ORGAN SCHOLARSHIP 2021-2022 CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL The oldest standing building in Dublin, early manuscript dates Christ Church Cathedral to its present location, at the heart of Dublin’s historic city centre, around 1030. Dúnán, Norse king and the first bishop of Dublin and Sitriuc, founded the original Viking church, and by 1152, it was fully incorporated into the Irish church. It was due largely to John Cumin, the first Anglo-Norman archbishop, that the Hiberno-Norse cathedral was replaced with the Romanesque and later Gothic cathedral. The cathedral as it exists today is heavily Victorianised due to the extensive work carried out by the architect George Edmund Street at the expense of a Dublin whiskey distiller, Henry Roe, who gave £230,000 (over £23m today!) towards restoration and renovation. MUSIC IN THE CATHEDRAL Christ Church Cathedral Choir traces its origins to the choir school founded in 1480. The choir was always highly regarded in Dublin’s musical life and took part in the first performance of Handel’s Messiah in Dublin in 1742. The cathedral’s principal choir of today is constituted as a mixed ensemble of 22 professional singers. The choir’s repertoire is extensive, covering more than five centuries, and includes many specifically commissioned works. In addition to the full part it plays in the worship in the cathedral, the choir enjoys an enviable international reputation, enhanced by concerts, tours and regular broadcasts on both the RTÉ and BBC networks. The choir has toured extensively all over the world, most recently to the U.S.A in 2019, where they sang in Washington D.C., Boston and New York City. A tour to Bergen, Norway, is planned for some time in the near future. The Cathedral Girls’ Choir was established in 1995. Consisting of around eighteen choristers aged between nine and eighteen, the choir is now an integral part of the five hundred year-old tradition of music in Dublin’s oldest cathedral. The choristers rehearse twice weekly, sing Evensong every Wednesday and frequently join forces with the Cathedral Choir. The Girls’ Choir regularly gives concerts in the Cathedral and other venues in Dublin and around the country. It has also performed on RTÉ Television and at National and International Choral Festivals. ORGAN SCHOLARSHIP The Dean and Chapter of Christ Church Cathedral seek to appoint an Organ Scholar from September 2021. The Organ Scholarship is a tenable for one year, but with the possibility to apply for a second year, and is open to suitably qualified and experienced candidates aged 18 or over on 1st September 2021. An ideal post for a gap year or post-graduate student, the role can also be undertaken alongside full-time study. The scholarship provides an opportunity for a talented musician to build on their skills in a supportive environment, while contributing significantly to the musical life of Christ Church Cathedral as an integral part of the music team. There are many opportunities to accompany choral services and conduct the cathedral choirs. The Organ Scholar may receive tuition in organ performance and accompaniment from the Director of Music and the Organist. Duties of the Scholarship The duties allotted to the Organ Scholar will depend on their particular skills, aspirations, and areas for development. It is anticipated that they will undertake the following tasks, which include but are not limited to: Organ playing and accompaniment to play for Cathedral services in liaison with the Director of Music and the Organist. Across the year there will be a broad range of opportunities provided at the appropriate level for the successful candidate, encompassing opportunities to play for the full Cathedral Choir. to play organ music before special services and Sunday services, as required for the right candidate, to occasionally play for special services or events, for which extra fees may be payable Choir training and directing to assist in the training of the probationer choristers under the direction of the Director of Music. to assist in training the full choristers. This may include work such as helping prepare solos and rehearsing with groups of the girl choristers occasionally to direct rehearsals and choral services. It is anticipated that the Organ Scholar will either direct or accompany the Cathedral Choir for Choral Evensong on Saturdays. Administration to assist the Director of Music in the general running and administration of the Music Department to assist the Choir Librarian with managing the choir’s extensive music library THE ORGAN The cathedral’s Grand Organ was designed and built in 1984 by Kenneth Jones and Associates of Bray, county Wicklow, Ireland. The instrument has been described as the most significant new Irish cathedral organ in history, and it has gained an impressive international reputation particularly through its central role in the Dublin International Choral and Organ Festival. Its flexibility and comprehensive specification enable the performance of a wide range of repertoire as well as the fulfilment of an active role within the cathedral liturgy. The key action is exclusively tracker, and there are 40 speaking stops over 3 manuals. The stop action is mechanical throughout but there is also an electric combination system in parallel with and driving the mechanical stop-action. The instrument was voiced entirely in the cathedral, and was refurbished in 2004. Some of the pipe work was re-voiced at the same time in order to give a greater tonal spectrum and presence of sound throughout the cathedral. A full specification of the instrument can be found on the cathedral website. SCHEDULE The Cathedral Choirs sing for at least 4 choral services per week during choir terms, with extra rehearsals on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The weekly schedule is as follows: Tuesday: Rehearsal – 17:00-18:15 (Girls’ Choir) Wednesday: Rehearsal – 17:00 for Evensong 18:00 (Girls’ Choir) Thursday: Rehearsal – 17:20 for Evensong 18:00; Rehearsal 18:50-20:30 (Cathedral Choir) Sunday: Rehearsal – 10:00 for 11:00 Cathedral Eucharist (Cathedral Choir) Rehearsal – 14:30 for 15:30 Evensong (Cathedral Choir) The Organ Scholar would also be required for services on the following days: All Saints’ Day; St Laurence O’Toole; Nine Lessons and Carols; Christmas Eve; Christmas Day; Epiphany; Candlemas; Ash Wednesday; Maundy Thursday, Good Friday Holy Saturday; Ascension Day. In addition, the cathedral choir has an annual programme of concerts, broadcasts, tours and recordings for which additional fees may be available. REMUNERATION & ACCOMODATION The value of the Organ Scholarship is €7,000, paid monthly in arrears. There are many opportunities to direct or play for extra services and concerts, for which separate fees are available. The Organ Scholar would also be encouraged to seek extra work with the many other choirs and musical ensembles in and around Dublin. The Organ Scholar is provided with accommodation in the form of a large, fully furnished one-bedroom apartment close to the cathedral, for which utilities/bills (including high-speed Wi-Fi) are paid for by the cathedral. The apartment is situated just outside the famous Temple Bar, Dublin’s ‘cultural quarter’, which is full of traditional Irish pubs, restaurants, theatres and music venues. Many of Dublin’s historic attractions are nearby, including Trinity College, Dublin Castle and the Ha’penny Bridge, and indeed the whole city is easily accessible by bus or tram. SAFEGUARDING POLICY Christ Church Cathedral is safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children by working under the guidance of the National Safeguarding Trust. As such, any appointment is subject to the completion of Garda Vetting and safeguarding training. APPLICATION If you have any further questions about this post prior to application, one of our team would be happy to hear from you. Phone: +353 (01) 677 8099 Email: [email protected] To apply for the Organ Scholarship, please send a Curriculum Vitae, a covering letter and details of two referees to [email protected] Deadline for applications: Monday 22nd March at 12 noon. Short-listed candidates will be required to undertake an interview and an audition. International applications are welcomed, and expenses for flights and accommodation for up to €200 will be reimbursed by the cathedral. For the audition, candidates are asked to prepare two contrasting pieces, one of which should be by J. S. Bach. The total length of the two pieces should not exceed 12 minutes. Candidates will then be given keyboard tests; these will consist of sight-reading, transposition, score-reading and improvisation. Christ Church Cathedral is a registered charity, CHY 4271 Christ Church Cathedral, Christchurch Place, Dublin 8 T: 00 353 1 677 8099 .