The easiest is to make friends with someone in the congregation. Even the Priest or Deacon processing up the aisle might be able to pick someone out.

Talent is good, but better is to talk to people one-on-one and let them know how much you need them and would appreciate their contribution.

...As well as pastors!

While it's possible to learn to sing well and adapt one's voice to various circumstances. Not everyone has the time or commitment for that. Some voices naturally sound better in a choral situation while others work better as solo voices, and still others are best left for the larger ensemble of the congregation. I'm not saying it isn't possible to cross over, but that some voices just naturally lean one way or the other.

Still the original question is a good one. I find "recruitment" to be a challenge as well. Being stuck behind the bench, not only do I not get to scout for talent, but it's also difficult to make those personal relationships with the PIPs since by the time I'm done with the postlude I'm left alone in the Church!

In my experience, my best choral singers have sought me out and have asked to join the choir.

Fantastic point, MaryAnn! I'm glad you point out that this can often be a multi-month (and multi-year) process. Be patient and persistent, as God works in His own time.

Thank you for your responses. I am in the process of reforming the entire music ministry in my parish and it's a long road to go. We will be moving to a new sanctuary before long with a loft, and I'm hoping that perhaps those singers who are uncomfortable being on the altar "on display" will step up and sing in the loft. But, again, God works in His own time. It's just sometimes very frustrating to be on the bench all the time, hearing great voices and not being able to locate them. Also, my congregation practically runs out of the church once the priest has left the altar, so I am still playing postludes.

Well, it's a good question, Bruce, but in my view it's more philosophical than practical. The question is what I, as director, chorister, or organist, can do within the current constraints given. If I want to succeed within a parish that has no budget, there's still lots of things I can do. Or I can seek out a parish that DOES have budget. But in either case, it's my choice to move forward.

In many forums (not just this one) people use the lack of money/sponsorship/etc. as an excuse to do nothing. I, for one, want to focus on things I CAN do rather than things I cannot. The latter is just frustrating.

Musicteacher56, who began this thread, did not, apparently, agree with Adam Wood's assertion that "In any decently-sized parish there are enough people with decent voices that a good choir director can bring the quality to a pretty high degree," and that doing so is not daunting task. If what Adam says is true, this discussion is moot.

I'm sorry if I gave the impression that high musical standards prevail in the Episcopal Church. They certainly do not. And in some Episcopal churches where music performance meets a high standard, the musicians know little about liturgy and care less. Episcopal parishes that maintain high musical and liturgical standards are few and far between. Such parishes, however, are often smaller and poorer than the average American Roman Catholic parish. They simply expend more of what they have on music. It seems to me that if the musicians, clergy, and leaders of almost any Roman Catholic parish were committed to having fine liturgical music, and if recruiting enough skilled volunteers to sing it well proved difficult, they could easily scrape up the money to pay professionals.

Some Episcopal parishes that have lots of money still have bad music; but in these the leaders like what they have. (Indeed, inappropriate styles of music seem to be gaining ground in the Episcopal Church just as they are losing ground in the RC Church.) I think, however, that when the leaders of an Episcopal parish (clergy, music director, vestry) value good liturgical music, they will struggle to to pay for it more readily than most of their their RC counterparts.

Bruce, this may or may not be accurate...but it is my perception that most people, have the following beliefs about music in the context of the Mass.

A. good music just happens, anyone can sing, and the music director/choir director only works for that hour during Mass, so they don't deserve to be paid much.

B. choirs are song leaders rather than having a specific unique liturgical function. (All you really need is a cantor...right?)

C. music is a nice addition to the Mass, but it's a luxury, an extra rather than an essential part of the Mass.

These beliefs have a lot to do with why many Catholic parishes aren't willing to spend money on the music. It's not a high priority.

As usual...YMMV.

oh, your CHOIR MEMBERS are the ones who should be identifying and recruiting new members. They can hear others in the congregation who sing well. Choir folks can talk to them and tell them what a worthwhile time they are having in the choir etc.
Also my .02...i dont think that it works to sell the choir by saying " its not thst much extra time...anyone can do it, its easy etc" i think people respond more when they are actually asked make a real sacrifice of time and energy for God. Thats the only lasting reason why people stick with choirs, or any other lay ministry for that matter.

I think that constant nagging of select people is helpful... and praying for their discernment.

Also, ask choir members to ask friends who can sing. I have a soprano who joined because her boyfriend's mom thought it would be good for her depression. She isn't even Catholic. She joined and is amazing. She is coming into the faith at Easter and she is bringing a non-practising Catholic friend with her. Amazing the work of the Holy Spirit.

My choir peeps try to recruit, and one said the response was "but you guys sing such high and long notes." Which we don't particularly. But if people can't imagine doing the music we're doing now, will they be able to handle the music I want to be doing?

Biggest issue: musically talented young couple sings with you, gets married, has a kid or two and drops out to care for the kid. Great thing in 20 years, but now it's a problem.

My choir does not sing every Sunday, so I ask my choir members to recruit from the congregation also. Once in a while they will come to me and say that they heard a great voice in the pews and told that person that he/she should join choir. So I reply, "Well, did you get the person's name? Maybe even a phone number?" Uh...no.

Biggest issue: musically talented young couple sings with you, gets married, has a kid or two and drops out to care for the kid. Great thing in 20 years, but now it's a problem.

Family choir - parents and kids together. You might not be able to do so much musically, but by 8 the kids will know how to read chant, sing simple propers, know the basic masses.... Now think what you will be doing with them in 20 years time.

A lot of people probably won't agree with my recruitment method...but I basically just stalk out Facebook for anyone I know at the parish and ask them if they want to join. 90% of the people I ask, I have no idea if they can sing at all. I've gotten a lot of responses from people declining because they can't sing, which is fine, but I've also gotten a handful of people to join who have nice voices and are dedicated. And it's really not that creepy to just randomly send a message to someone you barely know. The worst thing that happened was I got a really long message back from one person detailing like, 20 different problems they have with the Church and why they don't go to church anymore. That was pretty weird, but other than that it's worked okay.

Cool! You never know what might happen...plus it's a nice non-confrontational way to ask people you don't know very well. When I first started, I made a lot of phone calls to people I knew in the parish, but it got so depressing for me to be rejected over and over again. I think it's easier for people when they're not put on the spot and they have some time to think about it...and a rejection over Facebook is much easier to accept, too.

Hard to get sanctuary time in a large parish. Our rehearsal time is after any kids bedtime. It's almost past MY bedtime.