The Organ Forum

I'd like to know your thoughts on what an appropriate fee would be if a choir was asked to sing for a wedding, funeral, or other special service. 

It's a volunteer choir on Sundays, but I don't want to get in the habit of giving freebies when all the other organists in my church charge a fee for weddings and such.  Members are not professional musicians, but they do dedicate a lot of time to practice and that must count for something. 

Would you calculate a fee per choir member?  What about the organist fee combined with this?  Would it be fair that the organist charge more because he/she is trained as a professional musician?

 

To give you an idea - the organist fees at my church range from $150 - $350 for a wedding depending on the particuar organist/cantor.

Our charges $250 to $300 depending on how long/how much/etc, etc....

---

"The Organ is in truth the grandest, the most daring,
the most magnificent of all instruments invented by human genius."

Don,

As an example scenerio - what would I get for $300 in your church?  How many singers?  What would be be pay per singer?  for the organist?

I've got to apologize......I misread the title of the post.  I was thinking what the organist charges for a wedding.....not the choir....I'm very sorry. We've never had a choir for a wedding...only a funeral and there is no charge for that.

---

"The Organ is in truth the grandest, the most daring,
the most magnificent of all instruments invented by human genius."

No prob.

We do have choirs for weddings, but most people prefer just to have a quartet of professional singers - one for each part (cost is one factor).

As for fees, its very difficult to say. It all depends on how experienced the singer is, how far they have to travel, how long the service is, how many pieces are they expected to sing, the complexity of the pieces (or do they even know it?) etc.

Sorry I can't be much help. Perhaps contact some of your fellow organist friends in nearby parishes who might have experience with this. They will be able to give you prices that are reasonable for your area/location.

Normally, we have it so that the money is paid in advance to the director of music and then this gets "redispersed" to the choir members and organist after the service. This saves having to chase newly weds for money, which can be a bit awkward (and it does happen).

---

Currently own:
ALLEN TC-3S (#42904 - 3rd Feb 1971) with Sequential Capture System

Speakers:
x1 Model 100 Gyro Cabinet
x1 Model 105 Cabinet
x3 Model 108 Cabinet

I'd suggest keeping fees divided.  Organist should figure the regular fee, plus additional fee for extra rehearsal time w/ choir.  Choir "fee" might be addressed as a donation to the music ministry.  If in my congregation, I'd charge the same as a professional quartet of musicians (at least $400 - 600.)  Since the choir members are actually donating their time, the fee is applied toward music, administration, rehearsal, extra work etc.  You don't say who requested this.  If a member of the choir or active member of the congregation, that should be taken into account.

---

Holtkamp/Parkey pipe organ
Galanti Praeludium home instrument