Advice sought: Damage control after a bad performance

[Ursa]

I've been easing back into organ performance as a substitute, and it's been a fun, rewarding endeavour...until yesterday. On a peculiarly hot, humid Sunday morning which rendered the organ's principals inoperative, I utilized what was still functioning on the instrument to lay a great big egg.

Yesterday's church performance as a sub was not up to any sort of standard: the hymn "Dear Lord, Who Loves All Humankind" was in a D-flat setting and I, frankly, butchered it. Frustrated and embarrassed, I then botched an entrance later in the service. I got a scowl from the pastor during the recessional, and it was not undeserved.

I feel so dimwitted. I was not able to consistently play the hymn well during practice and suspected that it was not going to go well during performance. Knowing that the congregation was going to be singing in unison, I should have downloaded a setting in D-natural, and given myself a chance to do a competent job. But I didn't think of it.

The question now is, what to do for damage control? This is my third performance at the church and I don't want to lose a good-paying gig.

I'll be stopping by later this week to get paid, and I just don't know what to say. My first instinct is to simply tell them that there is no charge--that my work wasn't worth paying for, that I'm very sorry for a less-than-inspirational performance, and that I wouldn't blame them for never calling again.

What would you do?

[VaPipeorgantuner]

Apologize to the pastor in person, tell him that you realized that this past Sunday did not go well, and that you will try to not let that happen again. I would be willing to say that the pastor has probably delivered a few bloopers during his sermons that he would take back if he could...it happens to people, we are human...if we were able to be perfect we wouldn't need a Savior, would we? Also, you might mention that the organ is not operating as it should and politely request that it be looked at by their service provider...a partially operating instrument will throw anyone off their game. (ask me how I know).

Rick in VA

[nullogik]

Apologize to the pastor in person, tell him that you realized that this past Sunday did not go well, and that you will try to not let that happen again. I would be willing to say that the pastor has probably delivered a few bloopers during his sermons that he would take back if he could...it happens to people...
Rick in VA

+1. Totally agree.

Don't worry too much about it. I'm sure every single one of us on here that performs in public will have a tale to tell about a big blooper they've made. I know I have made some myself. In fact there is a rather good thread about the various bloopers forum members have made during performances.

http://www.organforum.com/forums/sho...in-Performance

The key thing is never try to "wing it" as IMO the effects are always less than desirable. Don't be put off, put it behind you. Turn a negative into a positive and consider that this experience will make you a better organist in the long run (i.e. learning from mistakes). Good luck!

[Ursa]

Thanks for the support...

Now that another day has passed, it seems I've judged myself a bit harshly. My standards of comparison have been from my old full-time organist stint, where I could play the hymns, propers, and ordinaries without difficulty, usually from memory, and always perfectly on cue. It would certainly be nice to be able to perform with such ease today, but perhaps that's a bit unrealistic as a substitute at a church of a different denomination.

The pastor has indicated that they have been generally unable to find a substitute organist until I dropped by and introduced myself--they're thrilled with the new possibility of having organ accompaniment for every Sunday service. Perhaps the whole affair will be brushed off as one of those difficulties encountered when "breaking in a new guy"...we'll see...

[Admin]

You should not offer to wave your fee in my opinion. Everyone is entitled to a bad day. Do professional athletes wave their salary when they lose a game? Do Wall Street bankers offer to give up their bonus's when the economy crashes?

Freely acknowledge that you were disappointed in your performance and let it go at that.

[Dave S.]

If you're in a church that's hard-up for a steady organist, i'm sure they'll learn to appreciate the fact that you're only human, like them.

[Momboc]

Ask for some foregiveness. That should come free in a church!

[Clarion]

I got a scowl from the pastor during the recessional, and it was not undeserved.

Follow the lead of the pastor; after all, that's his purpose: a leader!

When the pastor leads by refusing to accept his salary every week he preaches a crappy bad, boring sermon, then by all means, follow his lead!

[DellAnderson]

Perhaps you could ask for more salary to allow more practice time and music purchase!

Reminds me of when I was a teen and played for a very small rural church where people just couldn't believe that a person could play with all four limbs at the same time. After one service (or perhaps it was the one recital I ever had the nerve to muster up) a lady was gushing about how wonderful it was. Her husband butted in with "oh don't say that, it'll go to his head, and it wasn't all that good!" ..

And he was quite right and I knew it.

The stress of playing in public is always there, and I think one reason I don't do it now (the other being there are more talented folks out there). But those who do it seem not so much to be perfect, but to know how to get out of bad situations gracefully, and they have enough skill to make it nearly unnoticeable. Depending on the audience, that can be a fairly high (or low) mark. So the main thing is that you learn something positive from the experience.

[crapmaster]

PS - Transposing from d-flat to d at sight is really easy. If the piece has any accidentals, you'd have to raise them the half-step, but other than that, you can just change the key signature and play it as written.