search for a new Organist & Director of Music

About the Church of the Good Shepherd, Rosemont
The Church of the Good Shepherd, Rosemont, seeks a three-quarter time (30 hours per week) Organist and Director of Music to continue to build and strengthen the parish’s vibrant music ministry. Good Shepherd, Rosemont, is a growing, inclusive Episcopal parish in the Anglo-Catholic tradition in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, on the Main Line just outside of Philadelphia. Easily accessible to Center City Philadelphia by train, the Church of the Good Shepherd is well poised for continued growth. Worship in the beauty of holiness is central to Good Shepherd’s identity, and music is a vital part of the parish’s mission and plans for growth for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Parishioners come from both the immediate neighborhood and across the region, many of whom are drawn to the parish by the outstanding musical tradition established in recent years. A significant number of current and retired professional musicians are members of the parish, as well as academics and others who are particularly interested in the arts. From children to young adults to those who are retired, music is an essential part of how parishioners at Good Shepherd know Christ and make him known in the world. Magnified by the rich sacred music tradition of the Church, worship at Good Shepherd is what informs, drives, and shapes our discernment of how to serve and love the Lord beyond the doors of the church.

Music at Good Shepherd
Music at Good Shepherd draws on the full spectrum of the Church’s rich musical heritage, from Renaissance masses and motets and music of the English cathedral tradition to works by American and living composers. Each Sunday and on certain Major Holy Days, the choir sings minor propers, a choral mass setting, an Anglican chant or plainsong psalm setting, and an anthem. The Good Shepherd Choristers (consisting of children ages seven and older) sing once a month during the program year for either Sung Mass or Choral Evensong and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Hymnody is drawn primarily from The Hymnal 1982. For videos of previous services at Good Shepherd, as well as to watch our parish video, please visit our YouTube channel.

Qualities Desired in a New Organist and Director of Music
We are looking for an Organist and Director of Music who is a faithful and prayerful Christian and who views musical excellence as an indispensable part of the parish’s witness to the Gospel. We also seek a gifted, intelligent, thoughtful, and pastoral musician, ideally with at least a Bachelor’s degree (preferably in music). The ideal candidate would have a keen desire to support a transcendent liturgy within the Anglo-Catholic tradition, with an appreciation for the role of music, silence, and the spoken word within this tradition. Significant experience serving in Episcopal parishes is also expected, as well as some familiarity with Anglo-Catholic liturgical and musical traditions, including the singing of minor propers, Anglican chant, choral mass settings, plainsong psalmody, and improvisation. Experience working with chorister programs is desired. The Organist and Director of Music should be a proficient improviser. Because of the quantity of music undertaken by the choir, usually with little rehearsal time, the Organist and Director of Music must be prepared to work efficiently and gracefully with choirs, as well as possess excellent sight-reading skills. Good communication skills and a willingness to collaborate with others are essential to this position. It is our conviction that music is a powerful tool of evangelism, which can also be a vital engine of growth in the parish. Therefore, it is crucial that the Organist and Director of Music seek to integrate musical excellence with a pastoral heart and desire to build community within the music program.

Position Responsibilities
The Organist and Director of Music would have the following major responsibilities: 

  • Play the organ and accompany the choir for all liturgies, including one Sunday Sung Mass, regular services of Choral Evensong and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament (approximately five each program year), and liturgies for Major Holy Days and other special services (customarily including Michaelmas, All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day, Advent Lessons and Carols, Christmas, Epiphany, Candlemas, Ash Wednesday, Annunciation, the Paschal Triduum, Ascension Day, St. Mary the Virgin, and other special services and feasts as may be agreed between the Musician and the Rector.

  • Rehearse and conduct the parish choir (comprising eight professional staff singers); the choir currently rehearses 90 minutes prior to each liturgy. At the present time there is not a regular weekday rehearsal for the parish choir; occasional rehearsals are scheduled before major services. The choir customarily sings from the Sunday after Labor Day until Corpus Christi (early to mid-June), with solo cantors on summer Sundays.

  • Hire and supervise staff singers and work with the parish Financial Administrator to ensure timely payments of musicians through the church payroll

  • Train and rehearse the Good Shepherd Choristers (ages seven and older) and recruit new choristers; rehearsals are currently two days a week for 75 minutes.

  • Plan music for all services, including hymns and anthems, in coordination and with support from the rector

  • Submit in a timely fashion music details for weekly production of the service leaflets

  • Maintain and enrich the existing choral music library

  • Oversee the maintenance and care of the church’s 3-manual, 57-rank Austin pipe organ (1977/rev. 1988), as well as the pianos on campus

  • Offer educational opportunities, as needed and desired, for the parish (such as occasional presentations)

  • Meet weekly with the Rector to discuss liturgical and other relevant matters

Vision for the Future
Although Good Shepherd is a steadily growing parish, that growth is inextricably tied to expanding parish programming, which necessitates that the Organist and Director of Music possess strong organizational skills and a willingness to engage effectively in administration to ensure that the music program is integrated with other ministries within the parish. While the position is currently part-time, it is our sincere hope that the next Organist and Director of Music will bring energy, enthusiasm, and a desire to envision new possibilities within our music program as a means of proclaiming the Gospel and contributing to the overall growth of the parish. We eagerly welcome the ideas, vision, and energy of the new Organist and Director of Music in our prayerful discernment of how God is calling Good Shepherd, Rosemont, to be an effective witness of Jesus’s Good News in the world for the sake of the poor, the lonely, and the lost.

Salary and Benefits

  • Salary commensurate with experience and consistent with the 2025 Episcopal Musician Compensation Survey Report, plus contributions to the Episcopal Church Lay Employees’ Defined Contribution Retirement Plan and full medical benefits

  • Four weeks paid vacation

  • An annual allowance for continuing education in the amount of $600 and reasonable time for the pursuit of continuing education (with pay)

To Apply
Please send the following to musicsearch@goodshepherdrosemont.com. Priority will be given to applicants who submit complete materials by December 1, 2025.

  • A cover letter stating your interest in the position and how your own particular gifts are well suited to the Organist and Director of Music position

  • A resume, including references of three persons whom we may contact and who can attest to your musical gifts, experience, and personal characteristics

  • A link to videos, or recordings, that feature hymn playing, organ repertoire performance, and conducting of a choral piece