Accompanist

Accompanist

Kingston Choral Society Closing date: Fri, 14 Aug 2026

Artform: Music
Role: Performer
Contract: Permanent
London
  • Part time
  • Under £10K

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 "> published -

Job Summary

We seek to appoint a talented and motivated accompanist, committed to making music as part of a friendly community group, who will play a vital role in supporting the choir and Musical Director. Our accompanist will also perform with the choir at concerts requiring piano accompaniment. 2 hours/week.

Job Description

Our repertoire is enterprising and often unusual: in recent seasons the choir has performed music including Cecilia McDowall's Da Vinci Requiem, Mendelssohn's Die erste Walpurgisnacht, Kerry Andrew's Hymns and Charms for Fly-Away Things, Dyson's Sweet Thames, Run Softly, and a devised Venetian Vespers for Ascension, alongside many more standard works. You can read more about the choir and its concerts on the KCS website. Besides our performances, we engage with the local community by involving ourselves in outreach projects including school and care home visits, and carol singing…
We seek to appoint a talented and motivated accompanist, committed to making music as part of a friendly community group, who will play a vital role in supporting the choir and Musical Director. Rehearsals take place on Thursday evenings during term time (usually 38 per year) from 8-10pm, usually at Hollyfield School, Surbiton, a five-minute walk from Surbiton Station. Our accompanist will also perform with the choir at concerts requiring piano accompaniment. For the appropriate candidate, the role may offer opportunities to perform on the organ, orchestral keyboards or continuo, and to deputise for our Musical Director at rehearsals.
The successful candidate will be a talented and motivated collaborative pianist with experience of working within a choral setting, who understands the value and ethos of high-quality amateur music making, and enjoys working as part of a friendly and hard-working community group.
The remuneration rate is £120 for each two-hour rehearsal call. Travel expenses may be claimed up to the equivalent of a standard train ticket from central London per rehearsal.
If suitable, the appointed candidate may be invited to take part in KCS concerts, either as a soloist or accompanist on piano and/or organ. Any concert engagements will be subject to remuneration at a mutually agreed rate.

Job Requirements

A high level of skill as a collaborative pianist
Experience of working in a choral context
The ability to realise an orchestral reduction in a stylish and supportive manner
The ability to follow the Musical Director's conducting, attentively and responsively
Fluency in reading both short score and open score, to fully support all vocal parts in the choir
A high level of awareness of the choir's musical needs, and the flexibility to adjust your playing in response
The ability to demonstrate one or more vocal parts on the piano with a harmonic background
Fluency in supporting and harmonising vocal exercises by ear during choir warm-ups in such a way as to encourage chorus engagement
The ability to transpose as requested (with plenty of warning) when the choir perform at pitches other than A440
The flexibility to adapt to and work well with occasional stand-in Musical Directors
The to engage occasional stand-in accompanists of suitable calibre, in your absence.

Job Responsibilities

To provide a high level of accompaniment at our regular Thursday evening rehearsals during term time. (Occasional absence is allowed, by arrangement with the Musical Director; it is the postholder's responsibility to secure an appropriate deputy.)
To play piano parts in KCS concerts when the need arises, including occasionally providing solo items or accompanying soloists in items not involving the choir, by agreement.
To accompany KCS Come and Sing events (not more than once per season).
To work collaboratively and constructively with the Musical Director to facilitate rehearsals and foster high musical standards

Personal qualities:
Strong time management and organisation skills
Clear and timely written and verbal communication
Approachability, with good interpersonal skills and a keenness to interact with members of KCS
The ability to work flexibly, creatively and collaboratively as part of a small team
.

Useful Links

Job Overview

  • Job Title: Accompanist
  • Salary: Under £10K
  • Hours: Part time
  • Artform: Music
  • Role: Performer
  • Contract: Permanent
  • Closing date: Fri, 14 Aug 2026
  • Location:
    London
    | view on Google Maps

Job: Accompanist

Job: Accompanist

Organisation: Kingston Choral Society

Postcode: KT6 4TU

How to Apply

Please submit your CV, names and contact details of two referees, and a supporting letter of not more than 500 words, setting out your suitability and motivation to become the new KCS accompanist, to the KCS Secretary, by 5pm on 14 August 2026. Please tell us if you do not wish us to contact referees prior to interview. If you would like to discuss the role before applying please email the KCS Chair, [email protected].
The appointment panel will invite a shortlist of candidates to an audition in the form of a Thursday evening rehearsal with the choir members present, and subsequently to an interview via video call. Please indicate your availability on Thursday evenings in September and October 2026 as part of your cover letter. Audition requirements will be specified at the shortlisting stage, and if called to audition, you will be offered a rehearsal fee.
We expect to make the final appointment decision by early November 2026, for joining us in January 2027.