Committee Business

Key items from meeting on Tuesday 7 April 2008

• A warm welcome was extended to new committee member, Maedhh Daltún Abayawickrema, organist and choir director of Castleknock Parish.
• An initial discussion took place as to whether to place greater emphasis on the accompaniment of modern 'worship songs' in the organ-playing syllabus.
• Further arrangements were agreed in connection with a five-session choir training course to be held later in 2008.
• A letter is to be sent to the chairperson of the Liturgical Advisory Committee expressing dismay that the circular letter sent to rectors in March had made no mention of the need to consult with musicians before introducing a new method of singing the psalms.
• Four students on the current ACCM course will attend the RSCM Summer School and Conference in Canterbury in August.

Key items from meeting on 19 February 2008

• The resignation of Ruth Maybury as Hon. Secretary was accepted with deep regret.  Jacqueline Mullen agreed to take on the position.
• It was agreed to invite Maedhbh Daltún, organist and choir director, Castleknock Parish, to join the Committee.
• The recent Living Worship course had been a resounding success, with speakers of a very high calibre. There were 22 participants plus 4 members of the Committee.
• A letter to be sent to the Liturgical Advisory Committee expressing the hope that the forthcoming CD and samples of responsorial psalms would be sent direct to organists as well as to clergy.
• A working-group was established to make recommendations in connection with a choir-training course in the Autumn.
• It was agreed that the Committee's work over the next period should include the encouragment of a greater use of psalms in the liturgy.  It was noted that many churches in the diocese do not seem to use the psalms and that where they are used it tends to be at Morning and Evening Prayer rather than the Eucharist.
• It was noted that currently there are four students in Year 1 and six in Year 2.  Two Year 1 students are from the Dioceses of Meath and Kildare.  The Committee had facilitated organ tuition for a third person from Meath and Kildare and it is hoped that she will formally enter Year 1 in 2008-09.   The need to keep in contact with students and to encourage ongoing feedback from them was again emphasised.
• All students had been encouraged to attend the RSCM Summer School and Conference in August.  The Committee will subsidise the cost.  

Key items from meeting on 12 November 2007

• Names were mentioned of persons who might be invited to join the Committee.
• The next choir-training course is to be held late in 2008, the syllabus and arrnagements generally to reflect the report drawn up after the 2006 course.
• Final arrangements for the next Living Worship course in January-February 2008 were agreed.
• Some ambiguities and lack of clarity in the organ-playing syllabus need to be addressed.
• A letter from the Secretary of the Liturgical Advisory Committee, outlining its current work on different methods of singing the psalms was noted with great interest.
• Revised guidelines for 2008 on the remuneration of church musicians were approved.

Key items from meeting on 12 September 2007

• Initial arragements were made for the next Living Worship course.
• Allocation of ACCM students to tutors was agreed.
• It was agreed that all students should be encouraged to attend to the RSCM Summer School and Conference in Canterbury in Augsut 2008.

Key items from meeting on 21 April 2007

• It was agreed that there should be greater ongoing contact between the Committee and students on the ACCM course. Students who had queries or difficulties of any sort should be encouraged to speak to the Hon. Secretary. Individual discussion should also be held with the tutors, who should be requested to give two reports on each student, one in December and one at the end of the academic year.  It needs to be emphasised to students that attendance at choir-training sessions and the Living Worship seminar is a mandatory component of the overall course.
• A briefing meeting for students to be held in September, as in 2006.

Key items from meeting on Tuesday 6 January 2007

• A warm welcome was extended to new committee member, Jacqueline Mullen, a member of St Thomas' Parish, Mount Merrion
• Various aspects of the current year ACCM (Archbishop's Certificate in Church Music) course were discussed: 

It was agreed to emphasise to students that attendance at the choir-training and liturgy modules is essential if they wish to progress to the next year. It was noted that on the basis of five new students in September 2007 and the same in September 2008, there could be at least twenty students in all in the academic year 2008-09.  This has implications for the finances and administration of the Committee.  The Diocesan Councils to be informed of the potential increase in numbers and consequent need for additional funding. It was agreed to admit all eligible students in September 2007, subject to satisfactory interviews and auditions.  

It was noted that there would be 23 participants on the forthcoming Living Worship course: eleven ACCM students and twelve others.    

It was noted that most of the organ tutors had returned the reports on each student for the period up to December 2006.

• It was agreed to explore the practicalities of meeting less often - possibly not more than four times a year - in plenary session; that much of the Committee's work could be dealt with by small sub-groups, and that committee members could keep in touch by conference calls and email. Early Saturday morning appears to suit very many of the Committee as a time for plenary sessions.

Key items from meeting on Monday 6 November 2006

• Congratulations were extended to Peter Barley on his engagement and to the Revd Dr Alan McCormack on his preferment to parishes in the Diocese of London.
• The detailed guidelines on remuneration for church musicians for 2007 were approved.
• It was noted that 32 people (including 11 ACCM students) had participated in the recent six-session choir-training course directed by John Dexter.  Feedback forms from the participants were also noted as was a report prepared by Pater Barley, Hilary Dickinson Guter, David McConnell and Derek Verso on the course. The report's recommendations were accepted.
• It was agreed to request an allocation of €6,500 (the same as 2006) from the Diocesan Councils for 2007, while emphasising that the Committee certainly would seek an increase for 2008.
• The Committee's accounts for the year-ended 30 September 2006 were approved.
• It was agreed to invite Jacqueline Mullen, St Thomas's Church, Foster Avenue, to join the Committee.

Key items from meeting on Monday 13 September 2006

• A draft of the remuneration guidelines for 2007 was tabled
• It was agreed to to establish ongoing contact with organ tutors and to write individually to each tutor setting out the basis of their engagement by the Committee
• Peter Barley and Kerry Houston were thanked for their work on updating the organ training syllabus.
• It was noted that there will be eleven students on the 2006-07 ACCM (Archbishop of Dublin Certificate in Church Music) course: 10 in Year 1 and 1 in year 3.  Two of the students will take their organ tuition at the RIAM.

Key items from meeting on Saturday 24 June 2006

• It was noted that five applicants for the ACCM course already had been interviewed and accepted.  Further interviews would be held towards the end of July.
• Practical suggestions from one organ tutor were considered and these fed into a wide-ranging discussion on the current and future operation of the organ tuition section of the ACCM course. A number of changes in procedures were agreed, the objective being to bring more clarity and consistency to the administration of the course. It was accepted that in future a greater amount of documentation, formal reporting and feed-back is desirable.
• It was agreed to hold a briefing session for all students early in September, to enable them to meet each other and familiarise themselves with all aspects of the ACCM course.
• Peter Barley and Kerry Houston, in consultation with David Adams, to review the organ tuition syllabus.
• It was agreed that John Dexter should direct six Sunday afternoon choir traing / conduction session in September - October 2006.  Attendance by ACCM students to be comopuklsory and the course to be available to others on a fee-paying basis.

Key items from meeting on Saturday 8 April 2006

• Publicising the Committee's work was reviewed in light of disappointing attendance at the Access All Areas event last November. Various ideas as regards publicity were discussed and it was agreed that in future the promotion of Committee events should be extended beyond the Church of Ireland constituency.
• There is a clear need to organise some events away from the Dublin urban area and in the northern part of the diocese.  
• In view of the close relationship between music, liturgy and worship, it was agreed to suggest to the diocesan councils that they should adopt a holistic approach to resourcing training in these areas.
• Revised arrangements for the website were agreed.
• The success of the recent Living Worship Liturgy Course was noted with satisfaction. There had been eighteen participants, including the five students on the Certificate course. It was agreed to run a similar course early in 2007.
• Final arrangements with the RIAM were noted and agreed.
• It was agreed to review the organ tuition syllabus and to seek the views of the organ tutors. 
• The increased funding, €6,500, from the Diocesan Councils was noted with satisfaction.

  Key items from meeting on 21 February 2006

• It was agreed to run a choir training course in the Autumn. The course to be publicised widely.
• It was agreed in principle that some students should receive their organ tuition at the RIAM, subject to detailed discussion of the arrangements with the RIAM.

  Key items from meeting on 8 November 2005

• The Committee welcomed Hilary Dickinson Guter and James Pasley.
• It was noted that there would be five students on the three year training course during 2005-06.
• Discussion took place as regards the benefits of having the training course validated by FETAC - The Further Education and Training Awards Council. It was agreed to explore the matter further.
• Philip McKinley made a presentation on behalf of the Discovery Gospel Choir. It was agreed to provide €480 for guitar lessons for members of the choir.
• A proposal from the Royal Irish Academy of Music that church music students should receive their organ tuition at the Academy was discussed and it was agreed to seek clarification on a number of points.

Key items from meeting on 30 August 2005

• Ways of encouraging students who have finished the three year course to make themselves available for deputy organist work were discussed.
• It was agreed to invite Geoff Weaver to lead an event on Friday 11 November in Adelaide Road Presbyterian Church, Teamwork in Worship, and to encourage organists and their clergy to attend. The purpose of the event is to demonstrate the benefits to clergy and musicians of discussing together regularly issue concerning music in worship.
• It was agreed to invite Hilary Dickinson, Director of Music at Adelaide Road Presbyterian Church and James Pasley, organist, Lucan Parish Church, to join the Committee.
• The need for paid adminstrative assistance from time to time was noted and the Commitee had a preliminary discussion on ways of funding the cost.
• It was agreed to increase the scale of recommended fees for church musicians by 4% from 1 January 2006, in line with the increase in the minimum stipend for clergy.
• It was noted that the Liturgy Course would be held on four Saturday mornings during January and February 2006 at the Church of Ireland Theological College.

 Key items from meeting on 15 February 2005

• An outline syllabus for a twelve-module, three year liturgy course, to be incorporated into the existing Church Music Training Scheme was discussed.
• The students on Year 3 of the Training Scheme will be offered the opportunity to attend the RSCM International Summer School and Conference in York, from 8 to 14 August.
• Initial arrangements were made for a workshop / seminar on a Saturday during November in Dublin, which will bring together church musicians from varying worship traditions and will embrace a wide mix of styles. The event will be facilitated by Geoff Weaver, church music animateur, and will explore skills, repertoire and understandings, discuss misconceptions and stereotypes, and end with a brief act of worship using material worked with during the day. The event will be run in partnership with Three Rock Youth.
• The success of the recent Organists' workshop in Howth was noted.
• The first draft of a new organist appointment contract was discussed.
• It was agreed to update the chapter in the report "Silent Worship", which summarises the historical background of music in parish churches in the Church of Ireland.
• The Committee welcomed the Revd Dr Alan McCormack and accepted with regret the resignation of Canon Ricky Rountree.