Committee Business

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Key items from meeting on Monday 22 June 2009

• The organ examinations held in May 2009 were discussed.  It was decided to include a compulsory hymn for each year of the course and to increase the weighting of marks for hymnody so as to emphasise the importance of being able to accompany congregational singing.
• The various changes to take place within the syllabus were discussed and it was agreed that the revised version would be in place by September 2009.
• Four applications to commence the ACCM course had been received and auditions/interviews would be held during the summer months.
• It was decided to hold a meeting for students, tutors and committee members in September and the suggestion of having a short act of worship to conclude this meeting was welcomed. 
   

Key items from meeting on Monday 27 April 2009

• The Venerable Ricky Rountree was warmly welcomed to the committee.
• Living Worship, having taken place earlier in the year, was discussed.  The absences of some students was mentioned and it was agreed to make it clear that attendance at all courses arranged as part of the ACCM is mandatory. 
• The organ examinations to be held in May 2009 were discussed.
• It was decided to revise parts of the organ syllabus during the summer of 2009.
• The idea of providing mentors for organ students was discussed.

Key items from meeting on Monday 19 January 2009

• A report was given on the Choirtraining and Conducting course held the previous Autumn.  Lucan had proved to be a good location to hold the course and the input from different tutors had worked well.  It was noted that attendance was good.
• Living Worship: Two sessions of four had taken place.  Geoff Weaver led the first and Fr Paul Kenny the second.  Both had been very well received.
• The ACCM course was discussed.  Some students were experiencing difficulty in obtaining music and it was agreed that assistance should be provided by the committee. 
• The Ven. Edgar Swann, the outgoing chairman of the committee was thanked for all his hard work over 16 years and good wishes for his retirement were expressed.

Key items from meeting on Wednesday 17 September 2008

• Ciaran Judge from St. George and St. Thomas' Church was warmly welcomed to the committee.
• The  organ examination syllabus was discussed in detail.
• The details of the Choir Training and Conducting Course were finalised.
• It was decided to revise a previous reading list that had not been used for a few years and distribute it to students.

Key items from meeting on Monday 16 June 2008

• Plans to assist some students to attend the RSCM summer school in Canterbury in August 2008 were discussed.  
• Potential new members for the committee were mentioned and it was decided to invite one person to join.
• A report compiled by the external examiner for the organ examinations held in May 2008 was read and discussed.  It was decided to include a list of contemporary hymns and songs in year 3 of the ACCM syllabus.      
• A Choir Training to be held in September/October 2008 was discussed.  The venue chosen was St. Andrew's Parish Centre, Lucan as this was most suitable for the majority of students. 

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.