowning glory is the unique fourteenth lantern spire but the gothic interior has a rich collection of monuments celebrating the lives of the great, the good and the frankly dubious: - merchants and landowners; politicians and academics; soldiers, sailors and ship builders – who have down the ages contributed to the life of the north east. It has a very rich collection of stained glass, one of the largest collections of ledger stones in Western Europe and a richly furnished Quire dating from the late nineteenth century. Over the past decade a significant development programme has been underway which has seen among other things, the installation of new lighting and sound systems, and plans drawn up to re-order the nave including the removal of the fixed pews and the installation of under-floor heating. These are subject to a recently submitted bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund. Supporting these plans is a Liturgical Statement endorsed by Chapter. The Cathedral is situated at the historic heart of the old town, adjacent to the “new” Castle, and five minutes walk from Central Station. It is surrounded by office buildings and the bars and clubs that are a feature of Newcastle’s boisterous night life. The regional capital of the north east of England, Newcastle-Gateshead has also developed a reputation as a significant cultural destination with the Sage Gateshead (home of the Royal Northern Sinfonia and the Folkworks project), offering a rich and diverse concert programme as well as a strong community engagement. The city is also home to over 50,000 students based at the Universities of Newcastle and Northumbria (with whom the Cathedral - and especially its Music Department - has been developing a fruitful partnership over the past few years). Music and Mission Worship is one of six key stands in our Mission Action Plan and the importance of music and its critical contribution to the mission of the Cathedral cannot be overestimated. Newcastle Cathedral, like the Diocese it serves, was nurtured in the ‘Prayer Book Catholic’ tradition, and is seeking to give new life to the insights of that tradition with vigour and creativity. Excellence will continue to be a priority but we may need to ask more fundamental questions as to what that might mean for a parish church cathedral in a setting such as ours. Experiments such as “Night Church” are inviting us to look for new ways of engagement. Enabling us to find answers to such a question will require boldness, and a certain degree of risk-taking, but the mission situation of our Church demands nothing less.

As well as developing the Cathedral’s capacity to host a wide range of special services for particular groups and occasions, attention must continue to be given to shaping our regular Sunday worship so that it may speak more clearly and persuasively not only to the committed and regular worshippers but to the enquirers and to those who express spiritual need but have found organised religion to be of no relevance to their search. Over the past few years we have continued to attract new worshippers but the increasing frailty of an ageing core group has seen Sunday attendance decline. Nevertheless we remain committed to the long term growth of our congregations in terms of numbers, confidence and spiritual maturity. The Director of Music should be prepared to play his or her part in thinking about a musical repertoire that will contribute to this formational process; one that is contemporary as well as traditional and takes account of ecumenical and international resources as well as the riches of the Anglican Choral tradition.

The proportion of the Cathedral’s annual budget devoted to music – roughly a fifth (£125,000 in 2016) is an investment of singular significance given the resources at our disposal and the challenges of recruitment and retention (especially of boys) are significant.

Over the past few years we have begun to address these challenges in a number of ways. Four of our boys have joined the choir through scholarships offered by Newcastle School for Boys; we have attracted some support for the Sponsor a Chorister scheme launched in 2014 and are looking for ways to deepen our links with Northumbria University with whom the Assistant Director’s post is shared.

Another long term issue will be the replacement of the Cathedral organ and post holder will clearly play a key part in that process.

We need constantly to assess how our investment is best used together with innovative ways to develop our resources and funding streams as we seek not just to maintain and develop our rich choral tradition but also to enable all God’s people to be engaged in making music.

3 The Music Department

As well as playing a significant part in the life and mission of the Cathedral, the Choir takes part in many events hosted at the Cathedral, such as Diocesan services, Civic events and concerts. The Cathedral Choirs play a full part in many of these occasions as well as occasionally being invited to support events elsewhere in the Diocese. Over the past four years the Girls’ Choir have been invited by the Duchess of Northumberland to sing in Alnwick Gardens and there are annual shared services with Durham and Hexham.

The Department currently comprises (in addition to the Director of Music):

- Kris Thomsett The Assistant Director of Music and Director of Campus Music at Northumbria University

- Michael Haynes Assistant Organist

- Emily Stolting Music Assistant

The Choir consists of up to twenty boy and girl choristers and probationers, and professional adult Lay Clerks (including Sopranos), and Choral Scholars. The boy and girl choristers are drawn from a range of schools with several boys having choral scholarships with Newcastle School for Boys.

The Cathedral is also served by the Chamber Choir. This is made up of volunteer adult singers. The Chamber Choir sings the Sunday services once per month.

Cathedral Choirs’ Association

The Director of Music plays an active part in the Choirs’ Association committee. The Choirs’ Association has an annual meeting which includes a report by the Director of Music, and regular meetings throughout the year to organise activities. The Choirs’ Association seeks to support the development of the Choirs, encourages families to engage with the choirs and raises money to provide facilities and equipment, musical tuition, distinctive clothing, travel, accommodation and all necessary expenses of events organized to promote the musical and social wellbeing of the Choir. Recently the Choir tour to Paris was generously supported by the Association. Money is raised through various

4 activities and the membership is open to all members of the congregation as well as supporters from the wider community.

Current pattern of practices and services Sunday The boys sing two Sunday services per month, the girls three, the Chamber Choir two, and the lay clerks six. 09:00-10:00 Rehearsal 10:00-11:15 Eucharist 11:30-12:30 Rehearsal (only when girls/boys sing Eucharist) 16:30-18:00 Rehearsal 18:00-19:00 Choral Evensong

Monday 16:30-18:30 Girls Rehearsal 17:30-18:15 Choral Evensong

Tuesday 16:30-18:30 Boys Rehearsal 17:30-18:15 Choral Evensong

Wednesday No service or practice (unless occasional additional services e.g. Ash Wednesday)

Thursday 16:30-18:30 Boys, Girls and Lay Clerks Rehearsal 17:30-18:15 Choral Evensong

Friday 13:05 Lunchtime Recital 17:00-19:00 Lay Clerks Rehearsal 17:30-18:15 Choral Evensong

Saturday No service or practice (unless occasional additional services)

5 Organ St Nicholas Cathedral currently has a four manual Phoenix organ with two banks of speakers (one behind the choir stalls and the other near the case of the pipe organ in the nave). The choir division of the organ only speaks in the quire, the other divisions play from both banks simultaneously (although there are draw stops to turn off speakers, for example, to accompany the choir when there is a nave congregation). At present, there has been one full days of voicing with Paul Hale, so it is likely more work will be needed in future.

The specification:

Great Choir Double Open Diapason 16’ Bourdon 16’ (Stop Label Quintaton) Open Diapason I 8’ Principle 8’

Open Diapason II 8’ Chimney Flute 8’

Stopped Diapason 8’ Unda Maris II 8’

Gamba 8’ Gemshorn 4’ (Stop Label Spitz Principle)

Octave 4’ Nason Flute 4’

Principle 4’ Nazard 2 2/3

Wald Flute 4’ Octave 2’

Twelfth 2 2/3 Piccolo 2’

Fifteenth 2’ Tierce 1 3/5

Fourniture IV Scharf IV

Sharp Mixture III Cromorne 8’ (Stop Label Corno di Bassetto)

Contra Posaune 16’ Trompette 8’

Posaune 8’ Tremulant

Clarion 4’

Swell to Choir

Swell to Great Solo to Choir

Choir to Great

Solo to Great Solo Contra Gamba 16’

6 Swell Viole d’Orchestre 8’

Bourdon 16’ Viole Celeste 8’

Violin Diapason 8’ Harmonic Flute 8’

Lieblich Gedackt 8’ Octave Viol 4’

Salicional 8’ Concert Flute 4’

Voix Celestes 8’ (II) Cornet V (Stop Label Harmonic Piccolo 2’)

Principle 4’ Cor Anglais 16’

Lieblich Flute 4’ Vox Humana 8’

Fifteenth 2’ Clarinet 8’

Sesquialtera II Tremulant

Mixture III Tuba 8’

Contra Oboe 16’ Orchestral Trumpet 8’

Oboe 8’

Tremulant Solo Sub Octave

Plein Jeu IV Solo Unison Off

Double Trumpet 16’ Solo Octave

Cornopean 8’ Great Reeds on Solo

Clarion 4’

Swell Sub Octave Double Open Diapason 32’

Swell Unison off Sub Bourdon 32’

Swell Octave Open Wood 16’

Solo to Swell Open Diapason 16’

Violone 16’

Bourdon 16’

Octave 8’

Principle 8’

Bass Flute 8’

Fifteenth 4’

Octave Flute 4’

7 Mixture IV

Contra Bombarde 32’

Bombarde 16’

Trombone 16’

Trumpet 8’

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Choir to Pedal

Solo to Pedal

Great Reeds on Pedal

The organ has a full complement of 8 divisional pistons per manual as well as 8 generals, reversible coupler thumb pistons and a stepper. There are separate memory levels for divisional and general channels.

The pipe organ has been out of action for some time. However, one of the Cathedral’s aspirations is to fundraise for a new organ in the next few years. The Director of Music will be heavily involved with this project with support from the Cathedral Development Trust and the Dean and Chapter. A significant amount of groundwork has already been done on this project and documentation will be available for the new Director of Music.

8 The Person and the Job

The Chapter wish to appoint an experienced professional musician with a degree or equivalent qualification, whose faith is expressed through music in the daily offering of worship and who is in sympathy with the ethos and tradition of the Church of England. The Director of Music will be expected to play a full part in the life of the Cathedral community.

The Person

The Chapter wishes to appoint an experienced professional musician who:

1) Is a proven choir trainer of boy and girl choristers (aged 7 -18) who can motivate young people to sing to their highest potential and find enjoyment in singing while maintaining firm discipline in a sympathetic manner; 2) Can inspire and lead Lay Clerks, Choral Scholars and Volunteer Singers and build on the excellent team spirit that has been established; 3) Has the experience, tenacity and temperament to recruit boy and girl Choristers; Choral Scholars and Lay Clerks; 4) Has an understanding of the liturgy and is able to enrich daily worship with music that is appropriate and uplifting; 5) Is able to respond to the challenges set out in the Music and Mission section of this document; 6) Has knowledge and experience of the Anglican Choral Tradition but open to and excited by the enrichment offered by other contemporary forms of musical expression such as the music of Taizé, world music, etc; 7) Is a skilled organist, able to accompany worship; 8) Is committed to collaboration and will develop the team ethos of the Music Department and support team working across the various areas of Cathedral life; 9) Has proven management skills and can offer mature leadership and encouragement to junior colleagues;

9 10) Has an entrepreneurial spirit and can demonstrate the capacity to build on existing partnerships and develop new ones with local schools, the Universities, the Local Music Service and other agencies in support of the Choir and the wider musical life of the Cathedral; 11) Is committed to musical excellence in the mission of the Cathedral and Diocese; 12) Is an open communicator as well as a person of vision, creativity and strategic thinking 13) Is an efficient administrator able to manage and prioritise the demands of a busy and developing Music Department; 14) Is knowledgeable about safeguarding procedures and best practice for children and vulnerable adults (training will be provided as necessary); 15) Self motivated and able to work independently when required. The Job

The Director of Music is responsible to the Dean, via the Canon for Music and Liturgy, for all the musical elements in the Cathedral’s worship. As such he/she is a senior member of the Cathedral Team. Working closely with the Dean and Chapter, the duties of the job include:

Management and Administration of the Music Dept 1) Manage various administrative processes including (but not limited to) time management recording, monitoring attendance of all Choristers, Choral Scholars and Lay Clerks, music licenses, writing and submitting of reports for Chapter/Council 2) Ensure that all contractual and financial arrangements of staff are efficiently conducted, in partnership with Operations Director, Finance Officer and Music Assistant 3) Managing and overseeing the work of the Assistant Director of Music 4) Managing and overseeing the work of the Music Assistant 5) Attending the weekly meeting o f t h e M u s i c D e p a r t me n t chaired by the Canon for Music and Liturgy 6) Attending monthly staff meetings at which requests for musical events and special services are considered 7) Overseeing the music library to ensure music is purchased, maintained and catalogued

Direction of Cathedral Choir 8) In collaboration with the Canon for Music and Liturgy, develop a strategy for the ongoing development of the musical life of the Cathedral and ensuring that music is embedded in the Cathedral’s wider mission

9) Directing and training the Cathedral Choir, ensuring that the highest possible standards are reached 10) Working closely with the Music Assistant to ensure the well-being of the choristers 11) Ensuring that there is a reasonable allocation of duties for services and that time is allocated for practice and repertoire development amongst all the Cathedral organists 12) Allocating rehearsal duties for the Cathedral Choir, which include sufficient training for probationers and development of more experienced singers 13) Maintaining and upholding the discipline of the Choir 14) Managing an inspiring and robust system for recruitment of new Choristers, Choral Scholars and Lay Clerks 15) Conducting voice trials for potential choristers 16) Auditioning and interviewing candidates when there are vacancies for Organ Scholars, Lay Clerks and Choral Scholars 17) Auditioning potential deputy singers 18) P r o v i d e s i n g i n g t r a i n i n g f o r t h e c l e r g y a n d o t h e r o f f i c i a n t s i n t h e C a t h e d r a l 19) Being responsible for approving the music and musical competence of visiting choirs which have been invited to sing during choir holidays or on days when the Cathedral Choir is not singing 20) Arranging for the choir, from time to time, to sing in parish churches around the Diocese 21) In partnership with the Canon for Music and Liturgy, ensure good pastoral care of all staff in the Department, including Choristers and adult singers 22) Ensuring the proper maintenance and tuning of the Cathedral’s instruments 23) Contributing to the process of planning and designing a replacement organ including membership of and attendance at any relevant committees.

External relationship and Outreach 24) Supporting the Choirs’ Association programme of fund-raising 25) Attending RSCM and contributing to events, encouraging and supporting the work of church musicians around the Diocese 26) Participate in the activities of the Newcastle District Society of Organists and offering support and advice to parish organists 27) Have overall managerial responsibility for the Newcastle gatherings of the Hadrian Choirs Festival 28) Initiate contact and foster relationships with former Choristers and Choir men/women so that they are involved at a social level in the wider Cathedral community

Maintain a safe environment for children 29) Ensuring that at all times due consideration is given to the Cathedral's safeguarding procedures

Relationships and Communication 30) Being responsible for communicating (with the help of the Music Assistant) with chorister parents, the Choirs’ Association, Chamber Choir, Lay Clerks and Choral Scholars 31) Consulting with the Canon for Music and Liturgy in the preparation of the monthly music scheme for services (which should be completed a minimum of two months in advance) and making recommendations for the music of all special services 32) Working in partnership with the Canon for Music and Liturgy, planning the pattern and detail of choral services each term 33) Lead the annual development review for the Assistant Director of Music and Music Assistant; 34) Advising Chapter on all aspects of the Cathedral’s music activities and attending Chapter/Cathedral Council meetings from time to time, i.e. when major matters relating to music and liturgy are under discussion 35) Working with the Canon for Music and Liturgy, the Director of Operations and the Finance Officer to draw up the budget for the Music Department. The Director of Music is responsible for ensuring that expenditure is kept within the approved budget. 36) Support the work of the Choirs’ Association and its Committee 37) Working with other staff across the Cathedral to ensure a fully-supported and committed Cathedral team who communicate well across all departments

Personal Development 38) Participate in a structured personal development plan resourced by the Cathedral to develop professional skills in choral direction, organ playing and accompaniment, management and leadership. This will include regular organ/conducting lessons and attendance at COA and CSA conferences.

Please note : It is a Genuine Occupational Requirement for the Director of Music to be a practicing Christian. Facilities The Cathedral offers the following:  A recently refurbished Song School with ample space for choir practices.

 An office in Cathedral House shared by the Director of Music, Assistant Director of Music and Music Assistant.

 Extensive Choir library in the Song School

 Staff structure Clergy

The Dean, Canon Steven Harvey (Education) and Canon Clare MacLaren (Music and Liturgy) are responsible for the day to day management of the Cathedral.

There are two further residentary canons on Chapter with Diocesan responsibilities: The Venerable Geoff Miller (Archdeacon of Northumberland) and Canon john Sinclair (Adviser in Local Evangelism). There is also a part time honorary assistant priest, Canon Jean Skinner who co-ordinates the pastoral care of the Cathedral community.

Other staff Director of Operations - Kate Sussams Communications Officer – Robin Frame Finance Officer – Neringa Baguckiene Admin Officer – Ellie Robertson Head Verger – Gordon Scott Verger – Alan Edrington Vestry Assistant – Paul Wait Café Manager – Sheila Cavanagh Café Support – Margy Freed and Anne-Marie Todd

The Music Department staff are managed by the Canon for Music and Liturgy; all other lay staff are managed by the Director of Operations.

How to apply Applications should be sent to:

The Very Revd Christopher Dalliston The Dean of Newcastle The Cathedral Office 42-44 Mosley Street Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne and Wear NE1 1PF By post or e-mail: [email protected]

To arrive not later than noon on Monday 29th February 2016.

Your application should contain:  A full CV containing education and musical and professional qualifications and full employment history;  A brief covering letter (not more than two sides of A4) saying how your skills and experiences match the requirements of the post;  Details (name, address, telephone number and e-mail) of three referees who would be able to speak about your relevant experience and personal qualities. One must be your current employer. (Referees may be contacted as part of the short-listing process by agreement with the applicant); and  Your contact details including daytime and evening telephone numbers.

Interview/auditions will be held at St Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle upon Tyne on Wednesday 16th March and Thursday 17th March 2016 and candidates need to be available on both dates. More information about the process will be provided to the short-listed candidates nearer the time. Please note that for candidates invited to interview, one night’s accommodation will be provided; travel expenses will not be reimbursed