Guidelines for Payment of Parish Church Musicians

These guidelines have been prepared by the Advisory Committee on Church Music and were presented 

to the Bishops Conference in December 2002. The rates are updated annually. The 2005 

recommendations are jointly published by the Advisory Committee on Church Music and the Church

Music Committee of the Church of Ireland Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough.

In preparing these guidelines, remuneration guidelines issued by the Royal School of
Church Music and the Incorporated Society of Church Musicians in England were examined. 
The Dublin Diocesan Church Music Committee of the Church of Ireland was particularly 

helpful in drawing up these guidelines, as the committee has considerable experience of the 

matter, issuing guidelines annually since 1996.

The following should be regarded as guidelines and advice, not directives. The qualifications 

and ability of the musician, his/her expectations, the ability of the choir, the quality of the 

church organ, are among the matters which must be borne in mind when applying the guidelines 

to the local situation.

The recommended minimum remuneration levels relate to amateur musicians. 

Here ‘amateur’ indicates musicians, who may be professionally qualified, and who earn their 

living principally outside the world of music.  Higher rates would be appropriate 

for musicians who earn their living principally by performing and/or teaching music.

It is recommended that the church musician should be engaged as an independent contractor 

on a ‘for services’ basis.  However, if the musician is engaged on a contract of service, 

the parish should note its legal responsibilities in relation to taxation, social welfare insurance, 

employer’s liability insurance, and health and safety.

It is appreciated that in some cases a local agreement exists whereby the church musician 

either accepts no payment or donates it back.  While of enormous benefit to the parish, 

this generosity on the part of the musician distorts the cost of running the parish.  It is 

recommended that in such cases the parish should pay the appropriate level of fee into 

a separate fund as, when the present musician leaves, it is probable that the successor will have 

to be paid.  This procedure will establish a realistic payment level for the post and will avoid 

a sudden sizeable additional cost in the future.

The value of regular in-service training cannot be over-emphasised, especially in these times of 

changing liturgies and the wide variety of styles of music now used in our churches.

We suggest that clergy should be pro-active in drawing the attention of their musicians to 

opportunities for professional development.  The annual summer school of the Irish
Church Music Association is an obvious course to consider and the Advisory Committee will be 

happy to recommend other appropriate courses to those seeking advice. See recommendation (h) p.3

It is hoped that pastors will find these guidelines useful in determining an appropriate 

payment level.  The Advisory Committee emphasises that it is essential that the value of 

music in the worship of the Church and the musician’s training, skill and commitment are 

appropriately recognised in monetary terms.

RECOMMENDED MINIMUM FEES FOR CHURCH MUSICIANS - 2005

Normal weekly duties                                                                                          Fee for 48 Sundays

                                                                                                                                       [see (b) below}

The amounts above are the minimum recommended fees for trained and competent churchmusicians.  

Factors such as level of qualifications, length of service, responsibility for a junior choir 

and the amount of administrative work involved should also be taken 

into consideration.

*These fees are ones recommended for a combined organist/choir director position. When 
the positions are shared between two people as choir director and organist, each should 
receive 75% of the recommended fee with the implication that the total cost to the parish 
will be 50% higher than the rates above. 

WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS           

Where a church has an appointed organist it is normal practice to pay him/her the appropriate

fee when the marriage couple/family wish to engage an organist of their choice.  

The implementation of this principle requires flexibility, so as to avoid misunderstanding and 

unfair criticism of musicians.  It is recommended that each church should have a worked out policy 

in this matter, agreed in advance between clergy and musician

Weddings:  

The minimum suggested fee is €150, but should be higher when the musician is required 

for a rehearsal or when music has to be purchased or learned.  

Funerals:

The minimum recommended fee is €85 for one service; plus travelling expenses, 

40c per km, where appropriate; a higher fee should be paid in cases where there are two services. 

(The Association of Funeral Directors has been informed of these rates.)

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

(a) Fees should be reviewed annually by reference to pay inflation and national pay agreements.

(b) Church musicians should be entitled to at least four Sundays off each year.   The parish should 

pay the deputy for those Sundays and the responsibility for finding a deputy should be primarily that of 

the musician.

(c) Musicians should be allowed two Sundays sick leave in any one year, for which period the parish 

will meet the cost of a deputy.
(d) The minimum rate for deputy work is €57 for the first service on any day and €40 for each 

subsequent service.

(e) A written contract should be entered into, outlining the terms and conditions of service and listing

 the duties, including the festivals other than Sundays, for which the musician is required.

(f) Additional payment should be made for duties over and above those set out in the contract.
(g) Church authorities should reimburse expenses incurred by church musicians - such as choir music,

 postage and stationery – within an agreed budget.
(h) Church authorities should encourage and expect musicians to attend appropriate courses  

(in music, liturgy, theology, etc.) in Ireland and elsewhere at least once every three years and should 

contribute towards the cost, recognising the benefit accruing to both the parish and the musician from 

continuous professional development.