To leave or not to leave
  • Sam99
    Posts: 21
    Hi All,

    So my new organist job is taking a lot more of my time than anticipated—to the point that my grades may have been slightly affected. (Not failing but lower than I’d like). I’ve only been at this a few months, but would it be terrible of me to leave this position? Of course I’d stay on until they could find a replacement, my question though is whether leaving so soon will affect me if I try to find another organist position in the future? Any advice?

    -S.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    Hard to say. If all the local pastors talk and knock you behind your back, it would be a problem. However, if you are in an area with multiple churches, maybe not. It sounds to me like you have a valid reason for leaving and concentrating on grades.
    Thanked by 1Sam99
  • Sam99
    Posts: 21
    Well this church is in a town in the middle of nowhere, but I don’t plan on staying in the area past college so local pastors won’t be the problem. I’m thinking of a church seeing a short stay on my resume as a problem.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Sam,

    It partly depends on whether this need to leave is something you've raised with the pastor at some point earlier. If you have said, "If my grades suffer, I may have to leave", or "I really like working here, but to do it properly will require more time than I can commit, and it wouldn't be fair to you (or God) to have me spend less time on the job than it needs", then you'll set yourself up well with that parish. If you've said, on the other hand, "I hate your guts because you've made my grades fall".... that could be a problem. As to what shows up on your resume, it depends on what you do next. You're young enough that potential employers are going to ask you about why you were at this parish so short a time.... and you're going to need a good answer. If you take your next job immediately upon graduation and retire from there in 2058.... it's not going to be a problem.
    Thanked by 1Sam99
  • Sam99
    Posts: 21
    Well I haven’t said anything yet, but I’m not going to be rude about it lol

    I guess as long as I handle it with care and keep a good relationship with the parish I’ll be okay?
  • pfreese
    Posts: 147
    Any pastor worth his salt would see this as a valid reason to step away for a while, especially since your grades in college can have a huge impact on your eventual career. Lay ministry involves considerable sacrifice for the benefit of the Church, but it ought not require you to neglect your own needs in the process, because that will also affect your ability put out quality work in the near term, and any good pastor will understand that. I’d definitely bring this up to him sooner rather than later so a replacement can be found and to save him the stress of having to wing it. If it all works out, maybe he’ll want you back when you get your house in order. If he puts up a fight, then maybe that’s the Lord’s sign that that place isn’t worth your time. Good Luck.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Sam99
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Unless you are applying for a church position, you'd never need to include it. If you are, put 2018-19 and, if asked explain about your grades.
    Thanked by 3Sam99 M. Jackson Osborn stulte
  • Sam99
    Posts: 21
    Thanks everyone. This does help to reassure me.

    Noel, I probably will apply for another organ position in the future, and that helps. Thanks!
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,296
    Would it be possible to have a discussion about your hours with the pastor? If he knew that it was causing you to have trouble maintaining your grades at school, perhaps he could accommodate a lighter schedule.
    Thanked by 1Sam99
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Your post raises a couple of questions for me.

    The beginning of a new job takes more mental energy than a job one has settled into. Likewise, Advent is a busier time than any except for Lent. Would the spring service affect your grades in the same way?

    A two year stint as an organist during college may have a beneficial effect on your career. I agree with others who say leaving won't be a negative, but sticking it out might be a positive.

    How high do your grades need to be? Once you get your degree no one cares too much except for grad schools, and even there, the focus will be much more on building relationships with professors who want to work with you. Good grades can help with admissions and scholarships.
    Thanked by 2eft94530 Sam99
  • Sam99
    Posts: 21
    I haven't thought about that. I guess I should talk to him before I decide to definitely leave. This church is accustomed to repertoire during the service (no improvisation), which is the main thing that takes so much prep time. Grad school is on the horizon for me, so I'm trying to keep highest possible grades.
    Maybe we can come to some sort of solution as I would like to stay in this parish.
    Thanked by 3Kathy CHGiffen irishtenor
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,296
    Just out of curiosity, do they print the titles of all this repertoire you're supposed to be playing? What kind of repertoire are we talking about? Obviously a John Stanley diapason movement is substantially different from some fiery Vierne or something like that. If they're not expecting high-flying rep every week, and you're a decent improviser, would they necessarily know the difference?

    I've just never encountered a parish like the one you describe, so my curiosity has been piqued. Certainly I've been places where they expect some sort of a formal prelude and postlude, but not also during the "service."
  • Sam99
    Posts: 21
    They print everything-including what I play during communion. They don’t sing hymns during communion, but the sing one communion “meditation” hymn afterwards. I asked about playing around with a hymn tune during communion (I’m no master at improvisation haha) and they said they’d rather me put in a piece of music.

    I’ve played John Stanley and similar things before as preludes and postludes. It’s finding and learning decent repertoire long enough for offertoires and communion that’s more difficult. I can learn the pieces I choose (some Guilmant communions or elevations, some hymn based voluntaries), it just takes much more time than I can give sometimes to learning them properly.

    I'm a little short on practice time. I've definitely improved on learning pieces quickly, but I also have to learn five hymns selected not by myself each week as well. It's an Anglican church and the much of the hymnody is new to me.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    For communion - the French baroque composers left behind some very fine organ masses. These consist of a series of short pieces to be played between lines of chant. Some of the pieces, called recit pour le cormhorne, or tierce en taille for instance, would be excellent for communion voluntaries. They would be quite easy to learn. Composers such as de Grigny, Balbastre, Raison, du Mage, le Begue, Corrette, etc. There are also pieces for trumpet solo (basse et dessus de trompette, for instance), and for plenum (plein jeu or grand jeu) which would make nice offertory voluntaries. Too, if your improvisation skills are up to it, you can always put 'Offertory on Lauda anima - - - Improvisation'.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Sam99
    Posts: 21
    French baroque-will have to look into those. I hadn’t heard many quieter French baroque pieces, my experience with the style are the loud Plein jeus used for postludes.

    I’m planning to start studying improvisation soon so maybe in the future I could do that with hymn tunes.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Sam,

    I have a collection of some works of Louis Antoine Dornel, which I'm using for set pieces at particular places in the EF now.

  • Sam99
    Posts: 21
    You’ll have to excuse my ignorance, what is EF?
  • Incardination
    Posts: 832
    EF = Extraordinary Form; OF = Ordinary Form
  • Sam99
    Posts: 21
    Not meaning to get too far off topic, but what are those? My background is in contemporary baptist churches, guitars and drums type of thing. I guess I rebelled in becoming an organist lol.
    Thanked by 1Kathy
  • Incardination
    Posts: 832
    EF is the Latin Mass usually offered according to the rites as defined in 1962.
    OF is the vernacular Mass also known as the Novus Ordo or New Mass (or as you describe with contemporary).
  • Sam99
    Posts: 21
    Oh okay. I see. I’ve veen to a few Latin masses and find them much preferable (especially musically speaking)
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,768
    my experience with the [French baroque] style are the loud Plein jeus
    There's something to be said for registering according to circumstances. A couple of my favorite quiet pieces are "Et in terra" and "premiere Agnus" from Couperin's Messe pour les couvents on a single soft principal or flute.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Sam99
  • Sam99
    Posts: 21
    I’ve decided to stay after all. I think with these suggestions I can hang in there. Thanks for all the help everyone!
    Thanked by 5Carol CHGiffen Incardination CharlesW canadash
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    Godspeed!
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Carol
  • JesJes
    Posts: 574
    I found leaving was my solution. I still get asked to play organ here and there and nowadays play every week.
    Sometimes you have to work on you. In your first three decades of life this is actually essential if you’re ever going to follow your true vocation in God's plan.
    Thanked by 6CHGiffen Incardination CharlesW Carol Elmar eft94530
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