Communitas is looking for a new Musical Director to lead the choir forward from late September 2024.

The Communitas choir is part of Converge, a project based at York St John University offering educational opportunities to adults with mental health challenges. The choir was founded in 2009 by Chris Bartram and has over 30 members. The choir meets each Tuesday evening in term time.

Choir members do not use written notation, learning pieces by ear. Written lyrics are used where appropriate.

The successful applicant:

· will be a practising musician with a knowledge of voicework and vocal technique, and good practical experience in leading choirs and singing groups.

· will be flexible and adaptable and capable of teaching music effectively, creating a positive atmosphere and inspiring members.

· will have a broad repertoire of vocal music that includes a variety of genres: pop and rock, folk, blues, gospel, music from different cultures and in different languages, and more.

· will be able to arrange music for the choir, and be able to teach pieces in 2-, 3- and 4-part harmony.

It will not be necessary to have worked in mental health previously and a relevant induction and mental health awareness training will be offered to the successful applicant.

Applications should include a CV detailing their experience and qualifications and the names and contact details of two referees. This should be submitted no later than Monday 8th April and sent to converge@yorksj.ac.uk

Interested people can discuss this role with the Director of Converge, Nick Rowe, n.rowe@yorksj.ac.uk

Interviews will take place on the afternoon of 16th April; this will be followed by each applicant teaching a song to the choir for a period of 15-20 minutes (Choir rehearsal: 5pm-6.30pm).