UUFE Congregational Music Survey

This musical profile will guide our Search Committee in defining the role that we want our new Music Director to play in our faith community, and the professional qualifications we expect. Prospective candidates can learn about us, and when the new Director is hired it will become the informed basis for a robust music program at UUFE.

On behalf of the Music Committee and the Music Director Search Subcommittee, I should like to thank all those who took time to respond to our Survey. Your comments were thoughtful and insightful. I should also like to thank all the members of the Search Subcommittee and the advisory consultants who worked diligently to create and hone the Survey questions. We also owe a debt of gratitude to our computer “gurus” who developed the on-line version and organized the results.

Summary of Responses

Total responses received:	64 	(62 completed all questions)

1.	How important is music to your worship experience?
		Low		 3.3%
		Medium	        33.3% 
		High		63.3%

2.	What style of music do you prefer for worship?
	(Rank of “5” being your most favorite, “1” your least favorite)

	Most favorite:		31.6% chose “Classical”
				22.2% chose “Gospel/Folk”
				16.9% chose “Traditional Hymns and Anthems”
				15.8% chose “Jazz/Rock/Popular”
				13.6% chose “Non-traditional world music” 
						(Latin, African, Asian, etc.)   
	(See color chart)

3.	How important to you is congregational singing? 
		Low		 7.9%
		Medium	        30.2%
		High		61.9%

4.	What is your preference regarding the number of hymns we offer during Sunday
 	services?	No hymns	 1.6%
			1 hymn		14.3%
			2 hymns         57.1%
			3 hymns		27.0%

5.	How important to you is singing congregational rounds?
		Low		59.7%
		Medium	        33.9%
		High	         6.5%

6.	How important is it to have an amplified song leader to help lead congregational
 	singing?		Low             53.2%
				Medium	        33.9%
				High		12.9%

7.	Please indicate below the importance to you of the choir and other live musical
 	offerings.			
						Low		Medium	        High

			     	      Choir	17.5%		19.0%		63.5%
 	   Song Circle and vocal soloists	11.3%		56.5%           32.3%
			     	       Piano	 4.9%		23.0%		72.1%
	Instrumental ensembles, soloists	 7.9%		52.4%           39.7%

	(See color chart)

8.	How important do you think music should be in UUFE’s Children’s Religious
 	Education Program?	Low		 4.6%
				Medium          55.6%
				High		39.7%

9.	How important to you is having a UUFE children’s choir?
				Low             41.3%
				Medium	        36.5%
				High		22.0%

10.	How important to you is children’s participation in musical offerings during
 	services?		Low		28.6%
				Medium          46.0%
				High		25.4%

11.	What level of participation in our religious community would you expect from the
 	new Director of Music Ministry?

	No participation beyond regular paid musical staff duties		37.7%

	Attend some UUFE worship services in addition to those		        34.4%
	required by staff duties.

	Participate in some other Fellowship sponsored programs, 		26.2%
	activities or classes.

	Become a member of UUFE.						14.8%

	72.1% would like the Director to do little more than possibly attend a few
 	worship services in addition to paid staff duties. Written comments indicated that
 	it would be welcomed if the new Director chooses to become better acquainted
 	with our people and their values; however, this should not be a condition for
 	employment. Professionalism is more important.

12.	Are you in favor of procuring paid professional guest artists to provide music
 	during services?		Never			29.0%
					1-3 times/yr.		62.9%
					More than 3 times/yr.	 8.1%

13.	Would you like to see UUFE offer music to the public; such as a concert series or
 	coffee house at the Fellowship?		Yes		58.2%
						No		41.8%

	Up to 25 people wrote comments. A couple mentioned that a coffee house was
 	tried when Barbara Hoag served as Minister, and it was only moderately attended.
 	Given the current demand on out time and resources, it would be better to
	postpone this discussion to a future date.

14.	Do you or a family member have musical talents that you would be willing to
 	share with the Fellowship?		Yes		29.3%
						No		70.7%
	Several respondents said that there were family members who might
 	participate if we were to develop a more robust UUFE children’s music
 	program.  

15.	Some of the comments and suggestions were as follows.

• Five comments addressed the desire for enhanced professionalism that would enrich our musical experience.
• Four comments offered praise and encouragement for our Survey and search efforts.
• Three comments voiced concerns about over extending our financial commitments at this time.
• Two suggestions spoke strongly about the need to do more with children’s music through our Children’s Religious Education Program.
• Two suggested that the choir be placed at the back or side of the sanctuary, rather than the front.
• Two comments pointed to the distinction that should be made between “Gospel” and “Folk” music. A preference for one does not imply a preference for the other.
• One stated that it was more important for the hymn to reflect upon the service rather than a particular musical style.