Organ Scholarship 2022-2023
About our Organ Scholarship
The Holy Spirit Clapham organ scholarship has now been in place for three years, with previous organ scholars taking up scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge.
Our organ scholarship would be ideal for a young musician with experience of playing the organ looking to further develop their skills with regular practice and exposure to music as part of weekly services, potentially with the ambition of applying for an organ scholarship as part of a higher education application. The successful candidate would be actively involved in Holy Spirit Clapham’s choral tradition, which includes Sunday Eucharists and Choral Evensongs, led by our choir of semi-professional and amateur singers.
The new organ scholar would be supported by our Director of Music, Andrei Lebed, who was an organ scholar himself at Peterhouse, Cambridge, and would benefit from regular opportunities to develop new skills such as liturgical organ accompaniment, choral conducting, transposition, and improvisation in a friendly and supervised environment.
Responsibilities and Duties
● Supporting the Director of Music in playing the organ at regular Sunday morning services, Choral Evensongs and other musical services
● Deputising for the Director of Music on the odd occasion
● Accompanying the choir at Choral Eucharists and Evensongs
● Conducting the choir on occasion under the supervision of the Director of Music
Remuneration and Benefits
● Annual stipend of £480
● Opportunities to develop choral conducting and organ accompanying skills
● Regular coaching and skills tuition with the Director of Music
● Access to our wonderful organ and piano for private practice
Interested parties should apply with a letter to the Director of Music, Andrei Lebed, at musicdirector@holyspirit-clapham.org.uk, containing an outline of previous experience, qualifications and reasons for applying. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an informal audition at Holy Spirit Clapham towards the end of August 2022. During the audition, candidates should expect to:
Perform two organ pieces of a contrasting nature, lasting no longer than 10 minutes combined
Play at sight an extract of organ music written for manuals and pedals
Play verses of a hymn at sight using manuals and pedals
The informal audition will also start with a brief chat about the candidate’s experience and motivations for applying.
Music at Holy Spirit Clapham
Under the guidance of Director of Music Andrei Lebed, who is a former organ scholar at Peterhouse, Cambridge, the choir at Holy Spirit Clapham sing on a fortnightly basis on Sunday mornings, performing a range of repertoire including English Tudor music, European sacred music, and also a range of Russian sacred music. The choir also sings at a monthly Choral Evensong, where a full set of canticles, responses, psalm and anthem are sung. The choir consists of a group of semi-professional choral scholars, along with a group of amateur singers.