I think to add detailed comment to MarkB's list of desiderata we need some idea of what the role is in the particular place/parish.

One nitty-gritty thing you need to be aware of before committing years and thousands of dollars to a masters degree program and accruing educational debt is that you will probably never be paid a decent professional salary if you work in parish music ministry, and you will very likely struggle to make ends meet, especially if you need to support a family. So if you commit yourself to this ministry, commit yourself with the knowledge and expectation that you will have economic hardship for much of your life.

You will not have job security, which will add to stress. With a change in pastor will likely come a change in musical priorities that could undo what you had spent years cultivating.

You will be unappreciated and underappreciated more than you will be appreciated, but some will appreciate you. People will tell you what they don't like about what you do more than they will tell you that they like what you do.

You will work every weekend, major holiday, and some weeknights each week, which is not family-friendly. It cramps the ability to have a social life because you will work when everyone else has off.

It is more difficult than ever to recruit choir members because the church is losing young people and schools have cut music education programs and classes, so fewer people have much musical literacy or singing skill. Pastors might judge you negatively for not having large choirs, when there are cultural factors that contribute to low interest in joining choir.

Not to sound negative, but it's a hefty dose of reality. Not everyone is cut out for this ministry. Perhaps very few are.

I have to work in a Catholic Church. The social predicaments don't really bother me. However, I'm quite selective about the music and am, admittingly, socially awkward, which would definitely affect everything concerning my position as a music minister. Yeah... this is probably why my priest/confessor hasn't responded to email requesting a letter of recommendation. Thanks Mark and Charles! This really helps.

I was planning on becoming a music minister.

Per me si va ne la città dolente,
per me si va ne l'etterno dolore . .

I don't mind working Holiday's if I know if it's for Mass.

You say that now…. Lol. You’ll likely have a different opinion when your wife falls asleep with the infant and you are wrapping gifts at 2:30am on Christmas Eve after getting home late from midnight mass exhausted, knowing all the while you have to be back by 7am for the early morning mass.

I might just mention I'm gay to get the whole wife and kids thing out of the picture. AND I do adhere to Church's doctrine on celibacy. @TCJ

My personality is suited for avoiding people.

THAT is EXACTLY my natural temperament. Maybe I'm built for this.

Being a sociopath.

I think this is supposed to be purple.

Or is it?

Love people or hate them, you will have to get along with them and be able to work with them. I know I sometimes felt in my years as a DM/Organist exactly like W.C. Fields said, "I am free of all prejudice. I hate everyone equally."

Choir singers can be touchy, take offense at the slightest things, and have to be stroked and soothed the right ways to keep them singing. Otherwise, they quit. Directing a music program is definitely a "people" job. We don't even want to go into the subject of childish and spoiled priests.

It could be a career for you if you could pair with another musician who could give you some backing and support. In secular jobs I have supervised, I tried to get people who could make up for my deficiencies and it worked out well.

@TCJ you seem to be the only one who doesn't stress the importance of being able to be people-oriented. This does not seem like a good career path for me. Thank you all for the insights.

That is correct. However, I find social interaction with groups of people to bearable for short periods of time (like two hours for choir practice) but I also find it exhausting and I need to get away from people for a time afterward. I am somewhat socially awkward, but I have also developed the ability to adapt in cases of necessity. My choir is quite aware of my peculiarities and all of us have a good laugh over mine (and theirs) at times. We are an oddball group and everyone seems to appreciate each other. Having a family of my own and also having experience teaching has helped me overcome some of the awkwardness.

One other thought:
You have to have thick skin to a degree. I mean this in two ways: the first and most obvious is the fact that some people will always complain about your ministry and won’t shy away from making sure you know they disapprove. I’ve even had people write to the bishop about me (had to do with my bulletin column, but that’s a story for another day). The other is that working with priests isn’t a walk in the park either. That is to say, as colleagues, you get to see their more human side. There’s no rose-colored conception of music ministry. PiPs show up on Sundays with rose colored glasses on and it’s lovely for them. This illusion bursts pretty quickly once you’re employed by the church full time. Sometimes the church isn’t the best at taking care of its own, and that can lead to resentment. I rather cherish a certain period where I was between jobs. It was hard at the time, but it was also a tremendous blessing.

Sorry, anybody here from Texas? Specifically Houston area? These comments are pretty negative. I always see openings in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and Gather hymnals are provided at every church I've been to. I'm sure some of y'all may be "EWW!! Gather hymnal!" but I think it's fine. Definitely not as pretty as Pange Lingua, but pretty enough for me to feel comfortable with it.

Thank you, @francis

I should clarify that the music is all right out of the LU and every liturgy is predetermined. This makes it very simple when it comes to vying opinions. There is very little opinions can alter. Therefore, strong personalities tend not to cause issues... it can be a significant dimension to personnel management. Also, divas will not be as much inclined to participate since the nature of the music has nothing to do with “performing” as opposed to blending in with the scola/choir.

Your personality type is a separate issue, but the overall “spirit” of a job would be quite different.

There is one TLM parish in Houston though lol. And by "TLM" I mean "Texas Loves Music." We do have remarkable high school bands and orchestras, however.

I worked for a priest who didn’t want anything remotely echoing traditional liturgy, and he treated me like crap. That’s why I’m saying that just because they use gather hymnals and aren’t trad oriented doesn’t mean it will be a good job. Bad priests are still bad priests, regardless of liturgical context. (Although I suspect you’ll be treated better by more traditionally oriented priests. At least, this has been my experience—all within the novus ordo realm, mind you.)

The Ordinariate is Catholic, just FYI!

@ServiamScores , We have an F.S.S.P. parish and it is very nice. I think I made it seem I valued "pop" Liturgical music over "serious." Quite the opposite.

I should clarify that the music is all right out of the LU and every liturgy is predetermined. This makes it very simple when it comes to vying opinions. There is very little opinions can alter. Therefore, strong personalities tend not to cause issues... it can be a significant dimension to personnel management. Also, divas will not be as much inclined to participate since the nature of the music has nothing to do with “performing” as opposed to blending in with the scola/choir.

Very funny, francis. Very funny. If only this were anything at all like my experience...

I do notice a whole different level of sanctity of people attending the Tridentine Mass.

Francis -

I know for a fact that Nowhere Man provides music for a TLM at his parish (as well as for the Other Mass), but even at the TLM-only parishes I've been involved with, my experience has been similar to his. Music at a TLM is by no means "predetermined". Even setting aside the whole polyphony vs. chant argument [and don't forget Baroque masses, including ya favorite boi Mozart!], there's the issue of whether or not to have vernacular hymns during a Low Mass, or organ alone, or nothing at all. (It's even better when you have the priest who has a habit of switching to a Low Mass ten minutes before it begins, after you've been rehearsing all week.) You also have the full Gregorian vs. Rossini vs. Tozer vs. recto tono propers decision to make. Even within the LU, you get into issues when you bring up that most adorable of arguments, the "pre vs. post 55 Holy Week" Debate, which is a can of worms I have absolutely no desire to open right now.

And divas are by no means absent from the older form. Their displays of expertise are much more subtle. I remember, at my old parish, the priest actually stipulated that descants on hymns were forbidden, as singers stuck out too much. Cantors were eventually forbidden to intone because 'either all voices sing or no voices sing'. (Even though it was just men singing for the propers, and women were exempt, but hey, that's their prerogative.) I've had people leave my choir because we didn't sing Taize anymore; I've had people storm out of my choir because we didn't sing RoSewig anymore. The Divas you always have with you.

ahoyce - You are right that there is a different level of sanctity of TLM goers. But I've also been blessed to know people involved with the TLM (a rather famous priest, nonetheless) who tell you that you have to burn your Disney pajamas, so you can see the demons emerging in the sparks of the flames as testament to their Satanic possession. It brings out the best and the worst in people. So, I agree with Francis that the TLM is one of the greatest treasures given to us by God. But it cannot be expected to be the cure-all for all of our problems.

For children.

Gosh, it makes me unpopular in the US, but I'd be OK with some Taizé chants, and yes, our parish has moved to full propers for all but Lent I and maybe Holy Week (not the paschal vigil, since we sing so many similar tracts during the year but we may shorten one of the tracts on Palm Sunday and Good Friday — maybe!). Our current Leader™ agreed with me, that in the spirit of compromise, we'd do the first two and last verses of the tract for Lent I in chant, then use the introit psalm tone for the intermediate verses, and he told me after that while he was singing, he realized that he had made the wrong decision, but we made strong personalities happy this year, so next year we can do the full one. Our monthly Vespers is sort of my baby, so I don't mind going out of my way to make sure that we do things nicely, but I need to know things in advance (luckily the pastor was three steps ahead of me in expressing our shared preferences, so I know the goal). Another debate would be Assumption and August 22, which is not something that I really want to discuss either, but we need to know in advance what office to sing on August 21, because most of us don't have the proper Magnificat antiphon of the new feast, and the organist needs time to study it so that she can prepare the accompaniment. For the Assumption, trads more or less all know the classical Marian hymn of Vespers, and we have accompaniment ready… but if not, we need to prepare!

Music at a TLM is by no means "predetermined".

I stand corrected... I meant to say the TEXT is predetermined which DICTATES the music.

Even setting aside the whole polyphony vs. chant argument

I don't have an argument there... I enjoy both as both we should.

and don't forget Baroque masses, including ya favorite boi Mozart!]

Which baroque masses are you referring to? (and I would never put Mozart in the baroque era)... I do have issues with orchestral Masses... anything that distorts the liturgical sensability is questionable... I know. I know... it's a subjective call in some respects, but heh... some liturgies just have way too much music... no silence... and need to make ample room for the organ (preludes, postludes, improvs, etc.) I truly believe very few find the perfect balance of music to not.

there's the issue of whether or not to have vernacular hymns during a Low Mass, or organ alone, or nothing at all.

Low Mass... in my mind, no vernacular. You could have an entrance and recessional in vernacular I suppose. We do that. That does not bother me... the vernacular hymns I employ are only the best 150 of all time with distinctly Catholic theology. That doesn't bother me at all. Of course, THAXTED gets programmed often at TLM's... something I could do without.

(It's even better when you have the priest who has a habit of switching to a Low Mass ten minutes before it begins, after you've been rehearsing all week.)

This has nothing to do with a TLM... this is just inconsiderate clergy. Haven't had much experience with that.

You also have the full Gregorian vs. Rossini vs. Tozer vs. recto tono propers decision to make.

If you can't technically perform one, then perform the other... just don't 'dumb down' the ability to do the utmost!

Even within the LU, you get into issues when you bring up that most adorable of arguments, the "pre vs. post 55 Holy Week" Debate, which is a can of worms I have absolutely no desire to open right now.

Yea... an issue, but... see final comment.

And divas are by no means absent from the older form.

Diva's strictly not allowed! Straight tone or straight to the door.

Their displays of expertise are much more subtle. I remember, at my old parish, the priest actually stipulated that descants on hymns were forbidden, as singers stuck out too much.

I totally agree! NO soloists in the choir!

Cantors were eventually forbidden to intone because 'either all voices sing or no voices sing'.

The intoning should be done by the best choral voice(s).

I've had people leave my choir because we didn't sing Taize anymore;

Don't "Taize" me bro! (can't stand the stuff personally) I would not accept Taize at a TLM.

The Divas you always have with you.

The Diva be with you... and also with you... (NOT WITH ME!)

The long and short of all your arguments are actually hardly anything compared to the bombastic errors in music allowed in non TLM music programs... believe you me... I can easily live with the options of any TLM any day as compared to the horrendous mistakes of those who want their own flavors, styles and preferences including rock, folk, jazz, P&W, etc. all the way out to the liturgical dance of the REC.

See Stimson’s comment.