Are you a musician considering a career in music performance or education? Have you ever thought about the opportunities available in church music? Join this free panel discussion on Monday, 19 May 2025 from 7pm AEST to learn more!
The Royal School of Church Music invites you to Being a Church Musician, an engaging online panel discussion featuring professional musicians in composition, conducting, and choral singing. Our panellists will share their experiences, insights, and advice on building a fulfilling career in church music—whether as a performer, director, or educator.
Many musicians don’t realise that church music offers a wealth of professional opportunities. From leading choirs and composing sacred works to conducting ensembles and working in music education, the church music world is a dynamic and rewarding field. Whether you’re a student, a teacher, or an emerging professional, this event will provide valuable guidance on how to forge a career in this space.
RSCM (Royal School of Church Music) has a long tradition of supporting and equipping musicians through training, networking, and resources. Being a Church Musician will highlight the pathways available and how RSCM can help musicians of all backgrounds develop their skills and find meaningful opportunities.
📅 Date & Time: Monday 19 May, 7:00 PM (AEST)
💻 Location: Online event
This is a fantastic opportunity to hear from industry professionals, ask questions, and explore a career in church music.
About our Panellists
Sam Mitchell
Sam Mitchell is an Australian pianist and countertenor based in Oxford, celebrated for his versatility across classical and contemporary repertoire. His performances have taken him to stages across Europe, Australia, the USA, Asia, and Africa, with notable appearances on BBC Radio 3, Australia’s ABC Classic FM, and New York’s WNYC.
A founding member of the contemporary music collective Nonsemble, Sam has performed at TEDx and been featured twice on the influential I Care if You Listen mixtape. Nonsemble’s 2015 EP, Go Seigen vs. Fujisawa Kuranosuke, was hailed as “a monumental contemporary classic” (Cut Common Magazine). As a pianist, his standout performances include John Adams’ Phrygian Gates at Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) and opening the 2019 Extended Play Festival at Sydney’s City Recital Hall.
As a countertenor, Sam has performed with leading ensembles such as Tenebrae, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The Oxford Bach Soloists, Ex Cathedra, The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, The Song Company, and the Mogens Dahl Kammerkor. His solo highlights include the role of Hamor in Handel’s Jephtha alongside James Gilchrist, as well as featured performances in Handel’s Messiah with the Hanover Band, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with Eboracum Baroque, and Haydn’s Nelson Mass with Instruments of Time and Truth. For six years, he was a lay clerk in the choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.
Beyond performance, Sam is a highly sought-after music educator. He teaches piano at two of the UK’s most prestigious schools—St Helen and St Katharine, where he was Acting Head of Piano, and Radley College. He also maintains a busy schedule as an accompanist and répétiteur, working with leading soloists and ensembles, and serves as an official accompanist for Oxford University. Sam holds a Bachelor of Music with First-Class Honours and an MPhil in Chamber Music and Accompaniment from the University of Queensland. His thesis on Benjamin Britten earned a Dean’s Award for its significant contribution to research.
Dominic Fitzgerald
Dominic enjoys a busy musical life, splitting his time between teaching, conducting, singing and playing the cello. As Assistant Head of Department – The Arts at Brisbane Boys’ College and Casual Academic at the University of Queensland’s School of Music, Dominic works with students of all stages in their music education journey, from Primary to Tertiary. Cello Performance was the focus of his Undergraduate and Postgraduate degrees, at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University and the Sydney Conservatorium, University of Sydney, respectively.
Since 2015, Dominic has developed a keen interest in choral music and classical singing generally – and worked as a Lay Clerk at St. John’s Anglican Cathedral in Brisbane from 2015 until May of 2023 when he accepted the position of Director of Music for Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Fortitude Valley. He conducts and sings in choirs in a variety of contexts. Dominic is a great enthusiast for the canon of Western Art Music, as well as a vast array of contemporary and ancient music.
More presenter bios to come!
