Organist rounds on Perth and Kinross Council

May 14 2010 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

ORGANIST Dalene Radin yesterday (Thursday) rounded on Perth and Kinross Council for their “insensitive” handling of the Crematorium organists controversy, writes GordonBannerman.

Last week, the PA revealed local clergy and funeral directors were furious at a council decision to axe their two full-time and three-part-time relief organists as part of a “Best Value” review.

They feared families on benefit would be deprived of giving their loved ones a proper send-off.

Yesterday, Dalene, who is prepared to make herself available to Big County funeral directors now tasked with sourcing an organist for families, was critical of council officials who pulled the plug on the service.

“We have all been given the heave and it is an absolute farce. The three part-timers filled the breach when the two full-timers were unavailable,” she said.

“They say the demand for musical accompaniment at funerals is on the decline yet their own figures say that 83% still want an organist.

“That is some decline. It is bizarre. Organ music still means a great deal to most families.

“I have been playing the organ at the Crematorium for more than two years. Others have been doing it for many, many years.

“Like the others, I have been prepared to go the extra mile for grieving families. On one occasion I quickly mastered ‘Putting on the Ritz,’ despite having difficulty finding the music.

“Another family requested ‘Someone to Watch Over Me.’ It means a lot to me that families have appreciated what I’ve done in their time of distress.

“On another occasion I got a last-minute call to my Gannochy home. I was at the Crematorium in a matter of minutes.

“I would never leave anyone in a fix. That is the sort of commitment we have given to the job, even although, in my case, it was part-time and paying less than £10 an hour before tax.”

Dalene recalled being asked to attend an initial meeting with council officers in February when four options were being mapped out.

Within weeks they confirmed PKC would provide the organ but not organists at Perth Crematorium. It would be left to funeral directors to arrange an organist for funerals.

“The council told us there would be no discount for families and fees wouldn’t go up. But they’ve done just that,” said Dalene, who learned her craft on a Perth Presbytery organ course.

“The ministers and funeral directors are furious with the council – and so am I. Especially when we read that the council officials have been giving themselves big fat salary rises.

“Families are very supportive but clearly we weren’t recognised or appreciated by the council.”

Funeral director Andrew Pennycook noted that the Crematorium was a profit-making council wing but Perth and Kinross Council insisted the decision to axe the organists was down to cost cutting.