Organs in meetinghouses and organ training

[landonjayfinch]

I am wondering the reason why the church even installs organs in meetinghouses when there are so few members that know how to play them and currently there is no church-sponsored organ training to support those that do. Why doesn’t the church install only pianos or digital pianos in meetinghouses? Wouldn’t this be a lot cheaper and more considerate of those called to play in church services? Many members know how to play a piano, but very few know how to use the full potential present in an organ.

If the church continues to install organs in meetinghouses, will there ever be organ training of some kind produced by the church to train members to become organists who know how to actually play and use the resources available in a meetinghouse organ to encourage inspiring congregational singing?

[russellhltn]

will there ever be organ training of some kind produced by the church to train members to become organists who know how to actually play and use the resources available in a meetinghouse organ to encourage inspiring congregational singing?

You mean like this? Music Training

At one time, I think the Handbook allowed spending local funds on a teacher for organ lessons. I'm not seeing that in the current manual, but it does offer some alternatives in section 19.4.3.2.

[russellhltn]

One more: Music > Accompanying Others.

[sbradshaw]

BYU has some good training resources for organists:
https://organ.byu.edu

I think the Church only installs organs in areas that are likely to have members who can play the organ. Not every ward will have an organist, but I'll bet most stakes in the United States have at least one, especially in the Book of Mormon belt. Outside of the United States, organs aren't as common in meetinghouses. I suspect this is why the General Handbook was recently updated to make it clear that neither the organ nor the piano is necessarily preferred for sacrament meeting music, and other instruments can be used for accompaniment (such as guitar) if approved by local leaders. I don't have any inside information about meetinghouses, but I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes less common for organs to be installed in meetinghouses even in the United States, as you suggest.

[BrianEdwards]

I know about a year or so ago, the BYU music department came out to our region and provided in-person organ training of some kind. I wasn't involved at all so I don't know any details, just heard about it through the grapevine. So I don't know if this was a one-off event, or any kind of recurring event to take the in-person training opportunities to members outside of Utah.

[eblood66]

I know about a year or so ago, the BYU music department came out to our region and provided in-person organ training of some kind. I wasn't involved at all so I don't know any details, just heard about it through the grapevine. So I don't know if this was a one-off event, or any kind of recurring event to take the in-person training opportunities to members outside of Utah.

Back when I lived in Utah (>10 years ago now), one of the BYU music/organ professors lived in my ward. He traveled fairly often to hold these kinds of training classes across the US. A few years ago he came (along with 2 or 3 other teachers and/or students from BYU) and held one in our general area of Georgia. I don't know if he's still doing that but from what you've heard it sounds like BYU is still sponsoring those classes So I'd say it isn't just a one-off but I don't know how frequent they do it or how they choose the locations.

[Hilohi]

I think the Church only installs organs in areas that are likely to have members who can play the organ.

I believe that's right. I served in areas where members weren't musically inclined and most chapels didn't even have a piano. Some of them had a keyboard, but I never saw ward members using them as an accompanist in sacrament meeting.