When I hear another musician say it, I usually think "I wish I didn't have to work Sunday mornings so I could go hear them."

When I hear a non-musician PIP say it, I usually think "That seems.... unlikely."

The organists here get along well, but we rarely see each other. We are all working at the same times.

When I see a beautiful choir rehearsal room with lots of storage space, like the one at the Cathedral in Salt Lake City, I get pretty jealous.

Most of the best musicians I've known have not been jealous but rather competitive, though still collaborative and joyful. They like seeing their field expand.
I am wary of a musician that doesn't work well with others.

Church musicians can be more territorial, and I think a lot of it is that wages are low and demands are high. And job security is wildly erratic.

Musicians I've known who burn bridges have always been covering for a lack of knowledge. Sometimes they know it, sometimes they don't. Insecurity.

I wonder how many church musicians consider their work an apostolate...
So many of us are treated poorly. I think that can be very difficult, and its wrong. Even so, perhaps more so, it's crucial for our psyche and understanding of our individual mission(s) from God to always have in mind the evangelical nature of our work.
It's not about us. Phew. What a relief!!

For me it depends on who the person making the comment is, I have two categories for comments: 1) the person making the comment has some understanding of what sacred music is; and 2) the person making the comment is firmly within the Haagen-Dasz camp, and has been complaining about more chant/Latin for the past 8 years.

If the person is in Category 1, I usually wish that I had Sunday mornings free so I could go hear them.

If the person is in Category 2, I say "thank you", and go get a drink.

I don't know if this comes under the heading of 'jealousy' or not, but I do get miffed when I am at a church that has a great three-manual Cassavant languishing while they use the grand piano for everything.

I'm always a little weary when I hear PIPs talk about another parish's program. I worry the next thing out of their mouth is going to be, "Maybe we could...."

Having a parish where the music teacher in the school and the parish DOM are two different people is very, very difficult, especially when the DOM is territorial about his/her space in the church and his/her instrument. Prior to being promoted to DOM, I was the music teacher and I endured much persecution in the name of territoriality.

And, Salieri--most of the people I have had to deal with fall into your Category 2, so after we both say "thank you", please call me so we could both engage in that drink (or two or three!!!!!), BK--come on along....the more the merrier I say!

Having a parish where the music teacher in the school and the parish DOM are two different people is very, very difficult, especially when the DOM is territorial about his/her space in the church and his/her instrument. Prior to being promoted to DOM, I was the music teacher and I endured much persecution in the name of territoriality.

The main thing I am getting from the DOM there is requests to do children's choir for him. Mainly, because I get the feeling that he wants me to do all the rehearsing so he can have them for Christmas and Easter. My first year, he tried to tell me that it was "traditionally the music teacher's job" and he "didn't feel comfortable working with children," and flat out refused to do it stating "just because the last guy did it, doesn't mean I have to." Come to find out that it was actually a couple of nice ladies from the parish that did it for over 20 years and then stopped. Second year, he tries to get me to change my curriculum to accommodate his repertoire for Christmas, then when I wouldn't do that, he decided to have the rehearsals in my room so that I have to be a part of it (the principal let me leave the building instead so I wouldn't have to be pressured into it). This year, he asked me to create one under the auspices of cooperation, but I would rehearse them up to three times during the week, on repertoire of his choosing, and he would take them once on Sundays. Then, they'd sing for one Sunday a month, and "possibly" for the school Masses on Mon, Wed, and Fri, just to "make it look like a legitimate activity...not thrown in at the last minute." Suffice to say, I'm not doing it for him this year, either. At least, my principal has my back: that has been a VERY nice thing about working where I do: she is one of the most supportive admins I've ever met.

Sorry about the rant: I just wanted to share my story with you.