Schools of music are re-discovering the importance of sacred music to their organ curriculum. Many undergraduate curricula include at least a course in service playing. Many undergraduate and graduate curricula include a handsome overview of liturgy, sacred music literature, materials, and methods. Some organ teachers prefer not to “deal” in sacred music. And some organ teachers revel in their sacred music component.
I deliberately stand somewhere in the middle, while leaning toward the organ performance component. I recognize the importance of all organists being able to play for church/synagogue, but my teaching addresses those practical skills as equally important to developing a reliable technique for organ repertoire. As for early technique – well, that’s nice to learn, and I enjoy using it and teaching it. But it lies behind legato and hymn/anthem accompaniment for usefulness in establishing a career for the vast majority of graduating organists. Those who are drawn to a daily diet of early music know who they are, and they will have my support. I will teach all students early technique and when to use it, but I will not push anyone nor insist they specialize in anything, especially at the undergraduate level. And let’s not forget that most graduating organists will not be playing copies of Silbermanns and Hildebrandts at their church jobs.
As for myself, I have "specialized" in being able to do lots of things and pass on that ability to others. (My music-to-learn list is noticeably longer in the French Symphonic column, but I keep things balanced.) We all probably define ourselves differently from how others define us. I am Joby Bell, teacher/mentor, concert organist, service player, and recording artist, in that order. I am also collegial workmate, court jester, and all-around good guy. But every now and then, I am recognized in public as that guy who does the Halloween thing and the Messiah Singalong. And when I appear in the Statesville, N.C., Record & Landmark newspaper, I am the son of Donald and Judi Bell first and musician second. To some, I am still that little kid with the curly hair who played piano in the Baptist church (it has been TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS since I last did that). Upon my return after a number of months away at graduate school, I was horrifyingly re-introduced to my home church as “our home missionary to the Episcopals [sic] of Houston, Texas.”
That was an unfortunate Big Bang for my progress toward self-definition. But I did start thinking more about it, and I realized that an artist’s self-definition changes with the wind. Nowadays, I am introduced as “Dr. Bell, our sacred music coordinator. He also teaches organ.” Well, that’s better than being someone’s 'home missionary to Episcopals,' but there is still some image defining to be done here. While I have plenty experience in sacred music and have plenty to offer others in that field, my performing and applied teaching are my forte, and so far, I haven’t wavered in wanting to keep that so. That's not so bad, is it?