Death of the Church Organist
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Fri, November 05, 2004
- Viewed 117
- (27) comments so far
I guess I'm wondering, as a whole, what other churches are doing. Is there a shortage of churches who use the organ; or a shortage of organists?
What is your church doing? Do you use an organ in your main services? If not, did you use an organ 5 or 10 years ago? Perhaps you're an organist... how has the switch to contemporary worship affected you?
I'd love to hear what's happening in your situation!
Have a great weekend!
Todd
I ran across an article in The Berkshire Eagle last week that I found quite interesting. It really said the opposite of what I thought would be the case. According to the article, there is actually a shortage of organists to play in churches in Massachusetts. I know that New England is very traditional in their worship in many churches, but I guess I still thought that the situation would be reversed… that there would be too many organists for the available number of churches that are still using organs.
-----
Comments
if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, they will displayed on any website that supports them.
Jim Broussard on Fri, November 05, 2004
Hi,
Our church currently has 6 worship services on Sunday. 5 are with organ and one is with piano. We are adding a 6th serivce in the fall. This will be a contemporary service with Praise Band. It will take place in our new Family Life Center. We have 2 pipe organs and 3 organists on staff.
Christ Church is an Episcopal church in Greenville South Carolina with a congregation of app. 5 thousand.
David Curtis on Fri, November 05, 2004
I am in a small conservative baptist church in the Pacific Northwest. We have one individual in our congregation who is able to play the organ and so we do us the organ during our one worship service on Sunday morning. This service is blended and so the organ is only played when we sing hymns, and is only used when this one individual is available. We don’t worry about it if she is gone that week. Our congregation is mostly over age 50 and I think they appreciate the organ when it is played.
William Weinmann on Fri, November 05, 2004
I find it interesting that the contemporary service types are so quick to assume that the organ in church is dead.
Yes, there is a shortage of highly skilled organists. The same can be said of highly skilled musicians in general. These are the ones who can communicate well through their music, and make any service, traditional, contemporary or blended come alive. The few that are so skilled find that churches actually fight over them.
There is, however, no shortage of the mediocre organists and pianists who in the name of humility play the same thing week in and week out, never lift their hands from the keyboard at the end of a phrase, and never vary the sounds coming out of the organ. These are the ones that have given the organ a bad reputation.
I have been to some pretty boring contemporary services too, particularly the ones where the band plays the same arrangements of the same songs all the time, have unaddressed balance and tuning problems, and where the pastor does not preach a clear Gospel message.
The moral: Regardless of worship styles, we must strive for excellence rather than just be satisfied with the good or “OK”. That includes pushing the envelope regardless of whether we’re at an organ or in a band. Perhaps if we can instill this into our musicians, there won’t be such a shortage.
Denise Mathias on Mon, November 08, 2004
A look at the websites of the American Guild of Organists or the Presbyterian Association of Musicians will show that organists are in demand, particularly those that have broad church music training and experience. In addition, new pipe organs, as well as electronic, are constantly being built and installed around the country and the world. Contrary to popular belief, all styles of music can be played on the organ, from renaissance to rock, and even contemporary Christian. But don’t take it from me—check it out!
Ray Silvers on Mon, November 08, 2004
As a church organist/choir director, I have found that here in FL it can take a year to replace an organist. Our church has 4 services per week with 2 traditional services using organ, 1 blended which uses keyboards and organ and 1 praise service with a praise band. More often organists are called on to be able to do more than just organ. I find myself operating sound systems, playing piano and keyboard and working with youth and children.
Perhaps due to the influence of computer games, tv and other diversions, young people are not taking piano and organ lessons so the supply is definitely finite.
I would expect that the salary expectations are going to grow as supply diminishes.
Thanks,
Ray http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/wink.gif
Bill on Mon, November 08, 2004
I found this article interesting but true, though there are a number of churches here in California that still use an organ or even a pipe organ, seems the newer style of worship has replaced this very valuable instrument. I being a keyboardist/pianist have never had the ablity to play the organ (feet control) and though I may play organ sounds on the keyboard it will never take the place of this unique sound.
Roger Sears on Mon, November 08, 2004
There is a demand for skilled musicians throughout the country. As a faculty lecturer and one of the larger music conferences, I hear the horror stories music ministries around the country face. The depreciation of music for students begins in the educational system. Many school districts are opting out of full-service music programs because of budget cuts andthe lack of music instructors. I live in an area where, in some cases, the band directors double as the choir director and/or music teacher. I am sure the choir directors pull double duty as well.
I believe the changing trend in some of the worship styles [traditional, blended, contemporary,charismatic, etc.] dictates the level of musicianship one would ascribe to become. I am a music director for a music ministry in one of the larger non traditional, yet conservative churches in the area. One of the challenges I sometimes face is replacing personnel that move onto another calling. The process can take up to several months. However, in the midst of the search, the pastoral staff expects the ministry to continue in a spirit of excellence. Fewer musicians now possess all the skills required by some of the ministries such as: the ability to read music fluently as well as playing by ear. Several proactive steps we, as music directors can take are to:1. encourage our qualified staffers to hang in there with the ministry even though it can be difficult at times, 2.begin training young people in the church and community to fill our place in the ministry when we decide to take that “long term vacation” and, 3. ask our denominations to provide scholarships for aspiring musicians to attend colleges, conservatories or seminaries that specialize in church music.
This is the season for us to act because the challenges we face now can become greater before they lessen.
Kim Cannon on Mon, November 08, 2004
Having a degree in Organ Performance, I find articles regarding the future of the organ of great interest. I have a concert ministry but when I am not on the road, I have a standing invitation to play the organ at my local church. It involves the playing of two very traditional services(hymns and responses) and then leading one contemporary service from the piano. Our traditional services are still the most well attended of the three. With the advent of the newer technology, so much can be done with the organ. As far as majestic sounds go and the capability of leading a congregation, the organ has no match.
It will be interesting to see what happens over the next 20 years. I have a hunch that just maybe the church will return to its roots and embrace the great hymns.
I love both and find that churches grow and thrive in either environment if the Word is proclaimed and the church is authentic in living out the Gospel.
We certainly need to train young musicians to fill in the gap.
Yes, there is a shortage of organists and sadly that trend will probably continue.
Rev. Dave on Mon, November 08, 2004
We are a small conservative, Bible church in the heart of the Midwest. Most of our congregation is over 50. Our worship style is traditional. We use the organ every Sunday morning, and the piano Sunday evening. We have only one person who plays, so when she is gone, unless we find a substitute from another town, we’re forced to sing acapella. We usually sing acapella….
Paul Porter on Mon, November 08, 2004
When my wife auditioned at our previous church in 1985 only one other person even applied for the job, a 12 year old taking lessons. When we left that congregation we joined one of very few growing churches in our (Flint, Michigan)area. She is one of several keyboard players now and there is no organ in the building, which is only a year old. Of the four weekend services, one is traditional (Attendance shrinking), one “gospel” (Small, steady attendance) and two very contemporary (Large, growing attendance). Although we are still very fond of the pipe organ, we don’t miss it a bit. My wife has received several offers to play elsewhere and some of those churches are now using organ cd’s as they have not been able to fill the position.
Jody Kibler on Wed, November 10, 2004
I’m one of the many Midwest organists. Our little Baptist church in rural Wisconsin is incredibly blessed with about seven pianists, three organists and three people who could, at a moment’s notice, direct the choir. We have very traditional worship services.
We have a pipe organ, and just added another rank of pipes a couple of years ago to add more depth to the sound. One Sunday one of our organists played “How Great Thou Art” with everything opened up on that organ on the final chorus. The visiting evangelist said he thought he was going to be raptured up to Heaven right then and there. The organ adds a dimension to worship that you can’t get with a piano, keyboard or band.
How does a little church of less than 200 do it? The answer lies in our children. Those who are musical in the church teach and encourage the young people. Not only do those who can, teach piano, organ and other musical instruments, but we regularly have the children play offeratories on Sunday nights. Just last Sunday night we had a 9-year-old boy play the piano . . . very haltingly . . . but he was making his joyful noise to the Lord, and we all were blessed by it.
In the past six years, we’ve had four of our young people go off to college to major in music—two piano, one trumpet and one bassoon. It’s wonderful when they come home on weekends, and we can add extra dimensions to our worship by, for instance, having trumpets play along with our congregational singing.
One of the things that deters children from learning to play the organ, is that they are always told not to touch the church organ. I believe that, when they want to push some of the notes or pedals, an adult should sit right there with them and show them how they can make beautiful sounds come out of it.
Is the church organ going the way of the dinosaur? Only if we let it.
D.Damien Jones on Thu, November 11, 2004
I found this article to be quite intriguing due to the fact that it seems in all parts of the nations that church musicians are getting harder and harder to find. I am a organist in the city of Philadelphia, which for the most part has a great deal of churches that practice traditional worship due to Philadelphia History and background. On the other hand we have quite a few Mega-Churches that are popping up overnight with anywhere from 1,000 to 7,000 members. In these churches contemporary music is on the menu every sunday and if there is a traditional crowd they are force to come to a earlier service.
In the city of Philadelphia alone there are over 400 church musician vacancies of some kind. I always have a saying that all the good organists are taken, all the bad ones nobody wants, and the rest are six fee under.. This rate is growing week by week. I am quite sure most would we agree that the last generation of highly trained organist are dying off or becoming ill due to other health issues. Most of these persons are from 65 - 80 in age. I have friends who are playing for two and three churches just so that they can have some music during the month. There are churches that have changed there worship time just to accomodate one musician so they can have music on Sunday morning. One service might start at 9 am and then the musician runs to another service at 11:15 am.
Those who have the ability and the knowledge of all aspects of church music need to pass this down to the younger generation.. First of all you need to get them to Go to Church..thats the hardest challenge to begin with..then when they get in the door give them something to keep their mind and spirits occupied.This is our only hope cause if we think times are bad now for finding church musicians,in another ten years it will be absolutely frightening…
Brian Busch on Thu, November 11, 2004
We’re a growing church in Northern VA and have embraced contemporary music (blended with a few hymns). We outgrew our church, so we removed the organ (horrors!) and the built-in pulpit to make room on our little platform for choir, dramas and seasonal kids programs. Now, we’re renting the skating rink across the street and are a portable church each week until we build our new church. With the kids swarming over our old church, offices rented down the street, youth renting a community center and the adults renting the rink, we left a lot behind - including our 7’ grand piano (sniff…)
My point? To us, organs, pianos, office space, having our own buildings, consistent sound, platform, setup, etc., were gladly left behind because God was working in our community. Do I like playing a Yamaha Motif 8 instead of a 7’ Grand? No! Do I like that our church has grown from 50 to 1300 in about 9 years? Yes!! Of course, its not about numbers and our leadership understands that.
So, My philosophy is simple: Jesus asked us to leave it all behind and follow Him - if God is working in your church, don’t hold on to anything as a sacred need…some churches don’t even have their own building to put a huge 23 rank organ in, but God is still working.
George E. Haimbach on Thu, November 11, 2004
I am the Director of Music Ministries at a church in the western suburbs of Philadelphia. Our weekly attendance is 600-700 in 6 services in two worship spaces - each with a pipe organ - on a weekend: one contemporary on Saturday evening, two traditional on Sunday morning (8:00 & 9:30), two contemporary (9:30 & 10:55), and a special service of Hope & Healing (10:55). We have two wonderful organists on staff, but both have been carrying their AARP cards for quite some time. At this point, one third or less of our congregation attends traditional worship. I fear that, as those numbers decline, so will the two lovely old organs. Maintenance and repair costs are becoming prohibitive, and there is little support to incur the cost of rebuilding either.
Which begs the question: What does a church do when its Mollers fall out?
Adam on Mon, November 15, 2004
I used to be the pipe organist at my former church. The organ was in a constant state of needing repair. We tried (unsuccessfully) to get a new organ for the sanctuary but no one wanted to incure the 13,000+ dollars it would take (the pipes were fine…the console was the problem). The attitude of those who were wanting the contemporary feel to take over was that once the organ was completely dead, we would be able to replace it with a keyboard for a more contemporary feel. Now they have no organist and the organ is almost dead. At my current church, we use the organ at all three services (contemporary, traditional AND southern gospel)...it has a midi in it to accomodate other sounds when needed….thank God this congregation and those others on staff know the significance the “king of instruments” can be to a service.
Page 1 of 2 pages 1 2 >
Post a Comment