In May 2025 Epsom Male Voice Choir's current Musical Director is stepping down after 11 successful years, and the choir is looking for a suitable replacement. (The timing of the appointment will be discussed at interview.)
The Choir
Epsom Male Voice Choir (EMVC) was founded in 1983 and rehearses each Wednesday evening from 8:00pm to 10:00pm in Ewell, Surrey.
We are a mixed ability non-auditioned choir. The heart of the MD's role is to help members enjoy their music-making at rehearsals and concerts. The vast majority of members do not read music fluently. You will be working within a very sociable community, which prides itself on being friendly, welcoming and supportive, and we rely heavily on the MD to help us maintain this character. We have around 45 active members, across a wide range of ages and musical experience. We encourage all of our singers to develop their knowledge and skills and support them in doing so.
Our repertoire is large and varied and encompasses music specially written for male voices, as well as arrangements of classical works, folk, pop and show songs, and male voice choir standards. In the tradition of male voice choirs, we perform from memory. We perform a variety of formal and informal concerts or gigs each year, often in support of local charities, and occasionally undertake tours and competitions, including visits to the biennial Cornwall International Male Choral Festival. We aim to forge friendships with other choirs by taking part in joint concerts, and we mount an annual gala concert each May.
The choir's activities are organised by a committee, headed by a chairman, who may serve up to a 3-year term and who works closely with the choir's MD.
This short video, https://youtu.be/I0zpRpulP0I, made in 2023, gives a further introduction to the choir.
The music team
In addition to the MD, the choir retains a regular accompanist who works with us at both rehearsals and performances, and who also takes sectional rehearsals and helps out in other ways when needed. The choir is also lucky to be able to call on the services of our Deputy MD for further support when necessary.
The position (A fuller description is given in the recruitment pack on our website)
The choir's MD is responsible for selecting repertoire and for the musical training of the choir. In addition to the weekly rehearsals, the MD leads the choirs in performances, tours and competitions and is asked to take occasional workshops and come-and-sing events.
Most of the members rely on practice files for learning their parts and, where commercially-produced tracks are not available, previous MDs have created these files for new repertoire.
The MD receives a fee for each rehearsal, and a separate fee for concerts, tours and preparing practice tracks.
The person
We are looking for a suitably qualified choral leader with some experience of working with amateur adult singers. Specific experience with male voice choirs would of course be very useful, but it is not essential.
Our next MD will need to be friendly and approachable, with an engaging personality, good communication skills and the patience needed to coax the best out of the choir. If not a trained singer, then they should have at least a good understanding of vocal techniques.
The ability to create singable arrangements for the choir would also be of great benefit, as would some IT skills for creating practice tracks.
The recruitment process
Initial expressions of interest should be received by 11th October, after which those interested will receive access details to a special recruitment pack on our website. Applications should then be submitted online and include a CV with a covering letter and the names of two referees whom we may approach.
Following the deadline (see below) applications will be reviewed and a long-list drawn up. Long-listed applicants will be invited to interview as soon as possible, after which a shortlist will be drawn up. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to meet the choir and take part of a rehearsal, after which a final decision will be made and the successful candidate notified by the end of the year.
Registering your interest
If you are interested in finding out more, then please contact our chairman, Chris Westbey by completing the form below (preferred), or by emailing him at chair@epsommalevoicchoir.org.uk or calling him on 01372 721501 or 07885 360101.
The deadline for registering your initial interest is Friday 11th October 2024, and detailed applications should be received by Friday 8th November 2024.
