Worship Pianist

Schedule:

• Protestant Worship Service: Sundays at 10:00 a.m.
• Protestant Worship Service: Sundays at 11:15 a.m.
• Roman Catholic Mass: Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m.
• Additional special worship services as scheduled.
• The Worship Pianist must arrive at least fifteen (15) minutes before each scheduled service and provide approximately ten (10) minutes of prelude music.

Summary

The Worship Pianist is responsible for providing professional piano or keyboard accompaniment and vocal support for Protestant and Roman Catholic worship services at the Erie VA Medical Center. The pianist will support the Chaplain Service by performing hymns, preludes, postludes, special musical selections, and other worship music requested by the officiating Chaplain.

The selected individual must be comfortable performing music from both Protestant and Roman Catholic traditions and must be able to coordinate musical selections with the Chaplain. The pianist will contribute to a respectful and spiritually supportive worship environment for Veterans, families, staff, and other attendees.

Requirements

• Documented experience serving as a worship pianist, accompanist, church musician, or in a similar musical role.
• Experience performing in a VA chapel, religious congregation, hospital, or comparable institutional environment.
• Demonstrated ability to perform music from both Protestant and Roman Catholic worship traditions.
• Ability to accurately perform hymns contained in the chapel hymnal.
• Proficiency in performing preludes, congregational hymns, special musical selections, and postludes.
• Ability to provide vocal support or accompaniment when requested.
• Ability to coordinate musical selections with the officiating Chaplain.
• Ability to arrive on time and remain available for all scheduled services.
• Ability to communicate professionally with Chaplains, VA personnel, Veterans, and worship participants.
• Ability to complete all required VA privacy, information security awareness, and records-management training.
• Ability to successfully complete the required VA personnel vetting and Tier 1/Low-Risk background investigation.
• Formal musical education or training is preferred but is not specifically required by the solicitation.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide piano or keyboard accompaniment for scheduled Protestant worship services.
• Provide piano or keyboard accompaniment for scheduled Roman Catholic Masses.
• Provide vocal support or accompaniment when requested by the officiating Chaplain.
• Perform hymns from Protestant and Roman Catholic traditions with a high level of accuracy.
• Perform approximately ten minutes of appropriate prelude music before each scheduled service.
• Perform an appropriate postlude at the conclusion of each worship service.
• Provide one special musical selection per service when requested by the officiating Chaplain.
• Coordinate hymns, preludes, postludes, and special selections with the officiating Chaplain.
• Review the order of worship and musical requirements before each service.
• Arrive at least fifteen minutes before each scheduled service or special event.
• Maintain flexibility when service schedules are adjusted based on Veteran needs or VA staffing.
• Remain available to support up to two Protestant services on Sundays when scheduled.
• Provide musical support for special worship services and religious events as requested.
• Notify the officiating Chaplain as soon as possible when unable to attend a scheduled service.
• Arrange for a qualified substitute when necessary, subject to applicable contract requirements.
• Personally perform at least sixty-five percent (65%) of the scheduled services the pianist is expected to attend.
• Maintain professional conduct and appropriate decorum within the VA chapel environment.
• Protect the privacy and confidentiality of Veterans and other worship participants.
• Comply with all applicable VA policies, facility procedures, records-management requirements, and contractor training obligations.