It's just one piece

Scenario: Prospective church music students are repeatedly asking me the same question, which goes something like, “Will I be able to make a living being a worship leader?” Notwithstanding the discussion that needs to be had over the difference between a ‘worship leader,’ a ‘worship pastor,’ a ‘pastor,’ a ‘director of music,’ and an ‘organist/choirmaster,’ my answer is No. Churches have caught on to two things: 1) benefits are expensive; 2) there’s always someone else (in the case of worship leaders) waiting in the wings to work for peanuts or less, because they have a “heart for God.” Take those two things together, shake them up and do the math, and you have a musician working more than 40 hours per week for part-time pay and no benefits. Musicians' GivingItAway Syndrome has been discussed all over the world, but something still needs to be done about it. And it needs to start with churches taking a more honest look at how they define positions and then paying accordingly.

Scenario: A friend of mine thinks that to catch a flight from an airport two hours away, a person can leave the house two hours ahead of flight departure time. Never mind finding parking, walking to the terminal, checking bags, going through security “at least 30 minutes prior to boarding,” arriving at the gate “at least 10 minutes prior to departure,” and allowing for delays to any or all of the above. Call me a pessimist, but I have better things to do than miss a flight due to poor planning.

Scenario: A student stops by my office and asks, “Can you play one piece on my recital? It’s just one piece.” Then I have to sit down and gently do the math with the student: “Well, that one piece will require at least two rehearsals between you and me. Then your teacher will want to see us at least twice. Then you and I might play that piece in your studio class and/or for the school of music’s weekly student performance hour. Then there’s dress rehearsal and then the show. How many hours are we up to now, for this one piece?”

Scenario: A church musician is working a position defined by the church as “20-25 hours per week.” Then someone asks, “Can you also direct the Christmas spectacular?” Or, “Can you also play for youth choir rehearsals on Sunday evenings?”

Scenario: A church musician asks me, “Can you play the prelude on Sunday when you’re in town? It would help sell your recital that afternoon.” No, it won’t. It will only require me to get out of bed and sit through however many services and sermons, just to play that one piece and try not to derail “recital mode.” And it will whet a lot of people’s appetites enough that they won’t feel compelled to return that afternoon.

I have plenty more scenarios where those came from, but it all boils down to some sage advice I have received more than once: “Everything takes longer than it does.” In my old age, I’m much more protective of my time and energy. That “one piece” can kill, if you’re not careful.