Well, they used to be called Choirmasters or Masters of the Chapel, although usually they had an official Canonry. They go way, way back . . . at least to the 14th century in France and the Netherlands, and further than that in Italy.
Oh, well, if we’re talking about Medieval - how more cultural the church was then than most modern Catholic churches today. King Richard 3 hunted the country for the best musicians for his church choirs.
I was talking about my own experiences in the American Catholic church when almost no emphasis was put on choral music. And the occasional nun ran the show - not a hired musical director.
Thanks for the lovely pictures!!