Position Title: Pianist/Accompanist (click here to download pdf of job description)
Reports to: Music Director
Hours: Plays during church services for a total of 40 Sundays throughout the year (July through June); has one Sunday off each month. In addition to 40 Sundays each year, plays on Christmas Eve. Accompanies the choir and guest musicians during rehearsals. Anticipated effort is an average of 10 hours per week.
Salary range: $12,000-$14,000 per year
Overview
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring (UUCSS) is a progressive religious community with a strong commitment to anti-racism and social and environmental justice. We are an LGBTQ Welcoming Congregation, are accredited as a Green Sanctuary, have an active Racial Justice Task Force, and support deaf access to congregational life, including weekly ASL interpretation during worship. You may learn more about UUCSS by visiting our website: https://uucss.org/.
We seek a Pianist/Accompanist who provides high-quality keyboard performances and accompanies the choir, soloists, and congregational hymn-singing for Sunday morning services and on Christmas Eve, as arranged in conjunction with the Music Director and the Music Committee.
Skills & Experience
- Combination of experience and/or education in music and accompaniment;
- Demonstrated keyboard skills;
- Ability to play diverse musical styles;
- Strong sight-reading ability;
- Excellent rhythmic accuracy in playing;
- Understanding of improvisation, transposition, and arranging;
- Experience and comfort working with individuals holding varying degrees of music experience and ability;
- Experience with choral accompaniment;
- People skills, including patience and flexibility;
- Alignment with the principles of Unitarian Universalism (https://www.uua.org/beliefs/what-we-believe/principles);
- Ability to apply a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Duties:
- Support the Choir
- Accompany the choir and congregational hymn-singing for 40 Sunday morning services, and for the Christmas Eve service(s).
- Accompany the choir at Thursday evening rehearsals throughout the regular church year from late August to early June, except for Thanksgiving Day and the Thursday after Christmas.
- Occasionally accompany the choir and other musicians when special rehearsals are necessary.
- In coordination with the Music Director, select the music to be performed for piano prelude and other solo keyboard music.
- Other Church Performances
- Provide high-quality solo keyboard performances at Sunday morning services.
- Pianist/Accompanist may participate in special performances such as the Fellowship Dinner, music residencies or other such congregational events, to be negotiated and compensated at the current market rate.
- Pianist/Accompanist will have the first right-of-refusal to perform for weddings and memorial services, if the families request the service of a keyboardist. This is also to be compensated at the current market rate.
- Facilitate Communication and Coverage
- In collaboration with the Music Director, arrange for a competent substitute accompanist from within or outside of the church whenever the Pianist/Accompanist cannot be present for a scheduled rehearsal or performance. This should include standing arrangements with a last-minute substitute. When a competent UUCSS volunteer is not available, the Pianist/Accompanist is responsible for paying the substitute at a negotiated rate agreed upon by both parties.
The pianist/accompanist is expected to follow UUCSS Covid guidelines: https://uucss.org/covid-updates/.
Applications
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; please submit early for immediate consideration. We anticipate conducting interviews and auditions in May 2023, and making a job offer no later than June 15, 2023. Anticipated start date is mid-August 2023.
Interested applicants should email a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three references to personnel@uucss.org. In addition, applicants should submit two audio samples of their musical performance/accompaniment: one classical music, one non-classical music. Ideally, one sample should be as an accompanist. If applicant does not have a recorded sample as accompanist, this skill can be assessed in the live audition. Email links to the sample files (or MP3s) to personnel@uucss.org.
If selected for employment, applicants will be required to complete a background check.