Song Leader / Music Director

Music Director’s Job Description

WOODLAND HILLS COMMUNITY CHURCH

WELCOME: WHCC is an Open and Affirming Church with a fun, colorful, and diverse congregation looking to grow and nurture a community inclusive of all people. We are looking for a music leader who can inspire and lead us with this same vibrancy and energy.

ESSENTIAL SKILL: We are looking for a charismatic music leader who first and foremost is a confident singer/artist performer and who enjoys engaging and leading a crowd of people.

CONGREGATIONAL MUSIC RESPONSIBILITIES

• Congregational responsibilities

• Lead congregational singing of music.

• Music selection

• Work with the pastor to select songs for the weekly services and special occasion music.
• Introduce new music into the Sunday service.

ADULT VOCAL MUSIC RESPONSIBILITIES

• Sing groups’ responsibilities:

• Direct and rehearse the performance of an adult singing group, either a choir or informal song leading team.
• Recruit new members for the adult singing group.
• In the weeks when a singing group is not performing, be available to provide for - or arrange - accompaniment for those providing special music.

• Special Services

• Participate in two special services a year

• A 30-minute Music Sunday presentation in late May or early June
• A Sunday morning Christmas or Easter cantata.

• Direct the adult singing group’s participation in the Christmas Eve and Maundy Thursday services.

CHILDREN’S VOCAL MUSIC RESPONSIBILITIES

• Organize regular rehearsals for children in the singing group, at a time and frequency to be worked out with the participants’ parents.
• Structure the singing group(s) to fit the musical needs of children and the availability of participants.
• Provide children’s singing groups’ performances in the Sunday service at least once every 8- 12 weeks and as part of the Christmas Concert and Music Sunday.
• Be on site at least 15 minutes before the beginning of a rehearsal, including a rehearsal preceding a performance.

SPECIAL SERVICES

• Organize a Sunday evening Christmas concert in December.
• Participate in the planning and presentation of music for the Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, and Maundy Thursday services.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC RESPONSIBILITIES (preferable)

• Congregational accompaniment:

• Provide instrumental accompaniment for congregational songs as needed.
• Play instrumental music during service as needed.

• Accompaniment of singers: (If necessary, we could split this off to another position)

• Provide instrumental accompaniment for singing groups’ rehearsals and regular and special performances.
• Provide accompaniment for children’s singing groups and performances in the service.

• Work with other musicians as needed.

OTHER

• Inform the pastor when planning a vacation or anticipating an absence from a Sunday service so that he can determine coverage.
• Fulfill government requirements for I-9 form, Child abuse preventions training and LIVESCAN fingerprinting and background check.
• Ensure all volunteers have also completed Child abuse preventions training and LIVESCAN fingerprinting and background check.

SKILLS we are looking for in our dream candidate

• Personable, working cooperatively and collaboratively with staff and congregation.
• An initiator who freely offers new ideas to invigorate worship and ways to implement them.
• Flexibility in responding to unexpected changes in activities and plans.
• Familiarity with both traditional and contemporary trends in music suitable for Sunday service.
• Supporting the vision and values of WHCC as a Progressive UCC church both in one’s interactions with others and one’s choices in music.
• Comfortable using technology to record and upload musical pieces to the Internet.
• Participate in emerging musical programs such as Thursday Night Live and recruit those in their singing groups to participate as well.
• Ability to read music.
• Ability to engage the congregation in enthusiastic participation.
• Ability to recruit youth and adults to participate in the music program.
• Able to play the piano and one other instrument.
• Attendance at Monthly Worship Team Meetings required.
• Hours: Seventeen hours a week, including Sunday morning from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM, singing group rehearsals and meetings with the pastor as needed. (Hours may be reduced if we need to employ an accompanist for the singing group’s practices).

REPORTING: Reports to the church pastor, Position 2 of the Leadership Team, and the Personnel Committee.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $25.00 - $30.18 per hour

COVID-19 considerations:
Mask and fully vaccination required. Being fully vaccinated means that you have finished your vaccine, whether that's one dose or two, and two weeks have passed. You do need two weeks for your immune system to mount its full response.

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Woodland Hills, CA 91364: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: One location