Diocesan Church Music Committee - what it is

Exactly what is this committee, what does it do, and who is on it? David McConnell explains.

The Dublin and Glendalough Church Music Committee (DGCMC) was established by the Diocesan Councils in 1991, as an outcome of the Joint Committee for Church Music report Silent Worship, published in 1990. This well-researched and stimulating report received far less publicity arid critical comment than it deserved.

The mission of the Committee is to promote the use of music in parish churches throughout the united dioceses, and to support and encourage church musicians. It seeks to do this by developing a sense of community among church musicians providing resource, education and training facilities on its own initiative and in co-operation with other bodies seeking to raise the status of music in worship and the standing of the church musician working to improve the conditions of employment of church musicians encouraging and stimulating research and debate on the function and place of church music providing guidance as regards the use of music in the celebration of the Church’s liturgy advising on the provision and use on the use of musical instruments used in the context of worship.

Since 1991, the work of the Committee has concentrated on the following:

• administering the diocesan training scheme for church musicians,
• running occasional courses for choir directors,
• organising a choral day for junior choirs at least once very two years,
• issuing guidelines re the remuneration of church musicians and related matters.

In June 2000 the Committee reviewed its work and agreed a set of strategic objectives, supporting its mission and embracing the existing programmes with the addition of:

• an information programme, to include publishing a regular newsletter and a directory of church musicians,
• organisation of an annual social event to help redress the sense of isolation felt by many church musicians,
• focussed training on the use of music in the liturgy.

The Committee is appointed by, and reports to the Diocesan Councils. Its present members are listed below. There are at present a few vacancies, and anyone interested in getting involved should contact the Hon. Secretary, Tel: 2831845 or e-mail: info@churchmusicdublin.org.

Committee as of May 2001

• Archdeacon Edgar Swann (Chairman), Rector, Greystones Parish;
• Ms Ruth Maybury (Secretary), Organist, Christ Church, Dun Laoghaire;
• Mr Kerry Houston (Treasurer), Organist, St Catherines, Donore Av.;
• Mr Randal Henly, (Editor), Organist, St Mary’s, Howth:
• Revd Tom Gordon, Organist, St Nicholas, Galway;
• Mr David McConnell, Organist, Zion Church, Rathgar;
• Canon Ricky Rountree, Rector, Powerscourt with Kilbride:
• Mr Graham Walsh, Organist, St Paul’s, Glenageary.

For an up to date list of committee members see the Who's Who page.

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