What/how are they paid? Per rehearsal? Per Mass? What are their expectations? Do they have to sign some sort of document or contract? What are the advantages/disadvantages? How did you conduct auditions?

I'm considering one paid section leader per part for the sake of stability and leadership within the choir, and I'm in the research phase currently. Were I to pursue this, the section leaders would be from among the ranks of the choir as opposed to ringers from outside. Any and all input is welcome, thanks in advance.

Paid per call, different rates for rehearsal, Mass, weekday evening feasts, and shorter calls like Vespers.

They have a letter of employment, do safe environment training, and are on payroll through the office.

I had the blessing of integrating volunteers into an existing pro quintet. I actually moved to more in-house hiring (from the pews and two from the loft who had on boarded as volunteers), which was non-controversial generally in the parish and in fact received very gratefully. The two carryover pros, both Catholics, have expressed how much they enjoyed the atmosphere of a believing, praying ensemble this year. It is also very stable, since people are attached to the place for more reasons than a paycheck. Stability will yield musical fruits.

As far the why-not-me-ness, I have found people realize the big demands on the section leaders and are fine with not having it. Some need the pay, and are good enough to get paid. Others prefer the flexibility of just volunteering, and I have separate arrangements with some pro-level volunteers in terms of free lessons for their kids, a chance at paid extra gigs like weddings, etc.

The only difficult part of in-house hiring is when an issue arises needing discipline. I wonder sometimes if in-house pros might not think of themselves as unfirable, the great Attribute of the insufferable volunteer. It’s important to make clear in that case the distinction that they are always welcome to sing in their parish choir, but that as a steward of the choir budget, I can only justly retain them in a paid capacity if the investment is yielding commensurate results.

We pay competitively with other local churches... we have to if we want to attract and retain qualified singers. They don't have a written contract, but it's stated in the job posting that they must be available for Christmas Midnight Mass and Holy Week and comply with Safe Environment requirements (including criminal background check) and the church dress code. They get no paid holidays, sick leave, or benefits, but they usually do get a modest Christmas bonus. Until only a few months ago, we had separate hourly rates for rehearsals, parochial Masses, weddings, and funerals, but now the rate is the same for everything and will probably increase annually for cost of living adjustment (there had been no increase in several years). They are paid "per call," typically two hours, twice a month by check or direct deposit. If a section leader told me he or she was going to be out of town for Christmas or Easter, it would be grounds for termination, since that availability was specified in the job posting as a requirement. I have had some bad experiences with "ringers" (instrumentalists also), but only one with a permanent section leader. All the others have been talented, professional, cooperative, and reliable. One volunteer choir member did inquire about the section leader position when we had an opening and was hired, but I explained that the point of having paid section leaders was to supplement and enhance the otherwise volunteer choir, not simply to add existing choir members to payroll. I would be reluctant to do that again unless the rest of the singers in the section were very strong. All of our choir members are entitled to payment for weddings, funerals, and anything else that isn't a parochial Mass, for example, anniversaries and quinceañeras—basically anything I'm also entitled to charge an extra fee for that isn't part of my salaried duties. For all adult choir members, the audition requirements are vocalization to determine range, the chromatic scale, choice of Asperges or simple tone Salve Regina, and usually sight reading an easy motet, hymn harmonization, or descant. Section leaders also have to have a prepared solo and sight read a more difficult motet or Mass movement, but I have waived all of that for ringers who wound up joining us permanently. It is not infrequent that, especially if a funeral comes up in a week with an extra High Mass already scheduled, some singers are needed for as many as ten or twelve hours in the course of the week (including rehearsals), which means five or six trips to the church. It is difficult to justify that kind of demand on volunteers in a non-territorial "commuter parish," where many drive 40 minutes or more each way. As the parish has grown, the section leaders have become more of a necessity than a luxury if we're to maintain moderately high musical standards.

This can be a touchy subject. Absolutely never hire from within. Also, check out the people you hire very carefully. Haughty attitudes toward the volunteers will cause trouble beyond your worst nightmare. I have worked as a paid professional in a place where it was handled skillfully. Given good singers with a good attitude and manner, it can be a great aid to the choir. However, if you have many singers who are capable soloists, you may lose some of them. Weigh the cost of this carefully when you consider this.