Tenor Choral Scholar 2025
Information and Candidate Brief
We are looking for a TENOR - Please apply NOW
St. Philip’s, Earls Court Road is looking to appoint a tenor Choral Scholar to join the existing soprano, alto and bass for the remainder of the academic year to July 2025. Funding is available for the following academic year.
The Scholars lead and support an enthusiastic and friendly congregational SATB choir, as well as having opportunities to perform as a quartet. A wide variety of music is performed, with repertoire ranging from the Renaissance to the present day.
The tenor Scholar will be paid an honorarium of £200 per month from February 2025 (or the month of appointment if later) until July 2025 inclusive, for the commitment described below. The honorarium will be reviewed in the event of reappointment for the following academic year, which starts in September 2025. Scholars will have opportunities to sing for other services, whether paid by St Philip’s or the person requesting the service, normally at a rate of £100 per service. St Philip’s routinely livestreams and video records services with music and there is no fee uplift for this.
About the church
St. Philip’s is a welcoming Anglican church in an informal liberal catholic tradition with a strong commitment to families and children as well as older parishioners. The building was consecrated in 1858 and was extensively modernised in 2001-2004. It is open all day for prayer as well as community activities in the two integral halls. A church cat keeps mice away and welcomes visitors, when he is in the mood.
The church has a very fine three manual organ and a Bechstein concert grand piano.
The choir is friendly and sociable, and the congregation and clergy are welcoming and appreciative of the music. The church hosts concerts including a regular lunchtime recital series.
About the scholarships
Choral Scholarships are open to all ages and stages of career, and are likely to appeal especially to musicians from London universities and conservatoires, wanting to support their studies and gain performance practice. We are looking for singers with good sight-reading skills and confidence singing
1-to-a-part, who want to make music to the highest possible standards and are passionate about choral singing. Previous experience of church music is desirable but not essential. The Choral Scholars will be able to improve their abilities through leading the choir, as well as expanding their knowledge of repertoire.
About the commitment
The main role for the Choral Scholars will be to sing at our weekly Sunday morning Eucharist at 10:30am, with a 9:30 rehearsal, from September to July. Hymns, an anthem and a mass setting are sung every week. The pattern of Sundays normally includes:
· One Sunday each month: A choral mass by composers such as Haydn, Vierne, Mozart or Howells.
· One Sunday each month: An all age Eucharist service, with music and teaching aimed more at children and youth.
· Two or three regular services with a congregational mass setting and on occasion a Psalm or part of a Psalm in Anglican chant.
In addition, we ask the Scholars to sing at six additional “commitment services” per year at other times (and attend rehearsals before). These are expected to include Ash Wednesday evening, Maundy Thursday evening, Good Friday (3 hours), Ascension Evening and a candlelit Carol service shortly before Christmas. For the tenor appointed in February 2025 for a part year, there will be five such services.
Attendance at Midnight Mass and Christmas Day morning is not required, but there may be opportunities to participate for the normal extra fee. Each Scholar is entitled to holiday of five Sunday mornings (three for the tenor appointed for a part year in February 2025) and one other commitment service during the academic year, by agreement with the Director of Music.
Scholars are expected to prepare in advance of rehearsals so that they can perform to the highest possible standards and give a good and confident lead to the choir.
To apply
Please email a CV detailing relevant experience, as well as a cover letter, to the Director of Music, Laurence Long: music@specr.org, to arrive no later than Friday 17 January 2025. For further information, please don’t hesitate to contact the Director of Music.
As auditions with individual applicants may be held before the closing date, candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Candidates will be asked to prepare a piece of their own choice and will be given sight reading and general musicianship tests. There will also be a short interview.
Safer recruitment: selected candidates will be required to provide details of two referees and a confidential declaration of any safeguarding issues, as well as undertaking a DBS check.
St. Philip's Church, Earls Court Road, London W8 6QH