Director of Music / Organist

The purpose of this position is to help establish and maintain a program of sacred liturgical music for the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful. The person who fills this position will be charged with furnishing the liturgy with music that possesses holiness, beauty of form, and universality; coordinate and direct parish choral ensembles, cantors, and instrumentalists; regularly serve as the principal organist for all parish liturgies; and implement magisterial documents on sacred music, especially what is given in the Roman Missal, Musicam Sacram, Sacrosanctum Concilium, and Sing to the Lord.  The Director of Music will help our people come to a deeper love for sacred music and a greater comfort singing from our tradition.

Primary responsibilities of this position include:

• Providing organ music for all Sunday and Holy Day Masses, as well as other liturgical services at Saint Joseph, including School Masses.
• Establishing, training, coordinating, scheduling, rehearsing, and conducting an adult choir, a children’s choir, a schola, and a stable of cantors, recognizing that this will take some time and that competence is required for service in the liturgy.
• Selecting and preparing music in accordance with the demands of the liturgical year, in consultation with the pastor.
• Working cooperatively with the pastor and staff.

In addition to proficiency at the organ, the ideal candidate will be proficient in cantoring and conducting. Experience in sacred music as laid out in Musicam Sacram, Sacrosanctum Concilium, and Sing to the Lord; English and Gregorian chant; sacred polyphony in its various forms; and traditional hymnody is preferred.

Please Note: Candidates who are interviewed will be asked to demonstrate their skill level during the interview.

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in music (Preferred: master’s degree in choral conducting or organ performance or an equivalent)
• Excellent skills as either a vocalist or an organist (Preferred: both)
• Experience directing a choir
• Working knowledge of the human voice and an aptitude for giving instruction to choristers with varied degrees of ability and experience
• Stylistic understanding of a broad range of choral repertoire, including Gregorian Chant, Polyphony, Romantic choral repertoire, and modern-era compositions
• Working knowledge of the Catholic Church’s teachings, history, liturgy, and traditions
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong administrative, organizational, computer, and communication skills
• Well-rounded professionalism, including ability to provide and receive constructive feedback, work well without supervision, exhibit patience in stressful situations, etc.
• Successful completion of required background checks and safety trainings

Send cover letter, résumé, and at least two reference letters to:

Father Luke Marquard
Church of Saint Joseph
1154 Seminole Avenue
West St. Paul, MN 55118