Music LRP

ST. MARY’S LONG RANGE PLANS

MUSIC


CHAIR : BRUCE JOHNSON
508-775-0349
brucew.Johnson@comcast.net

Long Range Plan for Music at St Mary’s


Purpose of the music program at St Mary’s

The music programs of St. Mary’s are primarily intended to support the liturgical services in the parish; and secondarily to extend those programs to the community so as to raise the awareness and perception of St. Mary’s as a leader in liturgical music. In achieving these goals, musical education for both adult and junior participants is an integral part of the program.


Where We Are

Background

Music has been a part of St Mary’s from its earliest days with choral and organ music performed regularly each Sunday at one or more of the regular services. Additionally, special services such as Evensong. Lessons and Carols or festival services have had music added sometimes with other instruments performing such as an oboe or trumpet. In recent years St Mary’s has joined with other churches (e.g. St Peters in Osterville or West Parish in West Barnstable) for joint concerts For the most part this music has been performed by an adult choir led by an organist/music director and a junior choir also led by the music director and an assistant in charge of this group. In summer and during vacation periods for regular staff, guest performers have provided music.

Current Resources

St Mary’s is blessed to have as its musical director, Dr. James F. Armstrong who brings to St Mary’s a formidable background in liturgical music most recently as Musical Director of Christ Church, Cambridge, MA. His wife, Janet, directs the Junior Choir. On average the adult choir has 16 members with paid section leaders in the tenor and alto sections. The junior choir numbers have on average nine or ten members. The music is sometimes added to by guitars played by parish members.

St Mary’s has as its primary instrument in the church a Karl Wilhelm tracker pipe organ and a rehearsal piano in the parish hall. St Mary’s maintains a music library which is regularly added to and vestments for both adult and junior choir members.

The choir has actively raised funds for the benefit of music both by mail solicitation (The Friends of Music) and in performance at which voluntary donations are solicited. These solicited funds have accounted for about 5% of the music program’s total budget. It is currently under discussion by the Vestry as to whether this solicitation should continue and, if so, under what circumstances.

The staff of the music department is aided by a music committee made up of parishioners, most of whom are adult choir members. This committee is charged with identifying and reacting to problems and opportunities as they arise and assisting the staff as directed by them. Fund raising is managed by this group, as well as arranging for support services at special events.

A music advisory board made up of community musical leaders has been identified to help with outreach to the community and to provide counsel to the music program at St. Mary’s.

Problems and Opportunities

Problems

1. Choir makeup
Membership in the choir is neither as large nor as stable as desirable. While sixteen members can perform most of the music called for, balance in the four sections is not always present. The lack of section leaders in the bass and soprano sections is one reason why more ambitious music is not chosen. Additionally many of the existing members cannot be counted on every Sunday because of travel commitments. The average age of choir members, older than the congregation at large, is a constant reminder that new blood is needed. This issue is being actively addressed by the music committee.

2. Rehearsal piano
The rehearsal piano is in need of repair and is not easily moved to the church for use in performance (a moving company is required to do so).

3. Vestments
The vestments are on average quite old and in need of repair and/or replacement.

4. Lighting
Lighting in the nave for processionals is inadequate. Lighting in the vesting rooms is also sub-standard.

Opportunities

There is a desire by both the clergy and staff to have a more robust music program. This desire is shared by the music committee and plans for such expansion are under way. This expansion includes more special performances by the choir and others within St Mary’s, more joint programs with other churches, and sponsored performances by outside individuals and groups. This is detailed in the planned activities section of this report.

We can greatly improve the publicity and promotion of our musical activities both internally and externally.

Where we want to be – Goals

Specific goals to be reached by the planning horizon of this report (3 years) are as follows:

Choir makeup.

1. 20 full time members who are usually available for Sunday services.
2. Identifying 12 additional voices that can be called upon for special services and concerts.
3. The addition of paid section leaders to the bass and soprano sections.
4. The addition, on a part time basis, an assistant director/ accompanist

A decision re the piano both to repair it and provide for a way to use it in performance or alternatively to replace it with the same capability.

New vestments to be paid for either by Friends of Music or by a dedicated gift.

New lighting to be paid for by church maintenance funds.

By 2007 the addition of at least one new joint performance beyond those now in the schedule.

The establishment of a promotion plan and budget for each special performance.

How We Are Going to Get There – the plan

The first necessity in executing a plan to achieve our goal is already in place – a management group (Clergy and staff, the music committee) committed to the task. This group has already laid out specific plans and goals for 2006 including the following:

Choir recruitment. Led by Dr Harry Irwin we are actively recruiting among the parish membership both by utilizing the information from the parish survey and by word of mouth. Invitations to participate at services will be made by both Steve Smith and Jim Armstrong. We are beginning to reach out to other organizations – schools and musical organizations - to recruit beyond parish members. As we increase the number (and perhaps quality) of special programs with the attendant publicity for them we expect to attract new choir members as a side benefit.

The piano problem will be addressed by the music committee early in 2006 and a recommendation made to the vestry. Under either choice now identified a significant cost will attach. Funding options will be included in the recommendation.

Similarly a recommendation will be made in 2006 re vestments. Included will be options for replacement and or repair, costs and funding choices.

Plans for enhancement of musical programs include a production of Godspell in April, 2006, co hosting (along with holy Spirit in Orleans) the appearance of The Exeter Cathedral Choir in July, 2006, and a plan for 2007 which will add at least one new event to the calendar designed to expand the outreach of St Mary’s music.

Further expansion of the music program will be dependent upon successful choir recruitment as above and financial resources. We have many more ideas than current resources would permit executing and we are aware that music is only one of many programs within St Mary’s that have a call on these resources.