St Martin-in-the-Fields Choral Scholarships 2014/15

Background St Martin-in-the-Fields is a hospitable, vibrant and forward-thinking community with worship at its heart. The church has a long history of opening its doors to people from all walks of life and from all faiths or no faith at all. The first religious broadcast was made from St Martin’s and we regularly broadcast church services as well as the annual BBC Radio 4 St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Appeal. Pioneering work with homeless people started in the First World War and continues today with the Connection at St Martin’s. Amnesty International was conceived at St Martin’s and Shelter and the Big Issue were launched on the church steps. Music has always played a central part in the life of our church. There has been an organ here since before 1500; Handel played on the Schreider organ of 1727; and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields was founded here in 1958 by Sir Neville Marriner and the then Master of Music, John Churchill. The breadth of musical activity at St Martin’s is astonishing. In addition to the regular pattern of music in worship, St Martin’s hosts three lunch time concerts a week, the longest running free recital programme in the UK, and at least three ticketed evening concerts each week.

Music in Worship at St Martin’s St Martin-in-the-Fields maintains a full and lively programme of liturgical music. The Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields is a mixed voluntary adult choir which sings at the 10am Eucharist and 5pm Choral Evensong each Sunday. The Choir comprises approximately 25 talented individuals who work to a professional standard. The Choir has an increasing reputation for excellence with their many broadcasts on BBC Radio and Television, tours, recordings and concerts. The Choral Scholars sing as a choir of 12 (SSSSAATTBBBB) or as two groups of 6 (SSATBB/SSATTB) and perform each week on a Wednesday afternoon, occasional Sundays and concerts. The St Martin’s Voices, formed principally of past choral scholars, sing each week at Great Sacred Music (a sequence of words and music on a particular theme) on a Thursday lunchtime, as well as at a significant number of concerts each year. The Music Department is led by the Music Director, who oversees all the musical activity at St Martin’s – both liturgical music and concerts, supported by a Conductor of St Martin's Choir, an Assistant Organist, Church Music Coordinator and Church Music Administrator. Looking after the concerts series are the Concerts Manager and Assistant Concerts Manager, Duty and Assistant Duty Managers and a team of Ushers.

Choral Scholarships The St Martin-in-the-Fields Choral Scholarships are among the most stimulating and educative choral programmes available in London. The scheme is aimed at choral singers who are either students or recent graduates wishing to embark on a professional career in singing. The Choral Scholarships provide an opportunity for 12 singers to enjoy an intensive, focused period of training with others of a similar standard and interests and are an integral part of an exciting choral music programme. The Scholarships provide valuable coaching in small-group choral singing, including workshops with leading church musicians throughout the year, together with involvement in concerts at St Martin’s, concerts in other venues, broadcasts and recordings. In addition to their regular pattern of sung choral services at St Martin’s, the Choral Scholars have been to Manchester to broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Daily Service and BBC TV Songs of Praise and sung a live broadcast of Radio 3 Choral Evensong from St Martin’s. They have performed in a number of concerts at St Martin’s including Consider the Lilies, a newly-written cantata, and a concert with Dame Emma Kirkby. The Choral Scholars have also been on tour to Manchester, to Holy Island in Northumberland, and have sung Choral Evensong in Chester Cathedral.

Schedule Wednesday Schedule The main focus of the scholarship is on Wednesdays. The Choral Scholars will be split into two groups, with one group singing traditional Choral Eucharist at 1.00pm, and the other group singing a more informal community Eucharist at 6.30pm (this will rotate on a weekly basis). The groups will be allocated in advance each term. All the Choral Scholars will join together to sing Choral Evensong at 4.30pm each week, with a rehearsal from 2.30pm. Lunch is provided for everyone at 2.00pm. It is expected that scholars will sing in roughly the same number of lunchtime and evening services across the year.

Group 1 schedule 12.15pm Rehearsal 1.00pm Choral Eucharist

(Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus from a Choral Mass)

Core schedule (Group 1 and Group 2) 2.00pm Lunch (provided by St Martin’s in the Café-in-the-Crypt) 2.30 – 3.30pm Whole group rehearsal 3.30pm Tea break 3.45pm Choral Evensong rehearsal 4.30pm Choral Evensong

(full traditional Choral Evensong with responses, canticles and anthem) [ends at 5.15pm]

Group 2 schedule 5.15pm tea break 5.40pm Rehearsal for Evening Eucharist 6.30pm Evening Eucharist (of a more informal nature)

Sunday Schedule Choral Scholars will sing at an average of two Sunday 5.00pm services each month during choral scholarship terms. One of these will be sung jointly with the Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields, and allows the exploration of larger scale repertoire. This service will also contain a sermon by the Vicar of St Martin’s, Revd Dr Sam Wells, on issues of the day. The other service will be a more reflective Choral Evening Worship, sung solely by the Choral Scholars with reflection led by member of the clergy. On the Sundays at which the choral scholars are singing, the schedule is usually: 4.00pm Rehearsal 5.00pm Choral Evensong In addition:

The Choral Scholars perform approximately one lunchtime and one evening concert each term in the St Martin’s Concert Series. These take place on Mondays. This gives individual Scholars the opportunity to perform solos within a concert environment, as well as smaller-group secular repertoire.

There are also occasional events outside the normal schedule – broadcasts, trips and concerts at external venues - for which the Choral Scholars will be required.

Scholars will be notified of these additional dates in writing before the start of each scholarship term and form an official part of the scholarship commitment.

In addition there are five December commitments, all of which are high profile significant events in the life of St Martin’s: the Community Carol Service, Christmas Tree lighting concert, Advent Meditation, Shelter Carol Service and Missing People’s Carol Service.

Term dates Autumn (11 weeks) Wednesday 17 September - Wednesday 26 November 2014 (inclusive, plus some December commitments—see above) Spring (13 weeks) Wednesday 7 January - Wednesday 1 April 2015 (inclusive) Summer (13 weeks) Wednesday 15 April - Wednesday 8 July 2015 (inclusive)

Honorarium Choral Scholars receive a remuneration of £1750 per annum, paid in three equal instalments at the end of each term. Scholars will be expected to attend all scheduled services, rehearsals and concerts each term. Absences from rehearsals or services can be arranged in consultation with the Music Direct0r, with dates to be agreed as far ahead as possible. If swaps with other scholars are not possible, suitable deputies will be arranged by the Church Music Department, who will be paid £30 per service, deducted from the Choral Scholarship remuneration. Choral Scholars are allowed to be absent from up to four services per term (a Wednesday counts as two services) with no money deducted from their choral scholarship, providing these dates are notified as soon as the termly timetable is circulated. Money will be deducted at the end of each term if there are more than four absences. Choral Scholarships will be tenable for one year only, and will only be renewed in exceptional circumstances. Throughout the scholarship period, you will be a scholar at St Martin’s and not an employee. Nothing in this document is intended to create a relationship of employer and employee between you and St Martin-in-the-Fields.

Eligibility and requirements Candidates for Choral Scholarships should have a confident singing voice and good standard of sight-singing ability. Enthusiasm for singing as a member of a team, together with a willingness to develop their musical talent will be determining factors in the appointment of Choral Scholars. The scholarships are open to anyone in full or part-time education, or recent graduates.

To apply

Please complete the application form and send it, along with a current CV, by email to choir@smitf.org or by post to: Alice Usher, Church Music Coordinator, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JJ. The closing date for applications is Friday 25 April 2014 at 12 noon.

Shortlisted applicants will be asked to perform a solo piece of up to 5 minutes in length and undertake sight-reading, aural tests and a short interview. Auditions for shortlisted applicants will take place on Saturday 3 May and Thursday 8 May. Please indicate your preferred date on the application form.