Applications are invited for an experienced choral conductor with an interest in unaccompanied Early Music repertoire, to continue the work of founder Philip Robinson, ideally from September 2024.

Melismata is an auditioned, friendly, East Midlands based chamber choir, performing a cappella.

Please see our website : www.melismatachoir.com

Melismata was founded in 2019 by our current conductor Philip Robinson. A cappella early music continues to be the remit of the choir, which has grown to a current strength of 24.

Interrupted by Covid, the choir began to perform in 2021. It has given concerts in churches around the Grantham area, as well as concerts in Haddon Hall and for the Grantham Music Club. The choir has had great success performing a music-theatre piece called Master Byrd written by chorister, Brean Hammond. Melismata performed Master Byrd three times in 2023, including a performance in the State Chamber at Southwell Minster. Three further performances are scheduled for 2024, one at the Stafford Arts Festival. We are proud that our show has been performed by other choirs and in other countries.

The choir rehearses on Sunday evenings 7.00 - 8.30pm meeting at least fortnightly and more frequently as we get close to performance dates. The venue is usually the Victoria Commemoration Hall in Bottesford; sometimes the Thomas Cranmer Centre in Aslockton. Both venues are exceptional acoustically.

The remit of the new Director is to design musical programmes for performance and to conduct rehearsals leading to those performances. They will be expected to preserve the remit of unaccompanied early music and to keep the choir's sections in healthy balance by finding and auditioning new singers as necessary. The Director's voice is the most important in all musical matters, while being supported by a well-functioning executive committee. Committee meetings take place as necessary online. The Constitution requires at least 4 such meetings per annum in addition to an annual AGM.

Rehearsal times may need to be negotiated with a new Director and the choir will endeavour to be as flexible as possible. Remuneration will be £70 per 90-minute session. Travelling expenses and concert fees are negotiable.

Please apply with C.V. including two references and an accompanying letter by 16th April 2024 to the email address supplied below.

Selection for shortlisted candidates will be by audition, followed by a short interview, on a Sunday evening during late April/ May 2024.

Further enquiries and applications to Teri Deal ( Search Committee Chair).

terideal2@gmail.com