Location: Ampleforth College
Hours: Full Time
Salary: £21,384
Closing Date: Wednesday 19th March, Midday
Interview Date: w/c Monday 24th March, 2025
Start Date: September 2025
Founded in 1802 and set in a beautiful Yorkshire valley, Ampleforth College is the world’s foremost Catholic boarding school, welcoming girls and boys of all faiths aged 11-18. Each student’s unique talents are recognised and nurtured within a welcoming community rooted in Benedictine values.
We have an exciting opportunity for an energetic, ambitious and motivated music graduate with a specific skill in piano and/organ playing for the academic year 2025-2026. For an outstanding candidate, the one year graduate programme may be extended for a further year or two years. You will be provided with a salary, full-board accommodation, access to an on-site gym, as well as significant opportunities.
Music is at the heart of Ampleforth, above all in the Abbey Church, but also all around the campus and beyond. Over the years an ever-widening diversity of instrumental and choral music has developed, and more recently that experience has been shared with children and adults beyond the valley.
Ampleforth commitment to choral music is strong. The Schola Cantorum, the boys’ choir, was established in 1970 to help preserve the singing of music written for the Roman Catholic Church, along with the best examples from other traditions, in the context for which it was written: the celebration of Mass. Now a mixed SATB male and female group of singers, the Schola Cantorum sings Mass every Friday evening and Sunday morning. Their repertoire is broad though maintaining its primary role of preserving music of the Catholic tradition. They perform in London at least once per year and more recently have developed a partnership of reciprocating joint services with Durham and Ripon Cathedrals.
In addition, the choirs sing meditations at key moments in the Liturgical Year and are joined by professional soloists and orchestras for oratorios. In recent years there have been annual performances of Handel’s Messiah, as well as Haydn’s The Creation, Bach’s St Matthew and St John Passions, Mozart Requiem, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater and Britten’s Ceremony of Carols. A long-standing tradition is the annual performance of Fauré’s Requiem near the Feast of All Souls.
There is a similarly important programme of instrumental music, of which the St Cecilia Concert in November and the Exhibition Concert in May are the main showcases when the large ensembles perform: College Symphony Orchestra, Pro Musica string ensemble, Junior Band and Pipe Band. The department hosts three Instrumental concerts per year with a significant number of smaller recitals including House Recitals in which every member of the House (and thus the school) performs.
This is a residential position and the role involves assisting with duties in the boarding houses and around the College.
The Successful candidate should be able to show initiative and commitment, work well with all age groups and be prepared to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.
In return, we have a great benefits package to offer, which includes:
* Free meals during working hours
* A generous Bounty scheme for referral of new staff
* Free car parking on site
* Cycle to work scheme
* Employee assistance programme
* A friendly and supportive working environment
* 10% Staff Discount at Ampleforth Abbey Shop and Tearooms
* Fee remission (at the Head’s discretion)
If you wish to apply for this role, then please download and complete the attached application form and return it to employment@ampleforth.org.uk
Should you have any questions regarding this position or would like further information, please contact Edward Seymour, Director of Music at eos@ampleforth.org.uk
St Laurence Education Trust and Ampleforth College are committed to safeguarding children and promoting the welfare of children and young people. They expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and will ensure that all recruitment and selection practices and procedures reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) along with other relevant employment checks.