Stephen Layton

[Vox Humana]

Job details here.

https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/vacancies/director-of-music/

[Choral Enthusiast]

Good luck to SDL. Trinity have been absolutely incredible under him. An exciting role for someone and I look forward to seeing what SDL does in the freelance world.

[ardcarp]

For those who can't make Vox's link work (I couldn't) there's this:

https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/Further-Particulars-Director-of-Music_1.pdf

[jonfan]

I note that the job description states that the DOM doesn't need to be a practising Christian. This seems odd to me; it's like the leader of the Conservative Party doesn't need to be a practising Conservative. If the DOM doesn't believe in the Creeds intoned at services then it all becomes just a concert and really a sham. The reason I enjoy Suzuki's Bach Cantatas, for example, is that he believes the intent behind the music. Andrew Nethsingha put it really well when he said that CE is in search of the sense of the divine in the liturgy presented.

[ardcarp]

Jonfan, you are of course right. But many involved in Anglican church music (and I speak mainly of some lay clerks and organists) are not committed believers. I'm afraid I have a strong streak of agnosticism. But that is not to deny that hearing or participating in the music has a strongly spiritual element. Is it True Faith? I'm, not sure.

[Choral Enthusiast]

Jonfan, you are of course right. But many involved in Anglican church music (and I speak mainly of some lay clerks and organists) are not committed believers. I'm afraid I have a strong streak of agnosticism. But that is not to deny that hearing or participating in the music has a strongly spiritual element. Is it True Faith? I'm, not sure.

It's an interesting point to make. My view is that lay clerks, organists and Directors of Music are church musicians who, by doing their job to the best of their ability, are helping the congregation strengthen their beliefs.

[jonfan]

You shouldn’t be afraid to admit to agnosticism Mr A, I’m sure that applies to most Christians a lot of the time. Tennyson was right when he wrote ‘There’s more Faith in honest doubt than half the creeds’. What I would expect a DOM to do in a cathedral or college chapel is to give their choristers an expectation of finding the divine or the transcendent through the liturgy and music. I got this from my DOM when I first sang in a college choir in my late teens. At Trinity these moments often occur in the silence that comes at the end of Psalms, Canticles and anthems; time stands still in the moment.
All this I find hard to put into words, because it’s beyond words. All I can give are examples from elsewhere, Elijah’s ‘still small voice’, John Wesley’s ‘heart strangely warmed’ and RS Thomas’ poem ‘Bright Field’.