St Michael & All Angels Anglican Church, Royal Oak
Director of Music
Ministry Description
Overview
The Director of Music is a key member of the staff team of St Michael and All Angels Church, who enriches and serves the worship of the parish through music.
Typical Duties
1. Meets regularly with the rector to help shape and plan liturgy, and liaises with other staff and volunteers as necessary.
2. Selects and provides all liturgical music, including preludes and postludes, service music, hymns, anthems, solos, and contributions by other musicians.
3. Plays at all regular Sunday services, and major observances including Ash Wednesday, Holy Week and Christmas, occasional evensongs, or other pastoral celebrations as required.
4. Plays at all weddings and funerals, to be compensated in addition to regular salary, at a rate to be determined by the parish from time to time.
5. Recruits and directs an adult choir, conducts a weekly rehearsal and warm-up; and works with the choir to develop choral skills such as sight reading, vocal production, tuning, and ensemble.
6. Assists the congregation to sing heartily and to learn new repertoire, including suitable hymns and liturgical music from alternative sources.
7. Oversees or provides for the upkeep of the music library, and adds modern repertoire.
8. Plans and expends the annual music budget in accordance with parish protocols
9. Within the parameters of the budget, oversees and arranges for the care and maintenance of all parish musical instruments. Seeks the counsel and approval of the churchwardens in matters exceeding the budget.
10. Fulfills all reporting responsibilities related to copyright, and ensures compliance with copyright provisions in Canadian law.
11. Maintains a consistent standard of preparation and performance, and takes advantage of coaching or master classes as appropriate.
12. Arranges, as possible, for a competent substitute to cover vacation, or other necessary absences.
13. Other duties as assigned.
Average Time Commitment
The music director’s salary is based on an average workweek of 8 hours.
Accountability
Reports to and is supervised by the rector, and meets regularly for support, mentoring and feedback.
Participates in an annual performance review with the rector.
St Michaels’ Instruments
The Organ is a 2 manual, full pedal pipe organ with 6 ranks and a total of 442 pipes. For more information: https://pipeorgandatabase.org/instruments/70618#stoplists
The Piano in the nave is a Yamaha C-392 (purchased in 2025).
There is also an acoustic Yamaha piano in the parish hall, and a 4½ octave Casio keyboard.
Choir
A choir of about 10 individuals rehearses once a week, and sings at the 10.30 service and major festivals. At full complement, and with adequate rehearsal time, the choir can manage straightforward SATB or SAT/B anthems.
Compensation
Is in accordance with the RCCO scale.
The Musician We Seek
St Michael’s seeks a musician who is competent in both organ and piano, and in choral leadership. This said, the parish would welcome applications from organ students who are actively committed to developing their skills. We seek an energetic and inspirational teacher and leader, who will elicit the best from the congregation and choir alike. He or she will exhibit the necessary flexibility and encouragement to work with a volunteer choir, and will value the input and feedback of the choir and congregation. The ideal candidate will have an appreciation for Anglican liturgy, and will demonstrate a willingness to engage with the parish at large.
To Apply
Please forward an expression of interest and current résumé to admin@stmikevictoria.ca.
St Michael & All Angels Anglican Church
4733 West Saanich Road
Victoria, BC V8Z 3G9
250.479.0540
stmikevictoria.bc.ca
