Cheshire Chorale is a well-established, highly committed and friendly SATB choir, with all our singers being highly experienced and coming from all walks of life.

Our total membership “pool” is around 110-120, from which we currently number around 55-80 singers for each of three Saturday concerts we perform each year, in Bramhall, Cheshire, in collaboration with our sister-orchestra Cheshire Sinfonia.  Our concerts are usually scheduled in November, February/March and May each year.

Upon the retirement of our founding Conductor, we are seeking to appoint - from October 2026 onwards - a small group/panel of 2 or 3 experienced conductors/musical directors (each experienced in both choral and orchestral work) to rehearse & conduct each of our concerts on a rotation basis.

As a choir, as well as performing most of the “usual” major choral works in the repertoire, in recent years we have also very successfully done a variety of lesser known - though no less demanding and fulfilling - works, in particular drawing from the English, French and Italian choral repertoires (including some a cappella works). 

Our modus operandi is that we as a choir meet for 4 (or occasionally 5, depending on the programme) highly focused rehearsals (with resident accompanist) prior to each concert, on Sunday evenings (8-10pm) in Wilmslow, Cheshire.  For our Conductor this is then combined in the final 2 weeks before the concert day with rehearsing the orchestra (Cheshire Sinfonia) for their 4 rehearsals (Tuesdays & Wednesdays in those last 2 weeks, in South Manchester), with the choir and orchestra coming together for an afternoon rehearsal on the concert day. 

Our Conductor’s role for each concert for which they are engaged will comprise:

1. assisting (in consultation with our Chair and the Chair of our sister orchestra) in deciding the concert programme of work(s) to be performed;
2. assisting in choosing/booking vocal soloists where necessary;
3. leading and rehearsing both the choir and the orchestra through their various rehearsals in their respective weeks prior to concert day;
4. conducting the concert itself; and
5. more generally, inspiring and leading the choir forwards musically and artistically, in collaboration with any joint conductor(s) whom we also appoint on a joint basis to conduct our concerts on rotation.

 We would expect our new Conductors to have not only a sound professional musical background, but in particular:

• good knowledge and experience of the “standard” choral repertoire, as well as ideas for other works appropriate for us to tackle,
• appropriate experience of leading and directing both choirs and orchestras,
• experience of rehearsing adult singers (and players),
• strong interpersonal, leadership and communication skills.

This role of (joint) Conductor/Musical Director is paid, on a “per concert” basis, including a “per rehearsal” element (whether choir or orchestral), and may be open to negotiation if that is appropriate.

Please send your application - by way of letter with CV - to Jonathan Linn (Chair of Cheshire Chorale) at:  jonathanlinn@btinternet.com

(Or for further information, or if you simply wish to discuss the role generally, please contact us at the above email address.)

Closing date for applications:  1^st December 2025.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview and possibly audition in early-2026.