Latest News - European Organ Building

A European law intended to control lead in consumer electronics has fallen upon the "King of Instruments" (the pipe organ for those who have not heard this term). Apparently, since the pipes contain lead and the bellows are powered by electricity, new builds would not be allowed. Manual powered bellows would be fine. You can read the New York Times article here.

An apparent official from the EU Communications commented on this blog, in an attempt to quash a "Euromyth." The only problem is it appears he does not know how a pipe organ works. He stated that if it is powered by bellows and not electricity, it would be appropriate. It appears that he does not realize that the bellows are powered by a electric blower unless we all move back to the days of the "bellow-boys."

Do I have a volunteer?

Done for the day

The rough draft of the thesis is completed and turned in.

Played two services, though I am not sure whether I actually knew what I was doing during them. The thesis effect.

Stacked up the pile of library books and notes circling the floor around my computer. Less reminders of the last few days of thesis panic.

It is the first day of spring today and a robin appeared and has been hanging out in the yard. How punctual of him.

Now I can take a break, Liturgical History reading can wait till tomorrow.

Well Duh

You are a Black Coffee

At your best, you are: low maintenance, friendly, and adaptable At your worst, you are: cheap and angsty You drink coffee when: you can get your hands on it Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Help wanted, high rewards, low pay

The following was posted on the American Guild of Organists Positions Available database.

• St. ____ Episcopal Church seeks a Music Director with a degree in music or commensurate life experience and at least 3-5 years of experience in accompanying/directing in a church setting. Must be proficient in organ and piano; experience with bell choir a plus. Experience with sacramental liturgy preferred. Ability to work collaboratively and to lead compassionately is a must. Position includes directing and accompanying both vocal and bell choirs, with rehearsal for each choir 1 X week; playing for 2 Sunday morning Holy Eucharist liturgies, monthly Sunday evening Holy Eucharist, and Feast Days throughout the year (Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, etc.); music selection and liturgy planning in consultation with the rector; arrangement for guest and substitute musicians; oversight of music budget and maintenance of music library; communication regarding music ministry and opportunities including monthly newsletter articles; oversight of maintenance and care of all musical instruments of the church. Music Director has first right of acceptance for weddings and funerals.
• Hours per week listed: 10-15 Annual Salary: 14,000-16,000

I'm sorry but this is wrong. My current position of one service and one choir comes out at around the same hours a week. To many churches apparently do not consider practice time, planning time, meetings and library maintenence to be actually job time. In this case, the director would need to practice the music for the liturgies, the keyboard part of the choir music, and score prepare the conductor part of the choir for both the adults and the bell choir. Let's not forget about the maintenence and planning needs for a bell choir.

Let us relook at this, using the American Guild of Organists time planning worksheet

1. Time spent in services: 2.75 -
   
1. using the average time of 1.25 for a sung service and an addition for the extras.
2. Time in rehearsal: 8
1. AGO recommended minimum 4 hours per choir for an Organist/Choir Director and it includes the Sunday warm-up/practice. This would include Score study, keyboard and conducting practice, set-up, music and bell collection
3. Organ Practice: 4
   
1. Recommended minimum is 4 for each non-identical service. I assume identical here.
   
4. Selection of Music: 2
1. Recommended minimum including lectionary study and consultation with Rector
5. Planning for special services
   
1. 1 hr/week per choir though the time used will actually be in spurts of Jan/Feb and Oct/Nov
6. Administration: 2
1. That is assuming identical services
7. I am leaving off Meetings, Professional Development and Other

Grand total is: 20.75, of course this is assuming the Sunday services are identical. This is generally consistant with the formula used by the Presbyterian Association of Musicians. Take the visible hours and multiply by 4-4.5 for Organist/Choir Directors (a lower number is used for single job positions).

The bottom line is that a person in this position would actually be working about 1/2 time but being paid for 1/4 time. We are telling them that they should work another job for pay and benefits and spend their free time on church work. Apparently, family and rest (that sabbath thing) are unimportant for church employees.

I am comforted that there are many churches that do not follow the flawed model but unfortunately there are some that have yet to consider that as a church they are an illustration of the Christian understanding of work and vocation.

Here comes the snow ... kind of

I am amused that a possibility of four inches of snow seems to require constant news coverage and a Winter Storm Warning. When I lived up north, that would be a rather normal snowfall. Here would be the reason:

Average yearly snowfall:

• Chicago: 34 inches (22 so far this year according to the news)
• Benzie County Michigan: 128 inches (with 204 inches the first year I lived there)

Benzie does have the advantage of winter starting at the end of October and ending in May which allows more more time for snow, plus Lake Michigan tends to help out. To those 'yoopers,' I realize that Houghton County leaves Benzie in the dust with around 210 inches average.

So now it is off to Hyde Park to make a presentation about Church Music which people complained contains too much popular music and music derived from dance. Many believe that the music is inappropriate in church, with some songs using secular texts and tunes and many of the words are hard to understand.

Time period: High Middle Ages
How things never change.

Murphy's been busy

In the Seabury "Manual for Theses," there is reference made to Murphy's Law and how it tends to apply the closer one gets to a due date. The closer the date, the more uncooperative machines become. And so it begins.

1. This weekend my DSL connection begins to go up and down more than an Anglo-Catholic at High Mass until it up and quits along with my phone. Admittedly, I was intending to to have at&t (formerly SBC which formally was Ameritech which formerly was AT&T) look into the phone cable that had gotten goofed up during the deck construction. I was not quick enough.
2. While working on the layout issues between MS Word and EndNote, suddenly everything I typed into Word was in Greek. Literally the Greek letters. I ended up restarting MS Word. Fixed it for now.
   
3. I was going to be at the United and Deering libraries and briefly in downtown Evanston but the schedule has been changed by wating for the phone guy (it was a guy) and apparently part of the downtown is closed off due to things blowing off the Sherman Plaza construction project. The phone people were much quicker in availability than Comcast was.
   

I wonder what will happen next.

"...need a person with solid keyboard skills for a wide range of music styles, who has an appreciation for Christian worship. Pipe organ, 8-9 ranks, 2 manuals, 5-7 stops, built by ___________; Gulbransen piano, Roland keyboard with 16-track disc. Annual salary: $7,000; 1-3 weeks paid vacation, 2 weeks sick leave."

So are the amount of ranks and stops negotiable?

Ash Wednesday

Attended one service. Played for another.

Did some work on Liturgical History

Came home and listened to Gregorio Allegri's - Miserere. Simply beautiful. Truly prayer through song asking for and opening oneself to God's mercy.

During this season of lent, may we open our hearts to receive God's loving kindness and mercy, and so prepare ourselve to experience anew that glorious time of Christ's Resurrection.

Pax Domini