Cathedral organist sought for Ribe Cathedral

Cathedral Organist at Ribe Cathedral

The position as cathedral organist at Ribe Cathedral, Ribe Deanery is vacant for occupancy on 1 January 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Ribe Deanery has 3,119 members of the Church of Denmark. The parish is attached with 3 priests, church wardens, cantor and assistance for tourist service. In addition, there is a choir of 10 singers.

We can offer good working relations in a culturally and historically stimulating environment with many good opportunities for development both as a concert and liturgical musician. We are seeking an organist with a degree in church music from the Royal Danish Academy of Music or an equivalent education abroad. An experienced organist with good repertoire knowledge, strong administrative abilities and a desire to strengthen the cathedral’s musical life, including potential organ student apprentices and the congregation’s community singing, is expected.

The position includes

● Worship services and religious ceremonies in the Cathedral, Ribe Chapel, the Dagmargården nursing home and Novrup Chapel

● Playing for ordinations, bishop inaugurations and national festive services.

● Responsibility for the cathedral’s organ loft in collaboration with the cathedral cantor.

● Participation in, among other things, parish meetings, confirmation teaching, junior confirmation teaching and the annual hymn-singing project under RAMS (Ribe Diocesan School-Church Cooperation).

● 20 – 25 concerts with the cathedral’s own ensembles and external actors

● Supervision of the organ and pianos in the cathedral parish

● Participation in the Rued Langgaard Festival.

● Mutual on-call obligation with the cathedral cantor, who is organist at Seem Church. Organ: P. Bruhn & Søn 1983, 7 stops, 1 manual and pedal.

● Accompaniment at concerts with the church’s various choirs.

In addition to the choir school, the Cathedral has extensive choral work managed by the cathedral cantor. It includes a youth, children, girls, youth and chamber choirs with a total of about 110 singers. In addition to the cathedral cantor, two experienced choral tutors are attached to the youth, children and girls’ choirs.

Ribe Cathedral is the country’s oldest cathedral and a very popular tourist destination with around 250,000 visitors per year. Despite the town’s relatively small size, the Cathedral is also a highly sought-after concert church, where choirs and ensembles, amateurs as well as professionals, often come by.

Due to restoration, the Cathedral will close for Pentecost 2027 and is expected to reopen by Easter 2029. During this period, services and religious ceremonies will be held in Sct. Catharina Church. A practice organ will be available in Kannikegården.

During the closure, the parish council of the cathedral works on several large organ projects. In this connection, an organ committee has been established with participation from external consultants as advisors, fundraisers, etc. The new cathedral organist is a founding member.

Please note that there are no internal applicants for the position.

The position

The appointment is covered by the General Agreement for Academics in the State, protocol on collective employment for DOKS organists. The position as cathedral organist is covered by protocol § 6 on compensation as chief consultant.

Applicants for the position must have completed the degree in church music (or have an equivalent education from a foreign music conservatory)

The annual salary is negotiated according to the rules for chief consultants in the state, within the interval of 485,345 – 511,173 DKK (base amount March 31, 2012), or 598,476.49 – 630,324.87 DKK as of April 1, 2025.03.27.

There is a on-call duty attached to the position. The on-call allowance amounts to 30,000 DKK annually (base amount March 31, 2012) or 36,992.85 DKK as of April 1, 2025.

Current civil servant organists have the right to retain their civil servant status upon appointment with a direct transition. In that case, the position must be classified.

The appointment is made by Ribe Deanery Parish Council, Kannikegården, Torvet 15, 6760 Ribe.

Application deadline is 26 October at 24:00. Applications with relevant attachments should be sent to Ribe Deanery, Torvet 15, 6760 Ribe or to the parish council chairman Katrine Lund Jørgensen [email protected]

Questions can be directed to the cathedral cantor Jonas Hunt [email protected] or 28125075

Interviews and audition with the choral direction are expected to take place in week 46

The appointment is with a three-month probationary period

References and a child-safety certificate will be requested.

Important dates

Created: 5 Oct 2026

Application deadline: 26 Oct 2026

Contact person

Jonas Hunt

Main phone: 28125075

Email: [email protected]

Employer

Ribe Deanery Parish Council

Torvet 15

6760 Ribe