In the last few days, this post on the Facebook Organists Association page has generated a lot of comments:
Here are some of the comments:
John Gouwens The best-endowed, wealthiest churches I know never came close to paying that! Sheer insanity!!
Irmengard Jennings On what planet does an organist earn this much?!
Walter Greenwood Of course, if salary was determined as a function of hard-earned, specialized, rare skills and expertise, this would be at the low end of reasonable.
Mateusz Wiater We have such a joke in Poland. What’s the difference between an organist and an organ bench? The organ bench is able to support a family of five.
My own comment to this post was “In your dreams!”
So it was enlightening to read the recently-released “Position Available” job posting at my former parish, the Lutheran Church of Honolulu. Here are the essentials of the job:
Position Organist
Status 1/4 Time, 8–12 hours per week
Minimum Qualifications
Masters degree (preferred, bachelors considered) in organ performance (preferred,
church music with organ concentration considered)
Equivalent church organist experience is also considered
Experience leading choral rehearsals preferred
Salary $20,000–$24,000
Partial contribution towards health insurance negotiable
Partial reimbursement of moving expenses negotiable
Benefits 3 Weeks vacation
$500 + 1 week Continuing Education stipend
Right of first refusal for weddings, funerals, etc.
Use of organ and nave for teaching and practice
It was the very last of the job description that caught my eye:
Additional Details
This is a part-time position that pays only a portion of the income needed to support an independent
professional in Honolulu. We encourage applicants who are interested to inquire about other employment in the community, potential short-term subleases or shared housing, and resources that may make their transition and life in Honolulu comfortable. Additionally, a candidate with strong vocal performance skills may also be considered for a paid choral scholar position for Sundays and events when an organist is not needed.
Here are some links to give you some information about the church and its musical instruments:
https://www.lchwelcome.org/music/instruments/
https://www.lchwelcome.org/music/overview/
Click here for the complete job description and posting.
I think back to the very first service I played for the Lutheran Church of Honolulu—it was for a Bach Cantata service in December 1974 before the “big” Beckerath organ was installed—and Carl Crosier contracted me to play the Beckerath continuo which now resides in Lahaina, Maui. I had three rehearsals that week: Monday night, Thursday night and Saturday afternoon with the orchestra, plus the Sunday Vespers service. Guess how much I was paid … $25 TOTAL, and my check didn’t come for a month following the event!
Even after 35 years as the organist, my pay was half of what they are now offering! Well, yes, times have changed, inflation, etc. Luckily my husband and I were able to live on our other sources of income to be able to live in Hawaii.
I’m hoping, though, that someone will be enticed by the fabulous Beckerath organs (yes, there are 2!), the ambient acoustics, the excellent choir, and the prospect of living in a nearly year-round summer climate! Yes, it’s expensive to live here, but there are trade-offs. I wouldn’t have traded my experience as the church’s organist for 35 years for ANYTHING!