Everything Else An Organist Should Know

Update, June 2022:  I’ve just had an email from Barry to say: ‘The book is now available free (as a download) from the Guild of Church Musicians’ website.  The safeguarding chapter has been updated, and also on that website is a draft model contract for employed organists.’

Find the link here: Guild of Church Musicians

The authors of this book, Robert Leach and Barry Williams, cheerfully describe it as a dog’s breakfast of law, accounts, science, theology, regulation and received wisdom.  They are being modest – it’s an essential guide to all those aspects of working as a professional organist which they don’t teach you at music school.   Goodwill is not always enough when relationships with the clergy or vestry become strained, when child protection issues get thrown at you, when your understanding of copyright is hazy.  Knowing the Canon Law relating to organists is rather helpful, as is knowing the recommended practice for employing and protecting children, the limits of your Health & Safety responsibilities, and how to respond when someone questions whether the organist should be paid at all.   (It is important to follow scripture in this latter area as in any other suggest the authors, offering Luke 10:7, Romans 4:4, and Matthew 20:1-16 as suitable ammunition.)

Robert Leach is a chartered certified accountant, Barry Williams is a lawyer – they are both organists and choir leaders, and I can’t list here all the church and related bodies they’ve served on, advised, worked for – you’ll just have to read their biogs in the book.  Originally published in 2005, with updates on the website in 2009, it’s likely and inevitable that some details may be out of date, but as long as you are aware of this it’s a valuable addition to the organist’s library.

Everything Else an Organist Should Know
Robert Leach & Barry Williams
Organist Publications Ltd 2005
ISBN 0-9550749-0-8
£17.00

I guess I should point out that the law and accountancy in this book refer to UK practice.