Director of Sacred Music & Liturgy

Good Shepherd Catholic Church and School is seeking a talented and faith filled individual to join our parish staff as our next Director of Sacred Music and Liturgy. The primary duty of the Director of Sacred Music and Liturgy is to build and maintain a program of sacred liturgical music for the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful, in collaboration with the Pastor.

The Director of Sacred Music and Liturgy will coordinate and direct the parish choral ensembles, cantors and instrumentalists, and shall regularly serve as either principal organist or principal cantor (depending on whether he/she is a trained vocalist (with strong piano skills) or a trained organist or, ideally, both). The Director of Sacred Music and Liturgy shall seek to furnish the liturgy with music that possesses holiness, beauty of form, and universality, in accordance with the liturgical law and traditions of the Roman Rite. The Director of Sacred Music and Liturgy shall seek to educate the faithful on the role and nature of liturgical music.

A competitive salary will reflect a candidate’s abilities, training, and experience. While it is preferred this person is a practicing Roman Catholic, it is not required.

The parish supports a robust budget for hiring professional musicians, the core of which is a paid quartet of section leaders who fill out the volunteer choir, sing for seasonal 8:30am liturgies as an ensemble, and cantor other weekend Masses throughout the year.

The pastor’s vision for music includes continuing to grow the existing program, drawing from traditional hymnody while introducing a wider variety of modern genres and utilizing the piano more in addition to the organ. The Director of Sacred Music & Liturgy will work with the pastor to continue to form a comprehensive vision for liturgical sacred music. Together they will continue to grow a music program that is deeply rooted in the tradition of the Catholic Church.

• Minimum of a college music degree (Preferred: master’s degree in Choral Conducting or Organ Performance or 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 and an ability to relate to people of all demographics
• 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
• Preferred:
  • 1-3 years’ experience as a professional church musician
  • Visual design computer skills for producing worship aids

To Apply: Please submit a resume, cover letter, and musical selection of 2 to 5 minutes to demonstrate your vocal or instrumental skills via electronic link to Katie Schaitberger, Director of Operations at katieschaitberger@goodshepherdgv.org.

Note: If interviewed, candidates may be asked to perform either a sacred vocal or instrumental piece to demonstrate their skill level.

For a full job description, please visit: goodshepherdgv.org/employment