Collaborative Pianist – First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego

First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego
Job Title: Collaborative Pianist
Reports to: Music Director
Effective: September 1, 2022
Status: part-time, approx. 10 hours per week
FLSA: non-exempt

Music Ministry at First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego
The mission of First UU San Diego is to create community, to nurture spiritual growth, and to act on our values to help heal the world.

Unitarian Universalism is a liberal faith which honors multiple spiritual paths, knowing we do not have to think alike to love alike. We understand and experience diversity in several ways. Our congregation is mixed in terms of age, and we have been attracting younger members, families, and friends in recent years. Though our members and staff mostly identify as non-people-of-color, we are intentionally engaging in various educational and structural shifts to become a more radically inclusive, welcoming, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive congregation.

This work is jointly led by our Board of Trustees, our Journey Toward Wholeness team, and our ministers and staff. We expect the ministry of our congregation to occur through the lens of racial justice and dismantling racism, both internally and externally.

The music ministry is an integral part of this transformative work. Our vision of music ministry is to explore, collaborate, worship, and be transformed through and by the music we make individually, in groups large and small, and with the whole community. We commit to creating opportunities for all to explore and participate to the full extent of their abilities and comfort.

Job Summary
The Collaborative Pianist provides music for Sunday morning worship services, accompanies two choral ensembles, and participates in Music Team meetings. Employment is governed by the FUUSD Employee Handbook. The Collaborative

Pianist is expected to support the church’s goal of becoming a more radically inclusive, welcoming, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive congregation, and to abide by denominational and congregational policies regarding respectful and appropriate behavior toward all staff and congregation members. This includes but is not limited to the FUUSD Covenant of Good Relations and the Harassment (1.7) and Conflict of Interest/Code of Ethics (4.22) sections in the Employee Handbook.

Essential Functions
• Provide piano/keyboard music for regular worship services and occasional special services (at least Christmas Eve) in collaboration with the music team; this will normally include prelude, postlude, offertory, special music, etc., as well as accompanying congregational hymns, soloists, or ensembles.
• Accompany Treble Choir (sopranos and altos) rehearsals on Monday evenings.
• Accompany Chalice Choir (SATB) rehearsals on Wednesday evenings.
• Support occasional concert activities by ensembles.
• Pursue a musical offering that diversifies the voices represented during Sunday services.
• Collaborate with the Music Team to ensure musical coverage for all services at both campuses.
• Collaborate and communicate with the directors of the Treble and Chalice Choirs.
• Collaborate on tuning and maintenance of the church’s pianos in a manner that ensures their long life and use.
• Participate in the larger UU music community, including but not limited to membership in the Association for
Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries (AUUMM).

Minimum Qualifications
• Excellent keyboard skills in a variety of musical styles.
• Experience accompanying both soloists and group rehearsals.
• Familiarity with choral pedagogy is desirable, but not required.
• Good communication skills and a spirit of cooperation in planning with other staff and congregants.
• Familiarity with liberal religion in general, and/or Unitarian Universalism specifically, and a willingness to learn.

Other Responsibilities
• Attend staff Music Team meetings (every other week).
• Track time spent on church work. Work outside of this job description may be undertaken with the approval of the Music Director, but the work within this job description must take precedence.
• Meet at regular intervals with the Music Director to discuss goals, support needed, job performance, and other
issues that may arise.
• Annually identify personal professional goals in line with the mission of the congregation, its music ministry, and its current strategic plan.
• Arrive to rehearsals and performances with repertoire appropriately prepared; FUUSD has several pianos which
the Collaborate Pianist may use to practice.

Compensation
The weekly hours for this position will vary but will average about 10 hours per week. The position is year-round and subject to California Paid Sick Leave laws. Compensation is $25/hour for “non-performance work” such as rehearsals and meetings and $50/hour (with a three-hour minimum) for “performance work” such as worship services, concerts, or other special programs.

Right of First Refusal
If music is required for a memorial, wedding, or other rite or ritual involving members or friends of FUUSD, the
Collaborative Pianist must be invited first to provide that music. If they are willing and available, they will negotiate the fee, then get paid for this performance outside of this job description’s scope of work. If they are not available, they are to inform the requester as quickly as possible.

Application Process
Please send a cover letter, resume, and related materials (references, works performed, videos of prior work), to
careers@firstuusandiego.org, including “Pianist” in the subject line. We intend to interview qualified candidates on a rolling basis as applications are received. Once materials are received, a FUUSD team member will be in touch with you regarding next steps, which may include an invitation to play piano for a Sunday morning service or accompany a choir rehearsal. We hope to hire somebody to start in the role on September 1, 2022.

Thank you for your interest in working with our congregation. We look forward to reviewing your application.