Assistant Director of Music
- Organisation: Westminster Under School
- Location: South West London
- Tenure: Full-time / Temporary
- Closing Date: Wednesday 8 May 2024
We are currently seeking to fill the position of Assistant Director of Music.
Required for: September 2024.
Location: Vincent Square - Westminster Under School
Contract: full-time, temporary (one year fixed-term contract).
Salary: Westminster Under School has its own salary scale, and new members of staff are placed at a point relevant to their qualifications and experience. Details of salary will be discussed at interview with those candidates who are short-listed.
The closing date for applications is midday on Wednesday 8th May 2024.
Interviews will take place shortly after the closing date.
Music has always been a very important part of life within the School. Many world famous musicians have been educated at Westminster, including Sir Adrian Boult, Sir Roger Norrington, Ian Bostridge, George Benjamin, Julian Anderson and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Nearly all pupils at the Under School learn at least one instrument and the school offers Music Scholarships at 11+. An impressive number have taken up music awards at 13+ at Westminster, Eton, Winchester and St Paul’s, amongst others.
The Under School choir, leads the singing at the school’s weekly church services in St Stephen’s, Rochester Row, and regularly performs at prestigious London venues, including St John’s Smith Square, the Barbican Hall, the Cadogan Hall and Westminster Abbey. They have performed live on BBC Radios 3 and 4, have appeared on BBC, LWT and Channel 4 television, and have recorded theme music for two BBC television series. The choir has also appeared with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra and the Southbank Sinfonia. They have been finalists three times in the National Choir of the Year Competition (formerly the BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year). The school’s annual carol service is held at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey and is led by the choir with professional tenors and basses.
Biennial tours have taken the choir throughout Europe and to the U.S.A., Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China and South Africa, and their varied repertoire includes many works that have been composed especially for them by various composers such as Giles Swayne, John Woolrich, John Gardner, Edmund Jolliffe and Chris Hazell.
The Under School Music Department occupies the lower ground floor of the main school building. The Hall, recently remodelled as a theatre and recital hall, has a Steinway Model B Grand and a Viscount Prestige 3-manual digital pedal organ. There is Steinway Model O grand piano in the music classroom and a 2-manual pedal organ that is used for teaching. A harpsichord made in the Italian style by Colin Booth is available for pupils’ use.
In addition to the full-time Director and Assistant Director of Music, there is a part-time Music Teacher, part-time Administrator and a number of visiting music teachers.
This is a full-time role, however we will consider candidates who would be available for four days a week. It is fixed-term role required for one academic year (2024 - 2025).
The Assistant Director of Music is required to work alongside the Director of Music and departmental team. The department enjoys an excellent reputation for the quality and diversity of music created through its choirs, orchestras, jazz and wind bands, chamber music groups, and occasional stage musicals.
The responsibilities of the Assistant Director of Music post include certain key tasks, which are outlined below. The balance of responsibilities may alter depending on the strengths and development needs of the successful applicant.
- To maintain and develop the current curriculum plans for the teaching of music.
- To attend regular Music Department meetings.
- To teach class music to pupils between the ages of 7 and 13. The Assistant Director of Music will teach as required within the Music Department and undertakes all the duties of a classroom teacher.
- To lead co-curricular ensembles, choirs and musicals as directed by the Director of Music. They assist the Director of Music in the planning and management of concerts and other music events. They assist the Director of Music in promoting and recording Music department events in newsletters, school magazines and on the school’s intranet pages.
- To assist with any additional event in which the Music Department is involved (for example School Musicals).
- To undertake any such other task as the Director of Music or the Master may reasonably require
- To complete effective written reports on each pupil as and when required.
- To represent the Music Department at Parents’ Evenings and other external events, as required.
- To be proficient on the piano and preferably one other instrument.
- To follow guidelines, policies and school philosophy as laid out in the Staff Handbook and Music Department Handbook.
- To support fully the School’s aim to provide a relevant and stimulating syllabus that will engage and motivate pupils
We are currently seeking to fill the position of Assistant Director of Music.
Description
Required for: September 2024.
Location: Vincent Square - Westminster Under School
Contract: full-time, temporary (one year fixed-term contract).
Salary: Westminster Under School has its own salary scale, and new members of staff are placed at a point relevant to their qualifications and experience. Details of salary will be discussed at interview with those candidates who are short-listed.
The closing date for applications is midday on Wednesday 8th May 2024.
Interviews will take place shortly after the closing date.
Music has always been a very important part of life within the School. Many world famous musicians have been educated at Westminster, including Sir Adrian Boult, Sir Roger Norrington, Ian Bostridge, George Benjamin, Julian Anderson and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Nearly all pupils at the Under School learn at least one instrument and the school offers Music Scholarships at 11+. An impressive number have taken up music awards at 13+ at Westminster, Eton, Winchester and St Paul’s, amongst others.
The Under School choir, leads the singing at the school’s weekly church services in St Stephen’s, Rochester Row, and regularly performs at prestigious London venues, including St John’s Smith Square, the Barbican Hall, the Cadogan Hall and Westminster Abbey. They have performed live on BBC Radios 3 and 4, have appeared on BBC, LWT and Channel 4 television, and have recorded theme music for two BBC television series. The choir has also appeared with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra and the Southbank Sinfonia. They have been finalists three times in the National Choir of the Year Competition (formerly the BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year). The school’s annual carol service is held at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey and is led by the choir with professional tenors and basses.
Biennial tours have taken the choir throughout Europe and to the U.S.A., Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China and South Africa, and their varied repertoire includes many works that have been composed especially for them by various composers such as Giles Swayne, John Woolrich, John Gardner, Edmund Jolliffe and Chris Hazell.
The Under School Music Department occupies the lower ground floor of the main school building. The Hall, recently remodelled as a theatre and recital hall, has a Steinway Model B Grand and a Viscount Prestige 3-manual digital pedal organ. There is Steinway Model O grand piano in the music classroom and a 2-manual pedal organ that is used for teaching. A harpsichord made in the Italian style by Colin Booth is available for pupils’ use.
In addition to the full-time Director and Assistant Director of Music, there is a part-time Music Teacher, part-time Administrator and a number of visiting music teachers.
This is a full-time role, however we will consider candidates who would be available for four days a week. It is fixed-term role required for one academic year (2024 - 2025).
The Assistant Director of Music is required to work alongside the Director of Music and departmental team. The department enjoys an excellent reputation for the quality and diversity of music created through its choirs, orchestras, jazz and wind bands, chamber music groups, and occasional stage musicals.
The responsibilities of the Assistant Director of Music post include certain key tasks, which are outlined below. The balance of responsibilities may alter depending on the strengths and development needs of the successful applicant.
- To maintain and develop the current curriculum plans for the teaching of music.
- To attend regular Music Department meetings.
- To teach class music to pupils between the ages of 7 and 13. The Assistant Director of Music will teach as required within the Music Department and undertakes all the duties of a classroom teacher.
- To lead co-curricular ensembles, choirs and musicals as directed by the Director of Music. They assist the Director of Music in the planning and management of concerts and other music events. They assist the Director of Music in promoting and recording Music department events in newsletters, school magazines and on the school’s intranet pages.
- To assist with any additional event in which the Music Department is involved (for example School Musicals).
- To undertake any such other task as the Director of Music or the Master may reasonably require
- To complete effective written reports on each pupil as and when required.
- To represent the Music Department at Parents’ Evenings and other external events, as required.
- To be proficient on the piano and preferably one other instrument.
- To follow guidelines, policies and school philosophy as laid out in the Staff Handbook and Music Department Handbook.
- To support fully the School’s aim to provide a relevant and stimulating syllabus that will engage and motivate pupils
