Open Positions
Full or part time music positions, that are currently open at local churches or academic institutions, posted in the order of date submitted. To submit an available position, fill out and submit the form here.
Part-time Principal Organist
Memorial City Area
St. Cecilia Catholic Church
11720 Joan of Arc Dr
Houston, Texas 77024
Contact Andrew Meinen
ameinen@saintcecilia.org
(713) 465-3414
Church Website
Church Facebook Page
Number and Times of Services:
Sunday Masses 7:30 am, 9:00 am, 11:00 am
(7:00 am – 12:30 pm)
Number and Times of Midweek Rehearsals
One weekly rehearsal, Wednesday evening 7:00 pm to 8:45 pm (September – May)
Duties
- Accompany three Sunday morning Masses each weekend, including necessary warm-up/rehearsal time preceding each service: 7:30 am (with Cantor), 9:00 am (with Children’s Choir) and 11:00 am (with Adult Choir). Masses sung by cantor during choir off season.
- Accompany other liturgical services throughout the year, including holy days of obligation, sacramental celebrations, and the Paschal Triduum.
- Select and play solo organ and piano repertoire appropriate to the liturgy.
- Accompany one 2-hour rehearsal weekly (Wednesday 7:00 pm to 8:45 pm/September-May) with the adult choir, as well as other scheduled rehearsals for this ensemble (rare).
- Prepare in advance and to a professional standard, accompaniments for choir and congregational music selected by the Director for rehearsals and liturgies.
- Advise the Director of any matters pertaining to maintenance of the church’s organ and pianos.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will show competence as a keyboard player (organ and piano) and in accompanying choir, cantor and congregation in such a way as to support congregational singing and participation. Experience in a similar position in a Roman Catholic Church and formal training are highly desired.
Resources
- The three manual pipe organ (choir, great, swell) in the Church is a 1920’s Pilcher organ brought from the original Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart with new console and electronics.
- Church piano is a 7 foot Steinway.
Additional Information
- The person in this position will have right of first refusal for all weddings celebrated in English, and all funerals when the regular funeral organist is not available.
- The person in this position may express interest in accompanying the weekly Children’s Choir Rehearsal and the All-school Mass (Tuesday 4:15 pm to 5:15 pm and Friday 8:15 am respectively when school is in session.)
Music is an integral part of the life of St. Cecilia Catholic Church, and varieties of styles from traditional hymnody to contemporary compositions are part of the repertoire (Gather 3 Hymnal). Therefore, the creative use of both organ and piano is expected. This individual reports to the Director of Liturgy and Music.
Posted August 21, 2019
Part-time Principal Organist
North of Beltway 8
St. Martha Catholic Church
4301 Woodridge Pkwy
Porter, Texas 77356
Contact Matthew Mondragon
matthewm@stmartha.com
(281) 358-6637
Church Website
Church Facebook page
Number and Times of Services
Sunday Masses: 9am & 11am
(8:00 am – 12:00 pm)
Number and Times of Midweek Rehearsals:
Wednesday 4:00 pm-6:00 pm (Children’s Choir)
Wednesday 7:00 pm-9:00 pm (11 am Choir)
Duties
- Accompany two Sunday masses each weekend, including necessary warm-up/rehearsal time preceding each service: 9:00 am (Children’s choir/Chamber) and 11:00 am (Adult choir). Masses will be accompanied by a cantor during the off seasons of the choir.
- Accompany two 2-hour rehearsal weekly (Wednesday 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm; September-May)
- Prepare in advance and to a professional standard, accompaniments for choir and congregational music selected by the Director of Music
- Advise the director of any matters pertaining to maintenance of the pianos/organs in the chapel and church.
- This individual must be available to play for two masses on Christmas Eve (the second being midnight mass), morning masses on Christmas Day, Triduum and Pentecost.
- The principal organist will have the right of first refusal for all weddings/funerals celebrated in English
Qualifications
- Organ background
- Strong choral accompanying skills
- Experience in Roman Catholic Church and strong understanding of the catholic liturgy are highly desired from candidate
- Practicing Catholic is highly desired
- Minimum bachelor’s degree in music or a professional recommendation from a professor (from an established institute that offers a degree plan in music)/professional organist validating the candidate possesses skill equal to a graduate
Resources
- One pipe organ in the Holy Family Chapel (currently in construction; completed by October 2019)
- One 3-manual (great, swell, choir) transposing electric organ in the church (up to 32′ in the pedals)
- One Young Chang baby grand piano in the choir room
Additional Information
Candidate should be familiar with traditional hymnody, renaissance and medieval polyphony, as well as Latin chant. This individual reports directly to the Director of Music.
Posted August 17, 2019
Part-time Organist
Garden Oaks
St Matthew’s United Methodist Church
4300 N. Shepherd
Houston, Texas 77018
Contact Roger Keele
rogerkeelemusic@sbcglobal.net
Phone: (713) 594-9596
Church Phone: (713) 697-0671
Church Website
Church Facebook Page
Number and Times of Services:
Play one Sunday morning service at 10:17 am year-round
Play brief choir rehearsal prior to Sunday service, 9:30 – 10:05 am
Number and Times of Midweek Rehearsals:
Play Wednesday evening choir rehearsals from September through June, 7:30 – 9:00 pm
Duties
- Play rare weddings and funerals
- Communicate with organ technicians as needed
- Prepare preludes, postludes, and occasional offertory solos
Qualifications:
- Excellent keyboard skills
- Knowledge of registrations
- Good sight-reading skills
- Conversant with traditional hymns and sacred styles
- Able to lead and support congregational singing of hymns
- Able to adapt to piano when called for
- Able to follow a conductor
Resources:
- Steinway grand piano in excellent condition.
- Full pipe organ, basically an enlarged Wicks instrument.The original organ was made by the Wicks Organ Company of Highland Illinois as their Opus 3258. This organ had a 3 manual console and 8 ranks of pipes.
In 1982, additional ranks of pipes were added to the organ. Most of these ranks came from the Kilgen Organ at St. Paul’s Methodist in Houston.
In 1987, the organ was upgraded with a Gallery Division. The Gallery is composed of ranks of pipes from the Methodist Temple in Port Arthur and from the Methodist Church in Alvin.
In 2000, the organ was completely rewired. In addition, a new control system by Peterson was installed giving the organ a total of 99 possible memory levels. This enabled multiple organists to save registrations on the organ.
Today, the organ is composed of 5 divisions and over two thousand pipes with four solo stops.
Additional Information:
- Flexibility with taking time off in consultation with director of music
- Relatively small time commitment
- An appreciative choir and congregation
Posted July 31, 2019
Full-time Organist/Pianist/Artist in Residence
First Methodist Houston
1320 Main Street
Houston, Texas 77002
Contact Person: Dr. Terry Morris
Email: tmorris@fmhouston.com
Phone: (956) 648-3647
Church Phone: (832) 668-1823
Church Website
Church Facebook Page
Number and Times of Services
2 Sunday Warm Ups and services (8:00 am to 12:00 noon)
Number and Times of Midweek Rehearsals
Wednesday Rehearsal (7:00-9:30 PM)
Duties
- Funerals
- Administrative meetings
- Church lunches after Sunday services
- Other duties as needed
- Play anthems for worship
- Play hymns for worship
- Play preludes and postludes for worship
- Be available to play special music as needed for special events
- Extra compensation will be paid at the normal rates for weddings by the wedding guild. The organist has right of first refusal.
- Extra compensation will be paid at the normal rates for funerals/memorial services on one of our campuses after the honorarium paid by the family or funeral home is deducted. Services off site are paid for by the family.
Qualifications
First Methodist Houston is seeking a collaborative artist, capable of playing all styles of hymns, choral music, and solo music necessary for worship. The ideal candidate will be a practicing Christian with a heart for worship and teamwork. Our church is very supportive of the music ministry. We currently serve two campuses with two organists, two pianists, an administrative assistant, two choir directors and some sixty professional staff singers. We seek to create a team of musicians that are able to serve at either campus, but our immediate need is on our downtown campus.The ideal candidate will need exceptional sight reading skills. Extensive knowledge of hymns, various styles, and the ability to improvise are needed. Master’s Degree or professional equivalent is required for consideration.
Please submit supporting materials electronically to tmorris@fmhouston.com Please include: cover letter, brief statement of faith, detailed resume, videos/links of your playing. A sample list of prelude, service music, and postlude repertoire.
Resources
Aeolian Skinner, 1967, Action Type, E-p, Man/RKS, IV-100+
GREAT
16 Spitzflote
8 Principal
8 Bordun
8 Flute Harmonique
5 1/3 Gros Quint
4 Oktave
4 Koppelflote
3 1/5 Gros Tierce
2 Oktave
2 Hellfpiefe
II Sesquialtera
III-IV Plein Jeu
IV-VI Mixtur
IV Scharf
16 Fagot
8 Trumpet
POSITIV
16 Quintaton
8 Principal
8 Gemshorn
8 Gedeckt Pommer
4 Spitzgeigen
4 Nachthorn
2 Principal
1 1/3 Nasat
1 Oktave
III-IV Fourniture
II Glockenspiel
16 Dulzian
8 Krummhorn
4 Klarine
Tremulant
Cymbelstern
CHOIR
8 Viola Pomposa
8 Viola Celeste
II Klein Erzahler
8 Zanflote
4 Traversflote
2 Blockflote
8 Bassethorn
8 Cor Anglais
8 Tuba Major
8 Clarion Major
8 Trompette En Chamade
Treumlant
Chimes
SWELL
16 Contre Viole
8 Geigen Prinzipal
8 Viole de Gambe
8 Viole Celeste
8 Gedeckt
8 Flauto Dolce
8 Flute Celeste
4 Prinzipal
4 Spillflote
2 2/3 Nasard
2 Octavin
1 3/5 Tierce
IV-VI Plein Jeu
16 Basson-Hautbois
8 Trompette
8 Hautbois
4 Clarion
Tremulant
FANFARE
8 Grande Principal
VIII Jeu de Fonds
V Cornet
16 Trompette En Chamade
8 Trompette En Chamade
4 Trompette En Chamade
Fanfare to Great
Fanfare to Pedal
ANTIPHONAL
8 Viola
8 Viola Celeste
8 Concert Flute
4 Flute
8 Vox Humana
ANTIPHONAL PEDAL
16 Bourdon
PEDAL
32 Kontra Geigen
32 Bourdon
16 Prinzipal
16 Geigen
16 Bourdon
16 Spitzflote (Gt)
16 Contre Viole (Sw)
8 Oktave
8 Bourdon
8 Spitzflote (Gt)
4 Choral Bass
4 Rhorflote
2 Blockflote
IV Grave Mixtur
VI Fourniture
32 Kontra Posaune
32 Contre Basson (Sw)
16 Posaune
Posted: July 15, 2019
Part-Time Organist
Spring Branch West
Fair Haven, a campus of Chapelwood UMC
1330 Gessner Rd.
Houston, Texas 77055
Contact Person: Sarah Lysiak-Ging
slysiakging@chapelwood.org
(765) 346-3085
Church Website
Church Facebook Page
Number and Times of Services:
One Sunday service at 11:15 am
Number and Times of Midweek Rehearsals:
One rehearsal for the Chancel Choir on Wednesday from 7:00-8:15 pm
**potential to change to a Sunday morning rehearsal from 9:45-11:00 am
Duties:
Fair Haven, a campus of Chapelwood UMC, is looking to fill the position of part-time organist for our 11:15 am Traditional service. The organist is expected to enrich the music ministry of the church by supporting the congregation and musical ensembles with expert technical and musical delivery of repertoire found in the United Methodist Hymnal and other musical resources of the United Methodist Church. The organist is expected to accompany the Chancel Choir and all music for the 11:15 am service as well as special services throughout the year, i.e. Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, All Saints, etc. Responsible for playing funerals and weddings as they are scheduled. Strong sight-reading skills are desired.
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree in Music or equivalent experience
Resources:
- 3-manual Bravura by Allen electronic organ (installed within the last 2 years)
- Samick Grand Piano (Sanctuary)
- Wm. Knabe & Co. Baby Grand Piano (Choir Room)
- Handbells
Additional Information:
Fair Haven is seeking an exemplary musician with the capacity to be collegial, flexible, and creative in their application of hymn and service playing. The ability to perform solo repertoire and accompany ensembles at a high musical and technical degree are of equal importance.The organist must be organized, communicative, and able to collaborate effectively with the Director of Traditional Music. Fair Haven is a small, but growing community with excellent support and resources from Chapelwood UMC (7,000+ member parish).
Posted: July 15, 2019
Part-time Organist/Choir/Handbells
Rice Military
Messiah Lutheran Church
816 Roy St
Houston, Texas 77008
Contact: Marsha Froehlich
marmar52@sbcglobal.net
(713) 818-0677
Church Phone:(713) 861-3072
Church Website
Church Facebook Page
Number and Times of Services:
Worship Sundays 9:00 AM, with choir rehearsal & handbell practice at 8:00 AM before the service.
Midweek services during Advent and Lent
Number and Times of Midweek Rehearsals:
Handbell practice at 8:00 am
Choir practice 8:30 am Sundays before service
Duties:
Shall be responsible for selecting appropriate music, providing leadership for and directing the Adult Choir at the service regularly scheduled on Sunday mornings or any of the other special Festival Services. Shall work with Pastor to ensure appropriate organ and choral music has been selected for services. Shall have creative freedom to develop new music programs to involve the congregation’s youth and other ministries and outreaches as implemented and approved by the Worship and Music Committee.
Qualifications
The minimum requirements for this position require candidate to be synodically trained by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in music or have comparable experience and be able to play the organ and piano.
Resources
Allen Electronic Organ, piano, handbells, carillons
Additional Information
We are a small, loving community church with one service. Short rehearsals are held prior to Sunday morning. We are members of the Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry. You will enjoy meeting “Gabriel” our golden retriever.
Posted June 21, 2019