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From:  Edward Norton <belcantist2003@y...>
Date:  Fri Feb 28, 2003  3:30 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Re: the purpose(s) of liturgical singing


Dear Naomi:
Many denominations do make the distinction between "offering" and "performing"
and this poses many challenges for church musicians (organist-choirmasters,
choir directors, organists, paid and volunteer soloists)! I've always felt
that the "offering" never can truly happen without "performance"!
Most church musicians are pretty liberal on the subject of paid soloist-section
leaders, but many congregations, sadly, are back in the dark ages when it comes
to this. Very tricky! I have seen musicians who have permanently lost their
paid positions thru the selection/employment of the wrong soloist or soloists.
I took a position a number of years and the church was a "church of ill repute".
Their reputation preceded them. They had mistreated so many musicians that
few people of quality wanted anything to do with them. The section leaders were
never "good enough" in that place! I spent many hours each week dealing with
these four people and replacing the ones who dropped out! (A volunteer who
paid their salary and half of mine ran them off as quickly as I could recruit
them and thought she had a trained soprano voice! The former Dean of the
American Guild of Organists informed the entire chapter of this once I left the
position!)
Ed



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