More than 20 apply for position of organist and choirmaster

More than twenty people have applied for the job of organist and choirmaster at St Michael’s church in the city. A number of them have been shortlisted and these will be expected to demonstrate their skills in front of a committee of specialist interviewers over the coming weeks.
 
Regular readers will remember that the former organist and choirmaster at the church, Marco Brandazza, was dismissed last year after 18 years’ service following a disagreement with the then interim leader of the parish, Sybille Hardegger. Brandazza’s dismissal led to a number of members of the 60-member choir leaving in protest, causing both rehearsals and performances to be cancelled for some months. However, rehearsals began again in February, after Guido Bissig, who leads the Cäcilienverein music association in Triengen in the canton of Lucerne, took over on a temporary basis, with a performance by the choir duly taking place there over Easter.
 
Naturally, that so many people have applied for this 20% job is very pleasing, as Christoph Balmer, the chairman of the committee charged with finding a suitable musician, said, as he went on to explain that the high level of interest was due in no small way to the possibilities for further development offered by this city church, rather than one in some rural location.
 
Joining Balmer on his committee are some of the remaining members of the choir, the city orchestra and the church council, not forgetting the vicar of St Michael’s, Reto Kaufmann and an external woman adviser.
 
Among the qualifications the new appointee is expected to bring with him are a solid background in church music with experience in conducting choirs as well as a positive approach to religion. “Naturally we expect the new leader of the choir to enthuse its members in their singing,” added the vicar.
 
It was not disclosed how many are actually on the shortlist, but, following the afore-mentioned trials at the end of June, an announcement is expected to be made before the summer holidays.
 
At present, the choir is practising for a service on Landsgemeindeplatz in the city on the occasion of Corpus Christi day on Thursday 15 June.