Today, like many of my colleagues, I came across a ridiculous op-ed piece in the Boston Globe called "Save the church! (kill the organs)" - you can read it here. Needless to say, blood began to boil. Tempers flared. Eyes rolled. Some might say we are an overly sensitive bunch, we organists, but the truth is we are tired of being the Whipping Boy (or Girl) for those lamenting the decline in attendance on Sunday mornings (or Saturday evenings). My first response was to repost the article on Facebook, of course, accompanied by a snarky comment about the author of the piece. Maybe that wasn't fair, but as my older brothers used to say - don't dish it out if you can't take it.
Here's the deal: there are MANY, MANY, MANY reasons why attendance is down across the country. Do the research. You can no more say it's the music than you can say it's the horrible taste of the communion wine. But if we are really going to face the issue, we as church musicians must take some of the heat. The truth is, there are MANY, MANY, MANY worship services out there that are led with poorly played, poorly chosen music. It's just the truth. And again, there are MANY, MANY, MANY reasons for this. Such as:
There aren't enough well-trained organists/musicians available, so churches are forced to use unqualified people.
The pay is horrendous, so those who are well trained don't/can't take the positions where they are needed most.
The instruments are horrible and not well-maintained, which in turn does not encourage the congregation to sing well.
The leadership - lay or clergy - do not put enough emphasis on the quality of the liturgy.
The clergy and the musician for some reason can't play well together in the sandbox - doesn't matter who threw sand in who's eyes first - so the liturgy and the community suffers.
SOMEONE is lazy.
The congregation/clergy/musician/whoever doesn't care about quality - they only want to entertain or be entertained.
Not enough time is allotted in the musician's schedule for service preparation.
The clergy has never received enough/proper training in liturgy and music.
The musician and clergy do not respect each other.
And perhaps the most important - The leadership/clergy and musician are not on the same page regarding the vision for the liturgy and the community.
Now, I will probably get blasted by some of my colleagues for saying these things, but sometimes it IS our fault as the musicians. Perhaps not as individuals, but as a collective group. Let me tell you a story: Many years ago (and I mean, a lot) a workshop addressing the professional concerns of organists was held as part of a larger conference. Luminaries in the field were invited to be a part of a panel discussion to answer questions and give guidance and advice out of their vast knowledge and experience. Someone brought up the issue of compensation, and the difficulties many organists had when it came to being paid a fair wage and how much more difficult it was to get a raise while working for a church. Discussion ensued, and one particular panel person said something to the effect of, "Well, before we even discuss getting a raise, we have to be sure that we are working hard enough and playing well enough to even deserve it." Well children, after that comment there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth. The nerve of someone even intimating that an organist wasn't deserving! Said luminary was not invited to speak on such topics again.
The truth shall set you free, peeps. If we are not going to be honest about our abilities and our work, there really is no hope for the profession. There will always be many levels of playing in the organ world - this is true of every instrument. But we have to agree to some sort of minimum standard for playing in public as professionals. And I don't mean Carnegie Hall levels - I'm talking about playing with accuracy, musicality, and sensitivity to the text at a BARE minimum. We all have to be willing to go get coached or take lessons or whatever is needed when we come across some sort of issue we cannot overcome. And as employers, churches should be more than willing to chip in towards this type of continuing education. If they aren't, then they are getting what they pay for.
The church also needs to start being honest about what it wants. Different strokes for different folks, as the saying goes. If a congregation has decided that they want nothing but contemporary Christian music, then stop looking for musicians from The Peabody Conservatory of Music. If it is your intention to maintain a high quality music program that has been established since the 19th century with professional musicians and a world-class instrument, don't hire Susie Q. from down the street who has only taken 6 organ lessons. The common denominator is this: whatever you want, hire qualified people and treat them like professionals, not jukeboxes. Need help discerning what's lacking or what's needed? Consult with your musician as a fellow colleague and professional and rely on their experience. If you don't have one, try your local AGO or college/university organ professor. You'd be surprised at the resources that may be available to you.
And the same goes for musicians. If you believe at the center of your being that the music in a worship service should be of the highest standard and quality possible, don't work for a church or clergy person who admittedly thinks music is not important. Or work to find some common ground you can both agree upon. If you can't stand traditional church music, don't disrespect the liturgy and all those celebrating it by slopping your way through hymns every week. Treat the instrument and the music with the respect they deserve as a tools and vehicles for worship. We are obligated to be at our best whenever we sit at the bench. Otherwise, we can kiss our profession goodbye, and it will be no one's fault but our own.
Here's the deal: there are MANY, MANY, MANY reasons why attendance is down across the country. Do the research. You can no more say it's the music than you can say it's the horrible taste of the communion wine. But if we are really going to face the issue, we as church musicians must take some of the heat. The truth is, there are MANY, MANY, MANY worship services out there that are led with poorly played, poorly chosen music. It's just the truth. And again, there are MANY, MANY, MANY reasons for this. Such as:
There aren't enough well-trained organists/musicians available, so churches are forced to use unqualified people.
The pay is horrendous, so those who are well trained don't/can't take the positions where they are needed most.
The instruments are horrible and not well-maintained, which in turn does not encourage the congregation to sing well.
The leadership - lay or clergy - do not put enough emphasis on the quality of the liturgy.
The clergy and the musician for some reason can't play well together in the sandbox - doesn't matter who threw sand in who's eyes first - so the liturgy and the community suffers.
SOMEONE is lazy.
The congregation/clergy/musician/whoever doesn't care about quality - they only want to entertain or be entertained.
Not enough time is allotted in the musician's schedule for service preparation.
The clergy has never received enough/proper training in liturgy and music.
The musician and clergy do not respect each other.
And perhaps the most important - The leadership/clergy and musician are not on the same page regarding the vision for the liturgy and the community.
Now, I will probably get blasted by some of my colleagues for saying these things, but sometimes it IS our fault as the musicians. Perhaps not as individuals, but as a collective group. Let me tell you a story: Many years ago (and I mean, a lot) a workshop addressing the professional concerns of organists was held as part of a larger conference. Luminaries in the field were invited to be a part of a panel discussion to answer questions and give guidance and advice out of their vast knowledge and experience. Someone brought up the issue of compensation, and the difficulties many organists had when it came to being paid a fair wage and how much more difficult it was to get a raise while working for a church. Discussion ensued, and one particular panel person said something to the effect of, "Well, before we even discuss getting a raise, we have to be sure that we are working hard enough and playing well enough to even deserve it." Well children, after that comment there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth. The nerve of someone even intimating that an organist wasn't deserving! Said luminary was not invited to speak on such topics again.
The truth shall set you free, peeps. If we are not going to be honest about our abilities and our work, there really is no hope for the profession. There will always be many levels of playing in the organ world - this is true of every instrument. But we have to agree to some sort of minimum standard for playing in public as professionals. And I don't mean Carnegie Hall levels - I'm talking about playing with accuracy, musicality, and sensitivity to the text at a BARE minimum. We all have to be willing to go get coached or take lessons or whatever is needed when we come across some sort of issue we cannot overcome. And as employers, churches should be more than willing to chip in towards this type of continuing education. If they aren't, then they are getting what they pay for.
The church also needs to start being honest about what it wants. Different strokes for different folks, as the saying goes. If a congregation has decided that they want nothing but contemporary Christian music, then stop looking for musicians from The Peabody Conservatory of Music. If it is your intention to maintain a high quality music program that has been established since the 19th century with professional musicians and a world-class instrument, don't hire Susie Q. from down the street who has only taken 6 organ lessons. The common denominator is this: whatever you want, hire qualified people and treat them like professionals, not jukeboxes. Need help discerning what's lacking or what's needed? Consult with your musician as a fellow colleague and professional and rely on their experience. If you don't have one, try your local AGO or college/university organ professor. You'd be surprised at the resources that may be available to you.
And the same goes for musicians. If you believe at the center of your being that the music in a worship service should be of the highest standard and quality possible, don't work for a church or clergy person who admittedly thinks music is not important. Or work to find some common ground you can both agree upon. If you can't stand traditional church music, don't disrespect the liturgy and all those celebrating it by slopping your way through hymns every week. Treat the instrument and the music with the respect they deserve as a tools and vehicles for worship. We are obligated to be at our best whenever we sit at the bench. Otherwise, we can kiss our profession goodbye, and it will be no one's fault but our own.
