Music Director

Position Summary

The Music Director provides musical leadership and direction for worship services, rehearsals, and special events. Working closely with the Worship Leader and ministry leadership, this position is responsible for preparing and directing musicians, executing musical arrangements, developing the band, and helping create worship experiences that are excellent, unified, prepared, and responsive to the direction of the service.

The ideal candidate is both a highly skilled musician and an effective leader who can develop others, communicate musical direction clearly, and understand that musical excellence ultimately serves the purpose of ministry.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide musical direction for worship services, rehearsals, and special events.
• Work closely with the Creative Arts Director to execute song arrangements, keys, transitions, dynamics, and overall musical direction.
• Lead organized and productive band rehearsals.
• Ensure musicians understand song structures, individual parts, transitions, and expectations.
• Arrange and adapt music based on available musicians and instrumentation.
• Provide clear musical cues and direction during live services.
• Lead the band through spontaneous worship, extended moments, transitions, key changes, and other real-time adjustments.
• Identify musical issues and provide clear, constructive coaching and correction.
• Develop musicians and help maintain a consistent standard of musical excellence.
• Assist with auditions and evaluating musicians' readiness to serve.
• Foster a culture of preparation, teamwork, accountability, excellence, and spiritual maturity.
• Collaborate effectively with the Creative Arts Director and other ministry teams.

Required Musical Skills

• Advanced proficiency on piano/keys proficiency
• Strong understanding of music theory, chords, keys, progressions, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, and song structure.
• Strong ability to play by ear and quickly learn music from recordings, charts, or stems.
• Ability to transpose music
• Ability to create, read, and communicate chord charts and musical arrangements.
• Strong understanding of timing, tempo, dynamics, transitions, and band arrangements.
• Ability to hear multiple instruments and identify areas requiring musical adjustment.
• Ability to effectively lead and communicate with musicians of varying skill levels.
• Ability to direct both structured arrangements and spontaneous worship moments.

Technical Skills

Working knowledge of worship technology is preferred, including:

• Planning Center Services
• Ableton Live and/or similar playback platforms
• MultiTracks, stems, loops, click tracks, and cues
• In-ear monitoring systems
• Basic audio and stage terminology

Leadership & Ministry Expectations

• Demonstrate strong leadership, communication, organization, and follow-through.
• Lead confidently while remaining teachable and responsive to ministry leadership.
• Provide coaching and correction with clarity, patience, and respect.
• Demonstrate dependability, punctuality, preparation, and professionalism.
• Maintain a team-first, ministry-minded approach rather than an individual performance mindset.
• Demonstrate a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and a lifestyle consistent with biblical Christian values.
• Support the mission, vision, leadership, and culture of the church.
• Demonstrate spiritual maturity, humility, integrity, discretion, and a servant's heart.
• Understand that worship ministry is ministry first and music second.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Music Director, Band Leader, Lead Musician, or similar role preferred.
• Church or worship ministry experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead musicians and rehearsals.
• Strong knowledge of contemporary worship, gospel, and other musical styles relevant to the church's worship expression.
• Availability for Sunday services, rehearsals, special services, and ministry events as required.