Dr Paul Jessen
Church Organist and Choir Director
Forthcoming Concerts
- Since August 2007: Choir Master
Christie
Gardens Retirement Community
Toronto,
Ontario
Responsibilities
- Accompanist and Choir Director
- Choose all music: hymns, popular songs, classical music
- Consult regularly with the committee
- Conduct and train the choir
- Since February 2005: Organist and Choir Master (English Choir)
St Clare's Roman Catholic
Church
Toronto,
Ontario
Responsibilities
- Organist and Choir Director for Sunday services and Holy Days
- Accompany hymns, anthems, and solos
- Choose all music: hymns, propers, anthems, solos, and voluntaries
- Consult regularly with the priest for the services
- Conduct and train the choir
- Librarian
- Minor organ repairs
- August 2002 Choral Workshop
St Pauli
Braunschweig, Germany
- 2000 - 2001 Choir Director
- (One Year Sabbatical replacement)
Brock University Music Department
St Catharines, Ontario
Responsibilities
- Conduct and train two choirs: Mixed (40 voices); Women's (20 voices)
- Choose the repertoire
- Arrange for soloists and accompanists
- Consult regularly with the Department Chair
- Conduct five concerts at Brock
- Arrange one concert in Toronto
- Audition all prospective choir students (60)
- Conduct mid-term and end-of-term individual chorister tests
Productions
- Ceremony of Carols - Benjamin Britten
- Folk Songs of the Four Seasons - Ralph Vaughan Williams
- Liebeslieder Valzer, Op. 52 - Johannes Brahms
- Requiem (selections) - Peter Landey
- Since November 1999: Music Director
St Matthew's
United Church
Toronto,
Ontario
Responsibilities
- Organist and pianist for Sunday services
- Accompany hymns, anthems, and solos
- Consult regularly with the minister for the services
- Conduct and train the choir
- Audition and hire six soloists
- Librarian
- Found and Direct a Community Children's Choir
- Found and Direct the
- Choose hymns, anthems, solos, and voluntaries
- Administer several concert series
- Care of the musical instruments including minor organ repairs and tuning
Productions:
- Cabaret -- various show tunes (January 2007)
- Requiem - Gabriel Fauré & Hosianna dem Sohnne Gottes - Franz Tunder (Palm Sunday, 2004) with orchestra
- Holy Week Choral Concert (April 2003)
- Holy Week Choral Concert (March 2002)
- Music, Arts, and Flower Festival (every May or June since 2001)
- Stabat Mater - Antonio Caldara (April 2001)
- The Crucifixion - John Stainer (March 2000)
- Stabat Mater - Giovanni Pergolesi (April 2000)
- Ceremony of Carols - Benjamin Britten (December 2000)
· 1999: Organist
St Gilbert Roman Catholic Church
St
Léonard, Québec
Responsibilities:
- Organist for services (French language)
- Work with the cantor
- Rehearse the choir with the cantor
- Consult with the Rector
- Play the beautiful Létourneau two manual Rococo organ
· 1998 - 2000: Honorary Assistant Director of Music
Trinity
Memorial Anglican Church
Montréal,
Québec
Responsibilities:
- Consult with the Rector on musical matters
- Organist and pianist for occasional services
- Obtain quotes for restoring the four manual Casavant organ
- Sit on the 75th Anniversary Festival Committee
- 1997 - 2000: Founding Choir Director
New Exodus
Singers
Montréal,
Québec
Productions:
1. Koi Concert, June, 1998
Programme:
- How Lovely are the Messengers (from St Paul Oratorio) - Mendelssohn
- The Bells of St Mary -
- Oh What a Lovely Mornin' - Rodgers & Hammerstein
- The Silver Lining - Jerome Kern
- Christmas Concert and recording 1998 & 1999
- Festal Choral Evensong for the visit of the Archbishop of the West Indies
- Mystical Song No 5 by Ralph Vaughan Williams
- Te Deum in Bb by C.V.Stanford
- Jubilate in Bb by C.V.Stanford
- Ave Maria by Jacob Arcadelt
- Evensong once a month at Trinity Memorial Anglican Church, Montréal.
- 1991 - 1999: Director of Music
Summerlea
United Church
Lachine,
Québec
Productions:
- Organist, pianist, and choir director for Sunday services
- Special musical Christmas services
- Organ, piano, and choir concerts
- Posters and programmes
- Purchased a grand piano
- 1989 - 1999: Sing bass
The Cathedral Singers at Christ Church (Anglican)
Cathedral
Montréal,
Québec
Productions:
- Weekly Evensong
- Special music during Advent, Lent and Easter
- Organ, and choral concerts
- The Messiah (George Frederick Handel), Carmina Burana (Carl Orff), Requiem (Gabriel Fauré), St John Passion (J.S.Bach), Chichester Psalms (Leornard Bernstein), and various cantatas by J.S.Bach and Dietrich Buxtehude.
- 1989 - 1990: Assistant Organist
Christ Church
(Anglican) Cathedral
Montréal,
Québec
Productions:
- Organist and assistant choir director for Sunday services
- Special music during Advent, Lent and Easter
- Many organ, choir, and chamber music concerts
- The Messiah (George Frederick Handel), Coronation Mass (W.A.Mozart)
- 1989: Assistant choir director
Bremen,
Germany
Responsibilities:
- Choose repertoire with the director
- Train the choir in English works
- 1985-1987: Co choir director
Waikanae
Singers
Waikanae,
New Zealand
Responsibilities:
- Choose repertoire with the co-director
- Play for rehearsals
- Train the choir
- Conduct unaccompanied repertoire
- 1980-1987: Associate Organist
First Church of
Christ, Scientist
Wellington,
New Zealand
Responsibilities:
- Organist for services
- Rehearse with the soloists
- 1982 - 1984: Organist
Wellington,
New Zealand
Responsibilities:
- Organist for services
- Rehearse with the choir and their director
- 1976 - 1982: Organist and Choirmaster
St
Barnabas (Anglo-catholic) Church
Wellington,
New Zealand
Responsibilities:
- Organist and choir director for High Mass and various funerals and weddings
- Prepare special music for Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter
- Train the choir and cantors
- Consult regularly with the priest
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