Position: Choral Scholar
Reports to: Music Director, Organist and Chancel Choir Director
Job Status: Non-Exempt
Job Time Commitment: Part-time (Approximately 10-11 hours per month. 3 Sunday mornings (2 hours) and 3 Wednesday evenings (1.5 hours). Choir Director will provide schedule.
Position Overview:
The Choral Scholar position offers musicians an opportunity to identify and share their unique gifts and strengths, practice critical job skills, and discern their vocation. Applicants who would find a valuable experience through sharing and improving their singing, church musicianship, and/or music leadership skills are encouraged to apply. Majors or minors in music are not required but can provide an advantage.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
Come prepared for weekly Wednesday evening choir rehearsals (90 minutes, 6:30-8:00pm). This can include leading a 15-20-minute sectional rehearsal, if interested in this area.
Sing, well prepared, for the assigned Sunday morning services. This can include singing a solo, conducting the choir, playing an instrument, etc., if skilled and/or interested in one of these areas. Choral Scholars may occasionally need some practice at home in order to be prepared for rehearsal, especially when assigned solos, leadership roles, or a foreign language piece, but a vast majority of weeks will not require advanced preparation.
Sing for special services like Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday.
There is also a tenor-bass “Contemplative Choir” that rehearses about once a month on Sunday afternoons and sings for Sunday evening worship about once a month. Tenor and bass applicants can apply to sing with both the Chancel Choir and/or the Contemplative Choir.
Additional Employment Details:
Pay is $30-$40 per 1.5-hour rehearsal, and $35-$55 per Sunday service (2.0-2.25 hr). Rate is determined by collegiate or professional singing experience (1 year or less, 2-4 years, or 5+ years).
Start date in early September or as soon as open positions can be filled. A schedule of Wednesday rehearsals and Sunday services will be prepared several months at a time, continuing through early June.
If the Choral Scholar will miss an upcoming rehearsal or service, they should let the Music Director know as soon as possible (preferably several weeks in advance), as a substitute may need to be found. A Choral Scholar may occasionally be allowed to miss a Wednesday rehearsal and sing the following Sunday, but one who will miss an upcoming Sunday may be asked to also give up pay for the previous Wednesday, so the substitute can sing for the rehearsal instead.
Masks will be optional beginning October 2, 2022.
Job requirements will follow all federal and state laws and regulations.
About Pilgrim Lutheran — Pilgrim Lutheran Church is an inclusive Christian worshiping community that seeks, nurtures, and empowers hungry minds and souls to live generously in response to God’s love. Pilgrim is a vibrant congregation of over 450 members, located in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood of St. Paul, between Macalester College, the University of St. Thomas, and St Catherine University. Pilgrim is an ELCA congregation, a Reconciling in Christ congregation, and a Caring for Creation Congregation. On Sundays, we have creative traditional morning worship and contemplative evening worship. Our congregation includes people of all ages and is deeply committed to the shared ministry of all of God’s people, in the Pilgrim community and beyond.
Please submit a resume to the Music Director, Paul Stever, at SteverPaul55@aol.com. Positions are open until filled, it’s common to have at least one opening every 6-12 months.