The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-11
CHURCH CHOIR SINGERS
MORE SEEKING POSITIONS IN NEW
YORK THAN CAN BE SUPPLIED.
Less than One Thousand Places Open
for 5000 Applic0nts-Where They
Come FrOm-Range of Salary.
.cial to the INDIANAPOLIS Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Dec. 10.--About three thou
sand men and women who are convinced
that they are possessed Of musical voices
have now arrived in this city, and it is esti
mated that fully another three thousand
will be here by the end of the opening week
in January. These musical people, who are
almost always unmarried, come from every
part of the country. Not State, hardly
county, is unrepresented. The influx begins
about Nov. l, and continues for two months.
The earlier ones come to study, for New
York and not Boston Is looked on the
musical center Of America. The later ones
come in the hope of securing positions in
the churches of New York and vicinity.
Singers in New York church choirs are en-
gagged to begin the year on May !, but so
great is the pressure for places that prac-
tica1ly all who seek them arrive four or five
months in advance, stop at the best hotels,
make the acquaintance of members of music
committees, help to circulate the gossip of
the church set, and secure a paid place if
he or she can.
While every city of any size in the whole
country is represented among these appli-
cants for New York church choir positions,
the best trained voices come from the twin
cities of st. Paul and Minneapolis Good
voices come also from Cincinnati and ST.
Louis but not so uniformly excellent as
from the Northwest. In quality of voice the
best come from California and the Pacific
coast, while the worst come from along the
Atlantic seaboard. Time was when Boston
was looked to for well-trained voices, but
that city has lost it's prestige. The Atlantic
coast cities, even including Philadelphia,
which is well inland, and Washington,
which is wholly so, are VIGOROUSLY hard in
climate upon good voices, and it is in part
for that reason that SO many new voices are
in demand in New York each season. Many
a fine voice, when it came fresh from Cali
fornia, has deteriorated in the damp at
mosphere of the extreme East, and lost for
its owner an independent position.
There are about one thousand churches in
New York. OF this number about three
fourths hire singers. The total number
which they employ Is not far from three
thousand. Fully two thousand of these are
re-engaged each year. So that the six thou
sand singers who flock here now have not
far from one thousand places open to them.
A very large proportion OF those who come
here seeking positions cannot read music,
The salary for the comparatively few who
can read notes is enhanced. One dealer
says he rejects three out of every four who
apply to him. About two thousand apply.
The five hundred whom he accepts he under
taxes TO Iluu POSITIONS LOT ana generally
succeeds In the case of two hundred to two
| hundred and fifty of them. 1t may be seen
to be, therefore, a rather precarious UNDER
taking for the young man or young wonlan
resident in Western city to come to New
York and secure a profitable place.
The salary ranges from 500 to 5000 a
year. Really good voices are rare. There is
the largest supply Of sopranos, the next
largest baritones, the third tenors, and the
smallest, contrary to general impression,
contralto. The most expensive quartet in
New York is the West Presbyterian, located
| in Forty-second street, opposite Bryant
| few other such men. The most extensive
| surpliced choir is ST. Bartholomew's, right
| near the Grand Central Station, and at
cbo5rs are TRINITY Grace the R1iclx frashv
| terrain, the Marble Collegiate Reformed and
| St Thomas. Sometimes churches search the
| country for good voices Recently one music
| committee paid the fares OF singers from
| Cleveland and Chicago In order to hear
them sing, the candidates paying the return