Sign Of The Times

[mrbouffant]

I see the DoM job at St Martin in the Fields is being advertised this week. They are in fact advertising for two vacancies currently:

 

http://www2.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/pag.../vacancies.html

 

A finance officer is required, as well as a DoM.

 

Guess which one pays more?.. Sad, but a sign of the times I fear...

[gazman]

Perhaps an accountant who also plays the organ could combine the two in order to make it a lucrative position!

[Vox Humana]

However there is only £1k between them. Actually the Finance Officer's job strikes me as not very well paid for central London - it's about the level you can expect to get in Cornwall for this sort of job - whereas the organist's salary didn't look too bad (as these things go - they can always be better!)

 

I note that it is not mandatory for the organist to be a Christian, only desirable - another sign of the times?

[mrbouffant]

I note that it is not mandatory for the organist to be a Christian, only desirable - another sign of the times?

I suspect anti-discrimination legislation is behind such a wording...

 

25K for a full time, very skilled job, is rubbish really isn't it? When you can get much more than that for pushing a lever on an underground train to go faster or slower it puts it all into perspective. Of course one industry is highly unionised whilst the other is not. Perhaps we need a more militant outlook for the organist fraternity. Forward, brothers !!!

[AJJ]

I suspect anti-discrimination legislation is behind such a wording...

 

25K for a full time, very skilled job, is rubbish really isn't it? When you can get much more than that for pushing a lever on an underground train to go faster or slower it puts it all into perspective. Of course one industry is highly unionised whilst the other is not. Perhaps we need a more militant outlook for the organist fraternity. Forward, brothers !!!

 

For 30K you can also be DOM at Newcastle Cathedral.

 

AJJ

[Vox Humana]

25K for a full time, very skilled job, is rubbish really isn't it?

Can't disagree with that! To whom should we compare organist/DoMs then? Airline pilots? After all, an organ console is often likened to a cockpit (even if it sometimes feels more like a cock pit). A bit of Googling tells me that a fully qualified captain can earn £73.8k with Easyjet and £100k with Ryanair (Jan '07 figures). There might be some swings and roundabouts regarding the hours and management skills necessary, of course, but by and large it sounds good to me!

[john carter]

25K for a full time, very skilled job, is rubbish really isn't it? When you can get much more than that for pushing a lever on an underground train to go faster or slower it puts it all into perspective. Of course one industry is highly unionised whilst the other is not. Perhaps we need a more militant outlook for the organist fraternity. Forward, brothers !!!

But not many lives are risked if an organist misses a signal or hits the wrong key - unless you know otherwise?

[Vox Humana]

But nor are they in several of the jobs the media have forced me to notice that offer six-figure salaries and seven-figure severance deals for failure.

[gazman]

Ok, then, this begs the question. Why are organists - often very well-qualified, with skills above those expected of most fellow musicians (how many other instrumentalists are required to transpose, score read, sight read in public, rearrange at sight music written for other instruments (or just badly written music), train choirs, work with clergy etc?) - generally expected to work for so little?

 

Whilst I'm sure Vox has his tongue somewhat in his cheek, he has a very valid point. Dealing with an organ console uses skills which I can't think are often needed in other lines of work, and not even in airline pilots nowadays. How many others have to develop the skill to use hands and feet in the way organists do?

[John Robinson]

Ok, then, this begs the question. Why are organists - often very well-qualified, with skills above those expected of most fellow musicians (how many other instrumentalists are required to transpose, score read, sight read in public, rearrange at sight music written for other instruments (or just badly written music), train choirs, work with clergy etc?) - generally expected to work for so little?

 

Whilst I'm sure Vox has his tongue somewhat in his cheek, he has a very valid point. Dealing with an organ console uses skills which I can't think are often needed in other lines of work, and not even in airline pilots nowadays. How many others have to develop the skill to use hands and feet in the way organists do?

 

Very well said.

 

As a non-organist I greatly admire the skill possessed by (good) organists. In an ideal world (which I'm afraid this isn't) organists would be much more highly paid. On the other hand, if I were so lucky as to be able to play the organ well, I think I should enjoy doing so without any pay!