Music Director/Conductor

A MUSIC DIRECTOR/CONDUCTOR IS NOW BEING SOUGHT FOR THIS SOCIABLE 70 MEMBER ALL AGE CHOIR AS JOHN COTTERILL IS TO STAND DOWN AFTER 25 SEASONS IN THIS POST

Great Missenden Choral Society is a 70-voice choir based in Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire.  It plays a key role in village life, rehearsing each Monday at the Oldham Hall, and performing its concerts at the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul and occasionally at larger venues locally and has performed at the Albert Hall in London.  Traditionally, the choir works towards two concerts each year, in December and in April, for which it is usually joined by the professional ensemble, the St John’s Chamber Orchestra.  The choir enjoys exploring the emerging talents of young professional singers through the Josephine Baker and Countess of Munster Musical Trusts.

John Cotterill has been the choir’s Music Director for almost 25 years, and has announced his intention to retire at the end of that season, in the Summer of 2020.  During his tenure GMCS has performed a vast range of repertoire, from Bach’s St Matthew Passion and Mass in B Minor, Brahms’ A German Requiem, Haydn’s The Creation, and Beethoven’s Mass in C to works by contemporary composers including John Rutter, Karl Jenkins, Ronald Corp, Jonathan Willcocks, Cecilia McDowall, Andrew Gant, and Jonathan Rathbone.  For further contrast, occasionally GMCS moves away from choral society repertoire, and has performed spirituals, Gospel music, and a cappella motets and secular songs.

It is hoped that a new Music Director will be appointed during the 2018/19 season, planning repertoire for rehearsals and concerts from September 2020.  Conductors at any stage of their career will be considered, although it would be helpful to have either formal training or some experience.  A fee commensurate with the Music Director’s training and experience will be offered.

The timetable for the appointment process will be:

September 2018 – the post is advertised.  Potential applicants are asked to submit a CV together with a covering letter which might indicate their current conducting plans for the two forthcoming seasons.

January 2019 – the committee will start formal and informal communications, and will invite a short-list of candidates to work with the choir in rehearsal.

June 2019 – the appointment will be announced.

September 2019 – the new Music Director will be asked to plan the programmes for the 2020/21 season.

All applications and queries should be sent to viviensalisbury@hotmail.com.