What is the role of a Music Director (Church)?
Also Called Choral Director, Choir Director, Choir Leader, Minister of Music – The church’s music department is led by music directors, who place a strong focus on the traditional religious choir.
A church music director, more commonly referred to as a choir director, is a professional band leader and administrator engaged by churches to oversee and grow the choir and other musical activities. Choral director duties vary widely depending on the structure of the music department and the goals of the ministries, but they almost always include coordinating and leading choir practices, conducting the choir in performance, recruiting and auditioning new singers and volunteers, and fostering each singer’s musical growth. In addition to selecting the choir’s repertoire and preparing special programs for holidays and other events, music directors also work with the church organist (if they don’t play the organ themselves). If your church choir is very competitive, you may be required to help them prepare for contests as part of your job duties.
Effective teaching requires a high level of interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to communicate clearly and patiently.
On top of that, music directors are responsible for generating budgets (which may cover robes, sheet-music purchases, travel expenses or set and staging), doing administrative tasks and keeping weekly office hours. Some churches have their own in-house music groups, and the director of music may be in charge of training and supervising those groups (which typically includes instruments like guitar and drums). As a last step, music directors visit conferences and seminars in order to bring back new works, techniques, and literature for the growth of the music department and singers.
Career Path
The vast majority of church music directors are themselves trained musicians and vocalists who spent their formative years in choirs. Before taking on the role of music director, some people begin their careers as organists or choir members. As a result, many people who serve as church music directors do so in addition to their day jobs or academic pursuits. Without working in the field of competitive choir music, music directors are unlikely to have many prospects for career progression. However, establishing a church’s music department over time can be as fulfilling as climbing the corporate ladder. In the end, church music directors use their work experience to head school, community, and professional choirs, and many of them become professional music or voice instructors.
In search of Employment
In order to be prepared for this role, it is important to maintain contacts with local churches, demonstrate service to communities, and obtain experience working with choirs of all sizes and ability levels.
Professional Competencies
- Composition
- Harmony
- Organ or piano
- Singing and choral techniques
- Community involvement
- Conducting
- Leadership
- Latin
- Teaching
Personality Traits
One of the most important qualities of an effective church music director is enthusiasm and a willingness to serve the local community. Instructors must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as well as the patience, clarity, and ease with which they can convey their ideas to students. A church music director’s role includes both teaching and performing, and he or she must have a high level of musicianship in order to do so. As a church musician or choir member, years of expertise and a strong understanding of choral repertoire and Christian scripture are required.
Job-Life
Large churches with a strong emphasis on music may require their music directors to manage many choirs of varying abilities, which can lead to hectic performance schedules for them. For smaller churches, choir directors may work less hours or full-time, which allows them more time to plan and implement new musical initiatives. While some music directors are members of the church community and devote time outside of work to engage in church and community events, others have a professional relationship with the church and are more likely to be commercial musicians.
If you’re interested in a career in the music industry, becoming a church music director can be a good fit for you. Guitar, violin, drum, saxophoneand piano/keyboard lessons are also offered at Esom School, as well as singing and performing arts courses. Your newly acquired skills and knowledge will be put to good use in the real world by working with our experienced faculty members.
