Aarhus Cathedral has a vacant full-time position as organist and choir director to be filled as of May 1, 2027

Aarhus Cathedral has a vacant full-time position as organist and choir leader to be filled by 1 May 2027.

Aarhus parish is a large, vibrant parish with just under 19,000 inhabitants. The cathedral is a cultural meeting point for the city and the diocese, and we are seeking a new organist and choir leader who, together with the church's two other organists/choir leaders, can contribute to the continuing development of the church's rich musical life. The parish council places high value on the church's musical life and supports the music financially – both for worship and for concerts.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. We expect a high level of expertise in organ playing and choral leadership and, in return, offer good opportunities for creative expression in a dynamic workplace with ample opportunity to bring one's own initiatives into play.

The new organist, together with the two other organists, will share responsibility for planning and implementing church-musical activities at the Cathedral and is expected, in collaboration with the church's pastors, other staff, and the parish council, to contribute to maintaining and developing the high level of activity.

Three Sunday worship services are the starting point for the organists' regular duties, which also include, among other things, liturgical actions, several weekly confirmation day services, services at nursing homes, music services, ordination services, singing arrangements in the parish house, programs with mini-confirmands, and participation in meetings with other staff and the parish council. It is expected that the three organists together will host and organize about 20 concerts annually.

As part of this work, it is the organists' duty to prepare relevant grant applications and to assist with communications work.

The church's salaried chapel choir consists of 16-18 adult singers who participate in high mass on all Sundays and holidays, music services, 3-4 annual concert projects, as well as ordinations and other special worship services. In addition, the singers participate in smaller groups at the Sunday 5 p.m. service and in religious services in church and chapel. The church's boys' choir participates in a monthly high mass.

At the 10 a.m. high masses on Sundays and holidays, 1-2 organists participate – in the roles of organist and cantor. It is expected that applicants will be able to take on the musical leadership of the cantorate together with the church's other organists. This also includes ongoing administration in connection with planning the cantorate's work schedule.

Aarhus Cathedral Boys' Choir, St. Clement Boys' Choir, is led by organist Brian Stenger Poulsen. The choir has about 50 members and is organized in its own association. Together with the cathedral organist Kristian Krogsøe, the new organist stands ready as accompanist for the boys' choir for a number of rehearsals and concerts in the Cathedral.

The daily work and the church's concert activities are planned in good dialogue between the church's organists, with the cathedral organist as the supreme responsible to the church's priests and parish council.

It is expected that one values collaboration, flexibility, and engagement, has a positive attitude to working with children, youth, and the elderly, and can work independently and in a structured manner with regard to both short- and long-term planning and preparation. We offer working conditions that meet the need for ongoing professional development and maintenance of the high professional level, as well as time to develop the church's musical activities.

Aarhus Cathedral has three organs: the newly restored main organ (Kastens/Demant/Frobenius/Marcussen, 1730-2020) with 96 stops, the choir organ (Bruno Christensensen, 1970) with 22 stops, and a Klop-positiv with 4 stops.

In the parish house, Kannikegade 12, music has a home on the 3rd floor with a chorus rehearsal hall, its own office for the three organists, solo singing rooms, and a lounge. Access to electronic practice organs is available.

Further information about the position can be obtained by contacting cathedral organist Kristian Krogsøe at tel. 40728372 or by email [email protected]

The application with relevant attachments should be sent to the Aarhus Cathedral Parish Council by email to the confidential mailbox [email protected]

The application must be in the hands of the parish council no later than 4 December 2026 at 12:00.

Hiring interviews and audition/choral direction are expected to take place on 19 and 23 January 2027.

The parish council reserves the right to obtain references and a child-safety clearance.

The employment of an organist with a degree as “Church musician with organ and choral leadership” or an organist with a PO degree is covered by the Agreement between the Ministry of City, Rural and Church Affairs and CO10 – the Central Organization of 2010.

Organists with a church-music candidate or bachelor degree are covered by a protocol to the academic agreement on contract employment of DOKS organists and fixed teachers at church music schools concluded between the Academics and The Ministry of City, Rural and Church Affairs.

The agreements can be seen at People's Church Intranet .

Current civil service-employed organists have the right to keep their civil service status when employed with a direct transition. In that case, the position must be classified.

The annual salary for applicants with a church-music candidate degree (DOKS) is negotiated according to the new pay-AC scale. That is a gross salary between DKK 363,169 – 442,529 per year (in current kroner).

There is a duty of availability attached to the position. The availability allowance amounts annually to between DKK 46,727 – 72,573 (in current kroner). Placement and availability allowance are provided according to seniority. In addition, under local negotiation, qualification and function allowances may be provided.

The annual salary for applicants with church music education in organ and choral leadership (formerly PO-organists) is negotiated according to the agreed basic pay scale. Basic Scale 1 amounts to DKK 350,435 per year (in current kroner) and Basic Scale 2 amounts to DKK 368,189 per year (in current kroner). Placement occurs according to seniority.

There is a duty of availability to the position. The availability allowance amounts annually to DKK 29,666 (in current kroner).

Salary and availability allowance are quotas in accordance with the position's employment fraction.