Creating a new Organ Scholar position
  • Mark HuseyMark Husey
    Posts: 192
    Soliciting thoughts on creating a new organ scholar position at my parish (around 1000 families in the capitol city in a rural, southern state where Catholics are a small percentage of the population).

    Ask for a Catholic, take the best candidate (and maybe make a convert)?
    Train up a pianist into an organist?
    Look for the best Catholic musician?
    Anyone with previous experience in getting one of these positions off the ground?
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,093
    How would you describe the position you envision?
  • Mark HuseyMark Husey
    Posts: 192
    I'm glad you asked...these are my first thoughts...

    ______________________________________

    Saint Peter's Catholic Church in Columbia, South Carolina seeks to foster student Catholic musicians to support the sacred liturgy through excellence in organ playing, choral directing, and the use of Gregorian Chant.

    DESIRED EXPERIENCE

    Candidates must be able to sight-read (play) a 4 part hymn on piano at sight
    Candidates must be able to sight-sing a basic polyphonic motet (like Palestrina's Sicut cervus).

    At this inaugural stage of this position, we would consider a competent pianist and singer who desires organ training should they possess exceptional gifts of musicianship, be bilingual/bicultural (English/Spanish), and have experience in word processing/desktop publishing.

    The long-range goal is for this to be a position for a graduate student in organ performance and/or sacred music who is a full-time resource to the Music Ministry in all aspects (adult, teen, and treble choirs, playing liturgies, assisting in administration).

    RESPONSIBILITIES

    Accompany mid-week school Masses and rehearsals for an auditioned treble choir and training choir grades 3 - 6 that sing moderate/advanced choral repertory.

    Occasionally lead mid-week school Masses and rehearsals

    Occasionally assist in accompanying and directing an auditioned youth (teen) choir.

    Occasionally accompany weekend and Holy Day Masses and devotions with auditioned parish choir that sings moderately advanced repertory.

    ________________________________

    Remuneration is in God's hands right now...the pastor and I are doing our homework, and this discussion is part of it.
  • In an ideal world, every parish with a large music program would have an organ scholar position. Too many pianists and organists, myself being exhibit A, plunge into church work without having adequate experience in service music accompaniment and choral conducting. (And there's also the oft-forgotten need to cultivate skills in interpersonal relations.) I’ve always envied young church musicians who benefit from the example and guidance of an in-house mentor.

    I applaud your efforts Mark and think a young organist or organist wannabe would be lucky to have you as their supervisor.
    Thanked by 1Mark Husey
  • BruceL
    Posts: 1,072
    Mark, I would watch the singing requirement, although I know what you're trying to do. Some organists may not be comfortable with that, even if they are able to sight-sing.

    I would not worry about religious creed. We are hiring an assistant in a similar environment to you all, and if I limited it to Catholics, I'd get few to no applicants. I'll do my best to convert them! :)

    The description is good, but I would be careful about the time involved. I think about a "scholar" position as one where the scholar does the low-stress parts of things, liturgically speaking, and is mostly learning and brought along. There are differences of opinion on this, of course!
    Thanked by 1Mark Husey
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    The bilingual thing is also going to limit your choices. You might consider adding there that you'd accept an Anglophone that was willing to learn Spanish. Perhaps purchase a Music Department copy of Rosetta Stone or some other language learning program and have that be a part of the study. I'm in the process of beginning to learn Spanish myself and it's not easy, but is a worthwhile skill for every Catholic musician in America.
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    Does it have to be organ or could it be piano also? That would make lots of more people interested.
  • PaixGioiaAmorPaixGioiaAmor
    Posts: 1,473
    but is a worthwhile skill for every Catholic musician in America.


    I get why you say this, given where you work, and the changing demographics in the USA, but I still think that this is overstated.

    I don't think that even in 10 years, MOST musicians or priests in Pittsburgh or the UP of Michigan, or Fargo, ND will need to know Spanish.

    The other side of the coin is that people who speak Spanish are becoming more fluent in English with each generation.

    We actually have a sizable minority in our parish of Hispanic descent - and no demand for liturgy, music or anything else in Spanish. Most of them are very comfortable speaking English and although they might know Spanish, they view it as the language that they speak with their grandparents. And they might be quite proud of that heritage and committed to teaching their children the language as well - but I don't see any desire from them to use it in their daily life, including at mass.
    Thanked by 1Gavin
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    I'm not saying fluently bilingual (though that would be ideal), but able to carry a basic conversation, knowing how to pronounce the words to Spanish hymns/chants, and being able to read introductory notes to Mexican/Spanish organ/polyphonic repertoire would certainly be a worthwhile thing for an organ scholar to learn.

    Furthermore, if you look at many well-paying church jobs, they at least appear to be looking for someone bilingual (though that might not be a skill too high on the priority list). Taking some time to learn Spanish could give you the edge in the job market.
    Thanked by 1BruceL
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    PGA, I don't think your crystal ball of demographics is clear enough, there's still a huge kaleidoscope of liturgical issues that musicians will have to prepare for regarding the Spanish speaking communities (and they are diverse, Cubans not being Columbians, Mexican-Americans not being Salvadoreans, etc.)
    One needs to remember that the future parish will likely seat 2500, or there will be clustered parish merges (like mine) with four or more parishes. In over two decades here, I've not witnessed a decrease of demand for Spanish language Masses. Quite the opposite. Whether or not this demand is stoked from the grass roots or from the heirarchy is irrelevant, the reality is that Spanish demography indicates an upsurge in all regions, especially in urban areas. We here in California have dealt with multiculturalism for a long time, and there is no generational evidence, even among recent generations of American born, Spanish speaking families, that Spanish is abandoned in the home (though English is also spoken there), the schools or the marketplace. And certainly not in Roman Catholic parishes and denomination churches.
    The other issue that will affect "the Spanish Mass" is the same one we face in the English Mass- the reinculturation of the Roman Catholic liturgical culture, ie. chant in the vernacular or Latin, or consolidation to more traditional, solemn forms of musical expression. One can see that easily by going to seminaries and cathedrals in Mexico. But the examples provided us by dear Benedictgal in South Texas are realities everywhere. Conjunto, Ranchero, Mariachi, Tex-Mex.... all these stile popular forms are standard operating procedure by the volunteer laity who comprise the music ministry for Spanish Missas. A RotR oriented pastor will have his work cut out big time should he fervently desire to alter this scenario that's become embedded.
    It can be done. But it will require organists/directors who not only have the Spanish language skills (I do not, but am working to establish an appointed liason with amazing skills and is a teacher), but also an understanding that what might seem customary communications and processes to Anglos, do not necessarily work the same way with our Spanish speaking brothers and sisters.
  • PaixGioiaAmorPaixGioiaAmor
    Posts: 1,473
    Melo, I'm several thousand miles away from you in the Great Lakes region.

    I don't want to sound at all dismissive - because your reality is surely the reality for millions of Americans. But California (and Texas, and Florida) is just a WHOLE different reality and ball game than anything around here.

    And yeah, I'm totally aware that Spanish language masses, etc. are growing and growing in those areas.

    I was simply speaking to the reality where I am - which must surely be the reality of at least 25% - 50% of the country.

    I wasn't trying to at all suggest that "Everywhere, newer generations of Hispanics are learning English and giving up on Spanish."

    But that seems to be sort of how it is here.
    Thanked by 1melofluent
  • PaixGioiaAmorPaixGioiaAmor
    Posts: 1,473
    I'll add - we ARE experiencing the request for Quinceañera celebrations, and all sorts of other cultural things. It's just that they seem perfectly comfortable with the liturgy in English.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    (and they are diverse, Cubans not being Columbians, Mexican-Americans not being Salvadoreans, etc.)


    And they all sing "Pescador de Hombres" completely differently.
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    Don't worry, what i said about piano was a joke. I think as many languages as possible is important. In fact, consider as much as organ playing. Organ playing can always get better.
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,325
    I think as many languages as possible is important.


    Can you explain more about this statement? What exactly are you advocating?