A query regarding musicians working in the church and the school
  • kevinfkevinf
    Posts: 1,199
    Dear Friends,

    I have been offered a position in which I would be having some school responsibilities, mostly which includes playing for the weekly school mass. I would not be teaching in the school (thank God) but would be playing for their liturgies.

    Thoughts from those of you who have done this, are doing it or don't ever wish to do it.

    THanks
  • Adam Schwend
    Posts: 203
    I never thought I'd want to be a teacher, but I ended up taking a position where 1/4 of my full time position was teaching music in the school. It involves 2 hours of teaching twice a week, plus conducting the school Mass. It is actually a great part of my week. I'm able to introduce them to Gregorian Chant and Sacred Polyphony. There's nothing like the feeling of passing down the great musical patrimony of the Church to the next generation. With that said, it does add an extra level of work...having to do lesson plans, grades, choose extra music, discover ways to make the knowledge of music "sink in" and discover the best way your ensemble learns.

    With all that said, it sounds like you're only the organist. While it would require some extra practice and rehearsal time, it doesn't sound like you have to prepare anything else. Prep time is the most time-consuming part of the work. Since you don't have to do that, it sounds like you just have to show up and play. Doesn't seem like it would be anything that would keep you from the position.

    Enjoy!

    Adam
  • rogue63
    Posts: 410
    Would you be working with a choirmaster for the students? Is there a student choir? Who would select music and rehearse any necessary ensembles? If you have carte blanche to go in a good direction, then that's probably fine, but if another person or two have to vet your liturgical planning, that can be unpleasant.

    I am quite fortunate: I'm a full-time parish school music teacher and I have a boys and girls choir for Mass. I plan the music for school Mass and the parish also employs a full-time music director/organist. We work well together and share the same liturgical vision, so I get no pushback on my now two-year drive towards greater solemnity at the school Mass. Most importantly, the priest has an excellent liturgical formation and is very supportive (it was he who suggested we sing the Introit for Lent, not me!) This is an ideal situation and probably doesn't reflect a lot of other parishes. If your setup sounds like this, then go for it. Otherwise, think hard.

    A situation like you describe may be fruitful, but unless you have either a wide range of authority, or a lot of agreement among the people involved, a school Mass can become a battleground. It depends on some of the particulars. Teaching music (or in your case, exposing children to good Catholic music) can be like an apostolate----there's little to no money involved, but we may have some effect on the artistic and liturgical formation of the next generation; the people who may (or may not) be willing to donate $100K to the parish's new pipe organ or to endow a choir with scholarship funds for paid singers because of their memories of beautiful music at Mass as a child.
  • Jen
    Posts: 28
    I am a full-time music director that plays for the school Masses each Friday. I work with the children's choir director to plan the liturgies. This situation works well for me because 1. I have been given ultimate authority for all music selections at all Masses, 2. I have the pastor's support 100%, 3. the choir director tends to do things last-minute, so she see it as a benefit for me to give her a small selection of songs to choose from for the liturgy. We did have a bit of transition to go through as most of the song selections prior to me coming on as MD caused the kids to yell, clap, dance, or all three. Charity goes a long way in working with people that have different ideas of what is proper for the liturgy. It definitely worked both ways in this case.
  • DougS
    Posts: 793
    My wife hasn't had any bad experiences playing for school masses as part of her full-time position, but she does practically no advance planning for it (someone else does) and just shows up.

    You might try to find out in more detail what your responsibilities will be (namely, is there any planning/consultation that you have to do?).
  • PaixGioiaAmorPaixGioiaAmor
    Posts: 1,473
    For me, it's no big deal. The school plans it and I shop up 5 minutes before mass and play it. It is a complete departure from what we do on the weekend, taking into account that many of the kids are not Catholic, teachers actually go to weekend mass all over the place, etc. They just pick basic hymns from the hymnal.
  • Steve CollinsSteve Collins
    Posts: 1,022
    "... basic hymn from the hymnal." Wow! If they are actually hymns from a real hymnal, you're SO far ahead of the parochial school Mass game!
  • henry
    Posts: 244
    My job is "parish musician" which includes teaching music in the school one day per week, playing for school Mass twice a week, and a school choir in addition to being the parish musician. I can't say I enjoy teaching, but as someone else commented it is rewarding to be able to pass-on the tradition of the Church to the youngest generation. I'm glad they're growing-up singing "Attende Domine" instead of "Like a Sunflower".
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    Will you be responsible for selecting the music for these Masses? If not, you may find yourself at odds with the one who does. Will there be a choir/schola made up of students from the school? If so, will it be your responsibility to train/rehearse them? If not, again, you may find things very difficult.

    If the school music teacher is responsible for these things, and you're only expected to "show up and play", you may find yourself frustrated if the school music teacher does not share your understanding of liturgical music. If you're accustomed to chant and hymnody and s/he prefers "Awesome God" and likes stuff that involves clapping and choreography, there could be serious trouble ahead.
  • kevinfkevinf
    Posts: 1,199
    Thanks to all. I understand that I would be choosing them music for the school masses, but I appreciate all the responses.

    Will keep you posted.
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