I only became aware of the bench fee policy when reading the AGO "Code of Ethics." I fear the AGO might be one reason that the organ profession has been in decline for so long. But I know I'll later wish I hadn't said that when/if the roof falls in on me on this thread.

I WAS a member years ago, but am no longer.

you are right that I don't have enough information. So I've deleted my post.

Point taken, DA. I altered my post. However, there was an ecumenical service of the same last year in Baltimore which was conducted from the altar of the RC Basilica by a woman in vestments.

As I mentioned, my parish had a set amount I was to earn in weddings and funerals. Any difference would be reimbursed. Does anyone else have a system like that? Good idea, bad idea?

The AGO reflects the values of the religious institutions employing its members and, to a lesser extent, the ideologies predominant in US higher education. Because Catholic musicians have never joined the Guild in proportion to their numbers actually working in parishes, the AGO culture resembles the polity of its most influential members, namely liberal Protestantism. This does not have to be the case, especially on the local chapter level. This is very much a chicken/egg situation: Catholic musicians tend not to be members, are rightly uncomfortable with much of the religious content of events/programs, and therefore don't join or let their membership lapse. It's an open question as to whether this is a situation worth our attention. The Guild does push very hard for high musical standards and for its members continuously to improve their skills--which not all organizations in our field can be said to do.

I've noticed that Catholic churches who are serious, or wish to give the impression that they're serious, about searching for and finding a qualified organist/choir director to build up a solid music program will avoid listing in the Pastoral Music Magazine, opting rather to spend their resources listing with the national and local AGO.

However, if we (meaning groups like CMAA) want to form a useful alliance with the AGO, one that will make our approach to orthodoxy and orthopraxis in music and the Faith understood and taken seriously, we need to strike soon. The NPM already has an "organist section" within their organization, and they've already developed a joint certification program in cooperation with the AGO.

Knowing that there are some within CMAA and others of our mindset who have strong reservations and opinions about the appropriateness (or usefulness) of the organ in the EF, and perhaps even the OF, this may not be a viable undertaking.

I for one would welcome seeing some progress toward bringing to the AGO a heightened awareness of Catholic sensibilities surrounding the music of our tradition that goes beyond the stereotypes and prejudices that have been permitted to exist for far too long.

(I would mention that in a recent issue of The American Organist, there was an extensive review of Fr. Ruff's new book by Haig Mardirosian, Professor of Music and Dean of Academic Affairs at the American University in Washington, D.C. I'd need to re-read it carefully to get a better impression of where Mardirosian's prejudices or sympathies may lie. Also, it's not clear if he is Catholic, or how active he is in scholarly circles on the subject.)

By the way, I love the phrase "lounge lizard music."

Right, there is nothing in the FAQ, simply because it doesn't really touch on the most frequently asked questions, but I can certainly see a case for adding something.

You know what I think you might be referring to? Once a long time ago, a young and passionate lad posted a note on this forum that said something negative about Bach. The pile on was grim to watch, and the poor soul wrote to beg me to take down his post. I think he was just young and trying out ideas. The response in total was inadvertently disproportionate to the threat.

Only one more thing to add: the CMAA doesn't really have nailed down "positions" on issues the way we might have expected from the St. Gregory Society in the old days. The CMAA tries to foster a liberally minded (in the old sense of the term), liturgy-centered community that is faithful to the ideals of the Church and faithful to what the liturgy is asking of musicians. That seems like a big enough job without getting into the bog of having "official positions" on the details. The world we inhabit really resists that kind of micro-management.

"Organists who are members of the American Guild of Organists are bound to follow and enforce this practice, which is part of the AGO Code of Ethics to which all members must subscribe."

It's been awhile since I've read that code of ethics, but where does it say that one "must" charge a bench fee? The part that I recall is that one must, when playing as a guest organist, secure the permission of the sitting organist.

I suspect that the concept of a "bench fee" or a "bench-vacating fee" may have at its core two purposes:

First, it ensures a continued just income for the organist being asked to vacate the bench. At one parish I served, the anticipated income earned from funerals (not weddings) was incorporated into my salary, and I received no additional income for playing them. I was simply expected to be available at all times to play for them, and if another organist was called in, that was one less funeral I had to play, but it had no impact on my base salary. If the estimate for the year was 50 and I played only 40, that was a bonus. If there were 60, I still had to play them, with no extra compensation. On the other hand, in my current situation, funerals and weddings are "extra income" that I count on. Any parish policy that protects against the loss of that extra income is certainly welcomed.

Second, and more important I think, is that it ensures that the musician most familiar with the liturgical and musical norms of the parish is the one that will be providing the services. In my experience when a "visiting organist" is brought in to play for a wedding or a funeral, it is mainly because the staff organist has denied a request for a piece of music that is not considered appropriate, and the requesting party hopes that by bringing in their own musician, they can get their requests in through the back door. This is particularly true if the pastor is antithetic to the cause for appropriate music in the liturgy. With the assessing of a "vacating fee" it at least requires that the party who is seeking to violate parish norms will pay a price for the request. People more often think with their pocketbook rather than their brain.

And yes, I think there should be "bench vacating" fees in the policy for both weddings and funerals, which can be assessed or waived at the discretion of the Pastor, upon the advice of the organist (in the event that the visiting organist is a colleague and sympathetic to the norms of the parish). Additionally, I think the fees for weddings versus funerals should be distinct. In my experience the amount of music required for a wedding (as well as the meetings with couples, etc.) is more extensive than that of funerals, hence a higher fee for weddings over funerals.

We avoid the fee by simply not allowing any outside organists. We have 3 staff organists, and if one of us can't play, we contract a sub that is comfortable with our liturgies--and typically, was at one time also a staff organist here. We have offered, for funerals and weddings, to allow their friend/family member to play something during the prelude, but even that requires an audition. It is very infrequent that we're taken up on that offer.

Likewise, we require the use of one of our cantors. Their vocalists are welcome, with an audition, to sing during the prelude, and they often do.

The more variables, the more rehearsal required--and we'd rather not tie up our weeks trying to please every bride.

The learning curve that most of us go through in understanding this fee is something impossible to ask someone to undergo in 2 days, which is often the planning period for a funeral. Much less can it be accepted positively by someone in mourning, who needs the Church's care at that moment rather than insistence on fees.

I like Marc's solution a lot.

I also have the policy that i would never accept a wedding job in another church without the express permission of the resident organist regardless of the official policy. Not to do so is a punch in the face to a collegue

A local parish church now has a new policy....if you want the new (used) organ at your wedding you must hire the non-Catholic Allen Organ salesperson to play your wedding on the just purchased used Allen (abandoned into storage by a Baptist church years ago) because he wants to "put the church's name on his resume as organist there on his application for Juilliard."

Otherwise, you may only have another person play their keyboard through the church PA system.

Obviously his position as organist at the Catholic church by the airport is seen to be not as impressive to the Juilliard staff? Who woulda thunk it?

A rather distorted, hard to understand, version of the bench fee?

From the outside, I am working with someone right now who wants real, substantial church music, but her parish prefers the standard fare. I advised her to ask about the bench fee and that it might increase her costs for bringing in a quartet of chanters. Waiting to find out the verdict now. So, it's not always a deterrent to impropriety, but may also be the reverse.

Michael, that is an excellent point. I recall one time years ago when I was in a schola that the pastor asked to sing at a particular Mass. When we showed up, the organist who usually did that Mass was there on the bench with his smiling singers in the choir loft. It was a showdown. They knew we were supposed to sing but they refused to budge. When we saw what was happening, we left. The pastor later in the week contacted me and asked why we didn't sing. I had to explain the situation. Obviously, the group that took over the bench and loft lost lots of capital in that episode but they ended up winning that Mass time and retaining it.

I agree with many of my fellow organists that the bench fee is an absolute must for the resident organist who counts on weddings and funerals as part of their livelihood; I applaud the AGO for including this in the Code of Ethics, and our church abides by it. In our parish, we have strict standards for all aspects of the Mass. The resident professional musicians are the best ones to guide the wedding couple or grieving family in music matters. We know what is required, and more importantly what is appropriate and allowed by the pastor. After all, that is our profession.

We have had some disasters allowing guest musicians to take part in Masses. While it's not true of every guest musician, many are rank amateurs who seize the opportunity to grab their few minutes of fame, especially and most surprisingly at funerals! One funeral in particular, the pastor was made to wait quite a long time after the altar was prepared, while the guest singer finished presenting her own florid, audience-participation version of a contemporary "sacred" song. Her poor wisp of a husband accompanied her on piano, using photocopied sheets of music spread everywhere on the music rack and on top of the piano.

This and other events led us to make a rule that guest musicians may only perform during the time allotted for the prelude. Exceptions may be made for known colleagues, but even then, the canting is left to our resident cantor unless she is unavailable.

I am fairly spoiled at my church because the pastor is also an organist and very knowledgable about all aspects of music. I am not sure what I would do if I were in someone else's [organ] shoes.

Some churches only have resident musicians, not professionals, therefore I would question anyone doing my relatives' funerals.

And then again, one side of my side of my extended family is entirely Protestant (Anglican/Presbyterian). So their weddings are just those "Christian" style services that last less than 10 minutes.

My parish's strict standards are:
No introit, must be hymn.
Some hymns must be contemporary, only some traditional.
Skip as much as possible, makes the mass shorter and more will come.
In the summer, skip the Gloria and Credo and just speak the ordinary for the same reason.

No purple.

See, many of my friends are musicians, but I would definitely set them up with the DM; no stepping on toes (did that once!!!) & no lost income for anyone.

aha... better than a bench fee, Charles... the exclusive clause... however, then YOU have to DO all the weddings yourself! BTDT... If I ever do another wedding (in the NO) it will be at gunpoint.