Christ Church Fitchburg

Choral Scholar Program

Our Choral Scholar program, begun in 2022, provides an opportunity for connection and experience for a college-age student in our community (undergraduate or graduate). This stipend position involves assisting the Choirmaster in the administration of the choral program and participating in the historic Christ Church Choir. This includes a commitment of 5-7 hours per week over the course of the program year (September-May):

  • Rehearsal on Thursday evenings, approximately 6:30-8:30pm.

  • Rehearsal & Worship Service on Sundays, approximately 9:00am-12:00pm

  • Rehearsal/Preparation as needed throughout the week.

The selected student is expected to be present for a minimum of twelve weeks in the Fall semester and 18 weeks in the Spring semester, allowing for 3-4 weeks ‘off’ for each. Ideally, the Choral Scholar would be available for our festival services on Christmas Eve, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, but it is not absolutely necessary as long as the minimum required weeks are met. A stipend of $5,000 will be provided, payable every other week, as well as access to the church building for practice and teaching.

The choral program at Christ Church was founded in 1893. A Choir of Men and Boys was the flagship ensemble for almost one hundred years, in addition to other choral and instrumental ensembles for adults and children. The Choir today consists of nineteen adults in an SATB arrangement, many of whom have sung with us for decades. Our Chorister program, affiliated with the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM), has a Junior division (PreK-Grade 3) and Senior division (Grade 4+) totaling ten children. We also frequently utilize the talents of instrumentalists and vocalists from within and outside the parish.

The repertoire of the Choir is extremely varied, drawing from great sacred music in the Western tradition spanning 500 years plus selections from the Eastern Orthodox, African American spiritual, CCM/Praise, and various world music traditions. A typical Sunday service includes several organ voluntaries, three hymns, liturgical music, two or three contemporary songs, and one or two choral anthems. Excellence is always our goal and we work fast and hard…but we also have a lot of fun and try not to take ourselves too seriously!

Applications are due by May 1, 2024. Email music@christchurchfitchburg.org with questions.

application

After submitting the application below, you may receive an email asking to set up an in-person (or Zoom) interview/audition. If you’d like to supplement your application with audio and/or video recordings or other additional materials, they may be sent directly to music@christchurchfitchburg.org. You are also expected to contact someone familiar with your musical training/experience (unrelated, and ideally a professor or private instructor) who can write a letter of recommendation for you. These should be sent to: Christ Church, c/o Choirmaster, 569 Main Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420

 
 

Our 1868 Gothic Revival building sits on a full block at 569 Main Street in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. In addition to a Music Suite downstairs which includes our extensive music library, rehearsal and classroom space, and three vesting rooms, our main worship space houses our 1928 Skinner/Moeller pipe organ comprising three manuals and over 4,000 pipes. We regularly utilize keyboard, guitar, and percussion instruments in our weekly services.