Finding and Employing a Church Musician

Finding a competent, suitable musician for a religious organisation of any size, tradition, and scope of music program takes considerable time and effort in order to find a good match. It is highly recommended that congregations and their representatives utilise the advice of experienced church musicians to assess levels of training, the allocation of time related to work required, or contractual details. To do that, members of the RCCO Professional Support Committee are available (free of charge) to assist, and can be contacted through the National Office or local centres.

Below is our table of Recommended Salaries with a variety of qualification levels. A description of our booklet The Employment of a Church Musician is included also. In many traditions, choir rehearsal and Sunday worship are the main activities of the Church Musician. Whether the musician is responsible for the instrumental (organ, handbells, band, etc.) or choir music (or both), much of the church musician’s work is ‘behind the scenes.’ These duties typically include selecting and planning appropriate music for services, practising music, participating in meetings, maintaining a choir/instrument library, arranging music for various instrumental groups, and contacting choir members. There are other activities beyond such practical matters related to music preparation and actual service time. These include the Church Musician's continuing education and spiritual nurture. The hours of work in our salary table reflect a total time commitment for the above responsibilities.

Employment of a Church Musician / Engager un Musicien D'Église

The flagship resource of the RCCO The Employment of a Church Musician: A Guide for Canadian Churches" / “Engager un musicien d’église : Guide à l'intention des églises canadiennes is now available in a revised third edition. This 50 page booklet contains thorough listings of the skills required and the work that a church musician does. It also contains chapters on writing a job description and where a church should advertise, interview procedures, starting and maintaining the relationship, exit interviews and ending the relationship. Appendices include the RCCO salary grid, sample contracts, the RCCO position statement on the use of pre-recorded music in worship and an annotated reading list. While aimed at Canadian churches, most of the material is applicable in the United States and other English-speaking countries. This booklet is available for $10.00 CDN plus $4.00 CDN shipping and handling charges from the National Office.

Tables of Recommended Salaries

2013

This year a new table provides for simple and precise calculation of the recommended salary. For the convenience of those wishing to make a comparison, the table is also included in the previous format. The following levels have been established for educational qualifications (these are specific combinations to illustrate the levels; equivalent diplomas and certificates should be treated appropriately):

              Level      Qualification

              1            no diplomas

              2            conservatory diploma (e.g. ARCT) or CRCCO

              3            bachelor's degree or ARCCO

              4            bachelor's degree with ARCCO or master's degree or FRCCO

              5            master's degree with ARCCO or bachelor's degree with FRCCO

              6            master's degree with FRCCO or doctorate

              7            doctorate with FRCCO

When determining the proper level, the following adjustments should be made:

              - for CHM diploma, or the Professional Diploma in Choral Conducting (Ch.RCCO), add one level
              - for year of related experience:  10-15 years add one level; 16-20 years add 2 levels;  21-25 years add 3 levels; 26-30 years add 4 levels; over 30 years add 5 levels.

This salary table lists base salary only with no benefits. It reflects reasonable wages for an average Canadian city (e.g. Winnipeg).  In large metropolitan areas (e.g. Toronto, Vancouver) with high cost of living the amounts should be increased. Adjustments upward should be made for self-employed musicians since they must cover both portions of CPP and are not entitled to benefits.  Salaries are annual and are for the year 2013.  Subsequent years should be adjusted according to increases in the cost of living.

Weddings and Funerals: Congregations are encouraged to make certain that fees for weddings and funerals reflect not only the service time but also the planning and preparation. This usually includes choosing appropriate music, musical preparation, email and/or telephone communications, and meeting with clergy and involved families. Fees reflect the experience of the organist, the area’s cost of living (see above), and complexity of service possible involving soloists and extra instrumentalists. Minimum rates for weddings should start at somewhere between $150 to $300 and increase according to the complexities of the service and the demands on the organist. Similarly, minimum rates for wedding rehearsals start at somewhere between $50 and $100 and increase depending on the length of time demanded of the organist (such as rehearsals with soloists or instrumentalists). A minimum for funerals should similarly begin at $100 to $250.

Download a printable version

The following table presents the same figures in the format formerly used: