Choir wanted: Guild of St Stephen, Southwark, Annual Rally

[JW]

The Guild of St Stephen in Southwark is looking for a choir and musician(s) to lead the music for the Mass at their Annual Rally at Aylesford Priory on Bank Holiday 5th May 2008. I understand that hymns are given to you, but the Mass parts etc. are at the choir's discretion.

Aylesford is a good place for a day out and, if you have enough youngsters in your choir, I'm sure you could make it a condition of your paraticipation that you are given a guest entry into their football competition!!

If you are interested and want more details, please contact Tony Roberts, their Secretary, on 01634 361549.

[asb]

I sincerely hope that they have found a choir.

I did, however, hear of someone who offerred their choir's services, as long as their professional organist could receive their usual special service fee, but was told categorically "no".

I would be interested in peoples' views on a) a fee being requested and b) none being offered...

(NB - post edited. I apologize for having worded it misleadingly initially. It looked as though the choir wanted payment, which was not the case.)

[contrabordun]

It's a free country! Seems perfectly fair to request a fee and perfectly fair to decline to pay one, if you think you can get what you want without. Just don't complain if you can't!

[asb]

It's a free country! Seems perfectly fair to request a fee and perfectly fair to decline to pay one, if you think you can get what you want without. Just don't complain if you can't!

I quite agree - especially the latter point!

[JW]

I understand that the children's choir of Christ Church Eltham will be there. The whole question about payment is a thorny issue, isn't it? Bach, and presumably his choirs were paid. Churches often pay organists. On the other hand, many give their services voluntarily - it is down to people's personal circumstances and choice. We need to understand and respect the issues for and against.

[musicus]

Bach, and presumably his choirs were paid.

Yes, they were - as were his instrumentalists (e.g. violins, flutes, oboes, etc, etc).

[lesley wright]

'Sacred Music' on BBC4 recently suggested that Bach was actually paid a pittance and regularly struggled to scrape up enough money to pay the musicians he would have liked to employ. We do sell ourselves cheap, I suppose, though for many of us the opportunity to lead a congregation in its liturgy is its own (ample) reward. Ought we to encourage our young people to think that everything can be bought?
Lesley

[alan29]

I think that a stipend can have a two way benefit
for the musician "a labourer is worthy of their hire." etc
for the parish a contract can be a way of "persuading" people that perhaps their playing is more of a hindrance than a help.
Just because financial reward is involved that doesn't have to mean that a sense of service/vocation is negated. they are not mutually exclusive.
Alan

[docmattc]

We should distinguish here between asking for/expecting/giving a fee for what one does in one's own parish, and doing the same for another organisation which is seeking skilled practitioners to provide a service. The issues aren't necessarily the same for both cases.

[Peter]

Aren't we going off the topic of the Guild of St Stephen? Recent postings seem more relevant to http://www.ssg.org.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=577.

[asb]

Aren't we going off the topic of the Guild of St Stephen? Recent postings seem more relevant to http://www.ssg.org.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=577.

Latterly, maybe, but my original reply to this topic was drawing attention to the fact that this organization was expecting something for nothing!

[asb]

Could I ask people to re-read my original posting please? I have edited it, as it has been drawn to my attention that my wording was (unintentionally) misleading. I apologize for that.