Using your keyboard skills.

On the face of it, you would be forgiven for thinking that being a church organist would not appear as one of the top 10 jobs in the music business leading to the first gig in Las Vegas with a huge recording contract with Sony. Like everyone else I can dream of fame and fortune, but then, pausing for thought and looking back over the last 10 years as a professional organist, it is quite surprising as to what has come out of the "pipework."?

Starting up.
My first professional music job was as Organist of a large parish church in Portsmouth. The position offered me £1,500 - not exactly a princely sum! As a result I often found myself agreeing to do all sorts of gigs to supplement my income. In doing these bits and pieces I started to understand what I now consider two essential tools to survive in the music business. The first is gaining experience and the second is making contacts (or networking). There is then of course the small matter of talent… As I slowly made my way, I continually asked myself where all the opportunities and possibilities lay and then chased after them. At times an element of resourcefulness and resilience had to combine with the bravado and belief of an entrepreneur.

Early years
At church I immediately got an organ to practice on, to give recitals on and of course teach. If you can teach the organ, you can probably teach the piano, a nice little earner. At church there is normally a choir or music group that needs directing and already you are heading down the MD or conductor route. A church also provides you with a venue to put your own concerts on and a ready audience because you become part of a community. This can be quite important because the music business can at times be incredibly lonely. So after four years I moved to London to study orchestral conducting at the Royal College of Music.

It was during this time that a number of things started to develop. I initially formed my own music production company as a focus for all the things I did and still continue to do. One of which is a chamber choir called Moscaglia. It consists of about 30 singing friends that I have met over the years and we normally perform about 3 concerts a year.

Whilst in London and through my contacts at the RCM I also worked at the Orpheus Centre in Godstone, Surrey which is a performing arts centre for disabled people set up by Richard Stilgoe. It was here that I realised that I could compose because you were quickly thrown into writing music for their weekly shows. Having been in various theatre productions over the years and in particular some raucous church pantomimes, I collaborated with my best friend from church to write a children's musical about the life of St Peter called On This Rock. This was premiered at the church where I was organist in London for a fund raising appeal Thus far from its performances we have raised about £4,000 for charity. My hope is to start selling to schools around the country. We are about to start writing a new one about Nelson, getting ready for the bi-centanary of the battle of trafalgar in 2005 to be performed by Portsmouth schools.

Developing a career
On a different tack, but still under the production company mantle I set up a management training company called Conducting Business. Here a friend and I try to demonstrate that the techniques and processes of music making can help those in other jobs gain insight into music's novel and unique methods of leadership, coaching, team development and project management. We have most recently been working with BP Oil UK and were featured on BBC 2's Working Lunch programme.

All the while I have tried to keep my organ playing going, whether it be recitals or for accompanying choir concerts etc. The only way I can do this is to say yes to almost anything that crops up and that in turn forces your hand to practice!

Downside
What's the downside - well, like in everything there are a few. You can do an awful lot of earning next to no money whilst gaining the experience, but remember, the experience is invaluable. The hours can be rotten - generally the 7-10pm slot when everyone's knackered (including yourself) but you've got to be on top form. Then there is the pressure element. In the freelance world you are only as good as your last gig - if your last one was brilliant, people will tell you and remember it for a long time. If it was good, they'll say so once and that will be it. BUT, if its terrible, they'll say nothing and remember it for ever! Finally, it would be fantastic if all your work was in one place, but it never is and so you can end up charging all around the country, often returning home when its late and you are tired at that point it even becomes dangerous.

Where can I get some more information?
Further details can be found on the Royal School of Church Music website.

In Scotland check out the Scottish Churches Organist Training Scheme.

Last words
Having said all that…and I know this sounds really corny, there is still nothing I would rather do than what I do now. I do not earn a fortune and at times the hours are madness. If I won the lottery and lived in Malibu, I would still do what I do because firstly and most importantly I enjoy it and secondly I have met and worked with some fantastic people.

by Adrian Bawtree