GRADUATE ORGAN SCHOLARSHIP - at King's Ely and Ely Cathedral Application Pack
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Graduate Organ Scholarship 1
GRADUATE ORGAN SCHOLARSHIP
at King’s Ely and Ely Cathedral
Application Pack
Graduate Organ Scholarship 2 King’s Ely in conjunction with Ely Cathedral Graduate Organ Scholarship Ely Cathedral and King’s Ely seek to appoint a Graduate Organ Scholar from September 2021. This is a new, one-year post; extension to a second and final year is possible by mutual agreement. The position has evolved from the previous post of Assistant Organist to Ely Cathedral Girls’ Choir. As recently announced, the cathedral music department is about to begin a transitional year into full parity between boy and girl choristers, jointly supported and funded by the school and the cathedral. The new position offers the opportunity to work with the music departments of both King’s Ely and Ely Cathedral, and to be fully involved in helping to implement the exciting new pattern for choristership at the cathedral. The post-holder will be an employee of King’s Ely. Ely offers a unique environment for organists to develop their skills. There is a vibrant choral tradition in the school, and the cathedral choir, which sings evensong daily, has an international reputation. Cambridge, with its unparalleled organ and choral tradition, is only 15 miles away, and its links with Ely are strong. The post-holder will have access to a wealth of music-making in a highly professional framework, and to tuition and guidance from a large number of respected and experienced professional organists and choir directors.
Graduate Organ Scholarship 3
History
The King’s School, Ely was first established to Ely Cathedral is the mother church of the
educate the boy choristers of the worshipping Diocese of Ely, which serves the people of
community of Ely over 1,000 years ago. In the 11th Cambridgeshire, a small part of West Norfolk,
century, King Edward the Confessor was educated and the edge of Peterborough. It is the seat of the
here, and throughout our history we have Bishop and a centre of worship and mission. The
maintained strong links with Ely Cathedral. In 1541, double monastery for men and women, founded
King Henry VIII founded a College of Canons at Ely in 673 by St Etheldreda, was destroyed by the
Cathedral to replace the monks whose monastery Danes in 870 and re-founded as a Benedictine
had been dissolved in 1539, and the school received community in 970 by Dunstan and Ethelwold.
its Royal Charter. For much of the school’s history, Over the centuries it grew into one of the three
the King’s Scholars constituted the entire school. most important pilgrimage centres in medieval
Over the centuries, the school has grown to number England. Work began on the present building in
nearly 1,000 pupils, ranging in age from nursery the 1080s under Abbot Simeon, and in 1109, with
through sixth form, with children of all faiths and the appointment of Bishop Hervey, it became a
none and from every corner of the globe. In 1970, cathedral. For more than 400 years, it was both
King’s Ely became co-educational, and in 1973 the church of the Benedictine monastery and a
Queen Elizabeth II visited the school and instituted cathedral, but after Henry VIII dissolved the
the first Queen’s Scholars. Despite being one of the monastery in 1539 it continued to exist as a
oldest schools in the world, King’s Ely is at the cathedral only. The octagon and the Lady Chapel
forefront of educational discourse nationally: we were built in the 14th century and are
are a vibrant community that offers all you would masterpieces of medieval architecture; the
expect of a 21st century school and a great deal building underwent a major restoration between
more. 1980 and 2000. Ely continues to be a significant
destination for tourists and pilgrims.
Graduate Organ Scholarship 4 The Music Departments King’s Ely’s Music Department maintains a thriving and busy schedule, with a particular strength in choral music. Ely Cathedral is the school chapel, and the fine senior school chapel choir attracts large numbers of pupils, including the sixth form choral scholars, the Y9-11 cathedral girl choristers, and many former boy choristers who progress into King’s Ely Senior. The choir, which is conducted by the school’s Director of Music, sings regularly at school services in the cathedral, and the Graduate Organ Scholar can expect to be heavily involved in its work. In addition, there is an excellent junior school chamber choir; the girl and boy choristers sing with this group from time to time. The Cathedral Choir consists of boy and girl choristers, professional Lay Clerks, sixth form choral scholars, and the cathedral voluntary choir. There are currently 16 boy choristers (years 3-8) and 18 girl choristers (years 7-11). Choristers may be day pupils or boarders, and they receive a generous award of 40% off the school day fee, as well as free singing and theory tuition. Further assistance is available on a means- tested basis. The choristers rehearse separately every morning before school (boys on M/Tu/Th/F, girls on M/Tu/W/F). Currently the majority of choristers are boarders though it is likely that this will change over the coming year. There are six lay clerks who sing the weekday services, and on Sundays and larger occasions they are supplemented by four to six extra singers. The pool of extra singers, known as the expanded choir, is about 25 strong. Both the lay clerks and expanded choir include male and female singers. There are places for a total of six choral scholars in Years 12-13. They sing in the back row with the lay clerks in one or two services per week; former girl choristers also sing on Wednesdays with the girl choristers from time to time. The Graduate Organ Scholar will be responsible for assisting in their preparation during spare lessons. Ely Cathedral Octagon Singers (ECOS), the cathedral’s voluntary choir, numbers around 60 singers, who sing on a sign-up basis. Glen Dempsey is the director of ECOS. Andrew Parnell is the choir’s Assistant Director.
Graduate Organ Scholarship 5 The Organ and Other Instruments The cathedral’s Harrison and Harrison instrument was first installed in 1908, and completely rebuilt in 1975 and again in 2001. It has 80 stops over four manuals and pedal; a stepper system was added in 2015. It is widely regarded as one of the finest and most exciting cathedral organs in the country. It is an extremely versatile instrument both for accompaniment and for solo repertoire. There is also a three-stop chamber organ, three electronic practice organs on the school campus, and a number of excellent grand pianos in the school and the cathedral. The cathedral’s most recent acquisition in March 2021 is a new Boston grand piano in the presbytery (pictured below reflecting the Gilbert Scott organ case).
Graduate Organ Scholarship 6 Personnel Edmund Aldhouse – Director of Music Edmund was organ scholar of Pembroke College, Oxford and held posts at Chichester, Rochester, and Ripon Cathedrals before coming to Ely. Much of his organ study was pursued in France under Frédéric Blanc and François-Henri Houbart, resulting in a unanimous Premier Prix de Virtuosité at the Conservatoire de Rueil- Malmaison. Sarah MacDonald – Director of the Girl Choristers Sarah was educated in her native Canada and at Robinson College, Cambridge. She is Director of Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge, a post she holds concurrently with her role in Ely. Sarah has recorded over 35 CDs and is well-known as a performer, composer, and conductor. Glen Dempsey – Cathedral Assistant Director of Music and School Organist Glen was organ scholar of St John’s College, Cambridge where he accompanied the choir in its busy schedule of daily services, tours, and broadcasts. He has held posts at St George’s, Windsor and St Nicholas’s Basilica, Amsterdam, where he studied with the late Jacques van Oortmerssen. Aaron Shilson – Assistant Organist, Ely Cathedral Girl Choristers (departing in August 2021) Aaron studied at Leeds Conservatiore and the Royal Northern College of Music. His teachers have included Gordon Stewart, Darius Battiwalla, Simon Lindley and Stephen Farr. He has held posts at the Cathedrals in Leeds, Manchester, and St Davids, as well as at Selwyn College, Cambridge. Neil Porter-Thaw – Director of Music, King’s Ely Neil Porter-Thaw was a chorister at Windsor under Christopher Robinson, and studied at Trinity College of Music. He was housemaster to the boy choristers at Ely until 2016. The music staff also includes Andrew Parnell, formerly Assistant Master of the Music at St Albans Cathedral and now Assistant Director of Ely Cathedral Octagon Singers.
Graduate Organ Scholarship 7
Graduate Organ Scholar - Duties
The Graduate Organ Scholar will regularly accompany the cathedral choir. Exact playing duties will be
agreed with the Director of Music and the Director of the Girl Choristers based on the post-holder’s
qualifications and experience, though they can expect at to accompany girls’ voices evensong every
Wednesday, and at least one other cathedral service each week. They will also share the playing for daily
school services with the Assistant Director of Music. There will also be morning and afternoon
commitments to undertake, including attending chorister rehearsals, rehearsing with sixth form choral
scholars, assisting with probationer training, and helping with administrative tasks. The post-holder will also
take responsibility for management of the girl choristers’ music library. One day off per week will be
allocated, but exactly which day will vary from week to week.
Regular Weekly Schedule
The cathedral’s current service routine is as follows:
Monday Evensong Girls and Lay Clerks (Lay Clerks only on first Monday of month)
Tuesday Evensong Boys’ Voices
Wednesday Evensong Girls’ Voices
Thursday Evensong Boys and Lay Clerks
Friday Evensong Boys and Lay Clerks
Saturday Evensong rota shared between cathedral choir and visiting choirs
Sunday Eucharist Boys and Lay Clerks (Girls and Lay Clerks 2-3 times per term)
Sunday Evensong Boys and Lay Clerks (Girls and Lay Clerks 2-3 times per term)
Over the course of the 2021-22 academic year, this regular schedule will change, resulting in complete
parity between the boy and girl choristers by September 2022. The new pattern of services is as follows:
Week A Week B
Monday Evensong Girls and Lay Clerks Girls and Lay Clerks
Tuesday Evensong Boys Boys
Wednesday Evensong Girls Girls
Thursday Evensong Boys and Lay Clerks Boys and Lay Clerks
Friday Evensong Boys and Lay Clerks Girls and Lay Clerks
Saturday Evensong Girls and Lay Clerks Boys and Lay Clerks
Sunday Eucharist Girls and Lay Clerks Boys and Lay Clerks
Sunday Evensong Boys and Lay Clerks Girls and Lay Clerks
Graduate Organ Scholarship 8
Job Description - Graduate Organ Scholar
Responsible to
The post-holder will report to the Director of Girl Choristers, Sarah MacDonald, and through
her, to the Principal of King’s Ely, John Attwater. Final responsibility for all matters relating to
music in the cathedral falls to the Dean, The Very Revd Mark Bonney, who delegates such
matters on a day to day basis to the Canon Precentor, The Revd Dr James Garrard, and to the
cathedral’s Director of Music, Edmund Aldhouse
Responsibilities and Duties
To accompany the cathedral choir as agreed by the Director of Music and Director of the Girl
Choristers, and to assist with the musical education and training of the choristers, and the sixth
form choral scholars, in the context of their function within cathedral worship. Specifically the
appointee will be expected to:
accompany cathedral services, including but not limited to Wednesday evensong;
play for school services in the cathedral or other school venues;
accompany rehearsals of the choristers and the sixth form choral scholars;
assist in the training of probationers;
assist in the teaching of music theory to the choristers;
prepare the sixth form choral scholars for services;
assist with the organisation of concerts, tours, broadcasts, and recordings;
attend cathedral and school music department meetings as required;
accompany senior and junior school music department events (e.g., chapel choir rehearsals,
concerts, recitals, and ABRSM exams);
maintain the girl choristers’ library.
Graduate Organ Scholarship 9 Hours, Remuneration, and Starting date This is a full-time post, with an expectation that the post-holder will work 32 hours per week during term time. Christmas and Holy Week duties occur every year. The successful candidate will be expected to work to a flexible schedule, including early mornings, evenings and weekends, which is required of anyone who plays a full part in the life of a cathedral and school. The salary is £10,000 per year. Single accommodation on the school premises will be provided free of charge with no charge for utilities and council tax; school meals will be provided free of charge during term time. There are opportunities for further remuneration by taking on extra musical work at both the school and cathedral. The post- holder will be expected to have at least one organ lesson per month, with a teacher of their choice, chosen in consultation with the Director of the Girl Choristers and the Director of Music. The cost of these lessons will be paid for by the school up to a total of £550 per year. The cathedral's Assistant Director of Music will provide regular free tuition in choral accompaniment. It is expected that the successful applicant will remain in post for one year, with an option of renewal for one further year by mutual agreement. The post becomes available on 1 September 2021.
Graduate Organ Scholarship 10
Basic Terms & Conditions
The post-holder will be enrolled in the statutory auto-
enrolment pension scheme (age and salary threshold
dependent). The employer and employee contribution
rates for the auto-enrolment pension scheme are
currently Employee contribution 5% and Employer
contribution of 3%.
Members of staff are entitled to educate their own
children in any of the three parts of the school. There
is a staff discount for children’s fees from Reception
Year onwards; the total staff discount value for school
fees is 50% for full-time staff, reduced pro-rata for part
-time staff, subject to an overall school fees remission
limit of 50% of their gross salary. All extra items are to
be paid in addition. Members of staff are entitled to
10% discount on all King’s Ely school uniform ordered
for their own children from Schoolblazer.
The school offers a private healthcare insurance
scheme, which staff may opt to join at their own
expense, shortly after the start of each academic year
(the policy year starts on 1 November each year). The
scheme can only be joined at the start of the policy
year, not part-way through the year. The post-holder
will have use of school gym facilities (during specific
times) and use of the school swimming pool at specific
times (during the summer).
Employment is subject to satisfactory Enhanced
Disclosure certificate from the Disclosure & Barring
Service (DBS), and all other statutory checks relevant
to the position.Graduate Organ Scholarship 11
Person Specification
For this early-career post, we seek a musician of proven ability and skill who will relish the opportunity
to enhance cathedral worship in Ely, and who will immerse themselves in the vibrant musical community of
King’s Ely and the cathedral. The successful candidate will have completed an undergraduate degree (as of 1
September), and should be of at least ARCO standard, with demonstrable experience of choral
accompaniment, choir training, and an understanding of good vocal technique. The possession of a sense of
humour, a love of teaching and working with young people, the ability to be patient with children and
teenagers, and excellent organisational and communication skills are also necessary. The post-holder must
be in sympathy with the ethos and mission of the Church of England.
ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE
Qualifications good honours degree ARCO or equivalent
Specialist skills previous experience working within a college chapel, previous university and/or
and experience university or cathedral or greater parish church cathedral organ scholarship
music department holder
proven competence as an organist, accompanist proven competence as a
knowledge and understanding of liturgical repertoire choral conductor
administrative skills and familiarity with standard IT
programmes, including Sibelius or Finale music-
notation software
thorough understanding of Safeguarding and Child
Protection issues
ability to empathise and relate positively to young
people
Personal passion for cathedral music, and for teaching
Qualities sense of humour, and a willingness to share ideas and
inspire young people
ability to work in a fast-moving environment
good team player
high expectations of self and others
willingness to work flexible hours, including early
mornings, evenings, and weekends
commitment to ongoing professional musical
development
commitment to maintaining high standards
The successful applicant will be expected to play a full part in the vibrant life of the school and the cathedral.Graduate Organ Scholarship 12
How to apply
To apply for this role, please send your application (by post or via email) to the following address:
Vicky Burford
Personnel Co-ordinator
The King’s School
Ely, Cambridgeshire
CB7 4EW
VickyBurford@kingsely.org
Your application should include the following:
the completed application form;
a covering letter of between 500 and 750 words explaining your suitability for the post;
a copy of your CV;
contact details for two referees, one of which should be your current organ teacher.
The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday 14 June.
Shortlisted candidates will be notified by Wednesday 16 June.
Initial interviews may be held remotely;.
Auditions for shortlisted candidates will be held in person before the end of June.
If you wish to know more about King’s Ely, or about Ely Cathedral, please see the websites:
www.kingsely.org
www.elycathedral.org
For an informal chat about the post itself, please feel free to contact either the Director of Music or the
Director of the Girl Choristers:
Edmund Aldhouse: E.Aldhouse@elycathedral.org
Sarah MacDonald: SarahMacDonald@kingsely.org
King’s Ely
Cambridgeshire
CB7 4EW
+44 (0)1353 660700
All photos in this document are © Sarah MacDonald.You can also read
