Why am I concerned
about fees? I am aware of a number of vacancies around my
area of Devon which can take a long time to fill. There
just do not seem to be enough capable organists about and I
am particularly aware of my own shortcomings. A factor in
this appears to be the fee structure. For those involved in
playing for just one or occasionally two Sunday services with
all music chosen by the priest, the task is relatively simple.
But with the continuing decline in numbers of clergy
available the organist has now been "promoted" to
"Director of Music" even in relatively humble
churches and often has to work many extra hours helping to
select the music from an ever greater variety of styles. When
I was appointed a few years ago to PPT Bovey Tracey, it was
suggested that I would not be able to carry out the work of
DoM if I was in full time employment; other churches in the
area have advertised for DoMs demanding a wide spectrum of
ability and have expected relatively large amounts of time -
15-20 hours per week including Sundays as part of the
contract. In one case, I understand that a fee of around £6,000
pa (2002) had failed to attract sufficient numbers to enable an
appointment to be made. Churches must take care that they do not in effect
pay below the legal minimum for such staff.
The Anglican, and no
doubt other churches in the UK, must realise that if they
expect their musicians to work during any part of Monday to
Friday between 8am and 6pm, they must pay a professional rate
of not less than about £25-£30 per hour. Canterbury Diocese has
woken up to this reality at least in part by specifying that
the organist fee for a funeral shall not be less than £50 (this happened in
around 1998). This reflects more closely a fair typical
professional charge rate; organists are not immune from bills after all!
If a DoM is to be "employed" for Sunday services,
music practice once per week (usually in the evening for
around two hours) and working on his music for a further 10 hours per week, then
the salary to reflect that needs to be somewhere in the £2,500-£3,000
region for the normal week-end + £1000 per month for the
time spent "on the job" during normal working hours.
In other words a salary approaching £15,000 per annum plus
fees for weddings and funerals plus expenses.
In their turn organists have got to learn new
stuff. I seem to be one of very few around here prepared to play modern
worship songs on the organ. While I accept that there will be some
songs that are not appropriate or particularly difficult, many organists
don't even bother to try. This is wrong; it restricts the repertoire and may
leave many younger people out in the cold. If you have any doubt about how
to play this stuff, try soloing the tune on the Great and accompanying on
the Swell. Make sure Great to Pedal is off. Give the whole thing a bit of
"welly" and above all make it rhythmic! I hear far too much legato
in almost all hymn and song playing. Make sure too that your music is joined
up; it is no good introducing a typical worship song by old method of first
two lines and pause, silent for two beats then play - it just doesn't work.
You must prepare the whole piece; fortunately most modern writers provide
you with the play-over and bridging material but not all, and you may wish
to vary what they have done anyway. Kendrick's start for Shine! Jesus,
shine! for example is simply far too weak for a short play-over; I use
part of the refrain to fire it up.
Churches rightly expect
a high standard of music and will wish to ensure that it can
be maintained by having a structured training programme. With
the continuing decline in clergy numbers available to carry
out the preparation of services, it is falling more and more
to fewer capable or hopefully experienced musicians to
prepare music schedules for their services. Is it not time
for a lot more recognition of our musicians or the whole
music thing - vital for our worship will fall apart?
Clive Sawers
First drafted September 2006