Music is an integral part of the First Unitarian experience, both in the services in the Meeting House and in Youth Chapel.

Beth Armstrong, our interim music director, is a talented choir director and singer. She plans and leads the music component of most worship services, in collaboration with the ministers and the Worship Committee.

Two main music groups engage many members of our congregation: the First Unitarian Choir and the Community Band. Our congregation also has a variety of talented adult and youth musicians who provide music for our lay-led summer services and at special events throughout the year, including talent shows and a Wassail after the Christmas Eve service.

Choir

The First Unitarian Choir, often praised for their high-quality contribution to worship services, plays a vital role in most Sunday services. They perform a range of music from renaissance pieces to 20th-century classical to American spirituals. Guest instrumentalists and vocal soloists often accompany the choir on designated pieces. Christmas and Easter services usually include guests playing a variety of instruments that may include harp, tympani, trumpet, oboe, flute, or strings.

Community Band

The Community Band is a collection of singers and instrumentalists who love music and provide a simple, accessible pathway to music performance and appreciation in the church. Folk, rock, jazz, blues, show tunes, world music, pop music, even hymns and classical music are all Community Band’s interests. They welcome all instrumentalists and support musicians’ growth at all levels. Experienced musicians learn from fresh new ideas, and new members learn techniques from practiced musicians. The Community Band serves the church in a variety of ways.

Youth Music

Music for Youth Chapel services is provided by our Youth Music Director, Asa Spring, who works closely with the Interim Music Director and the Interim Director of Religious Education.

Music Committee

First Unitarian’s Music Committee works in partnership with the Interim Music Director to set goals for a music program that brings a vibrant spiritual ministry to the church, enhances and complements the worship services and Spiritual Pathways programs, and serves the church’s long-range goals.

In addition, the Music Committee, along with the Interim Music Director: recruits people to participate in musical groups and projects; helps interested newcomers find a place in the First U music program; assures protection and maintenance of the organ and other musical instruments; maintains the hymnals and printed music collections; provides updates on the music program to all church communications media; formulates the annual music budget; and facilitates special fund-raising that benefits the music program. At any time when there is no music director, the Music Committee continues to assist in carrying out these responsibilities. Contact them at firstumusiccommittee@gmail.com.

 

Stay tuned for information about our Organ! In the meantime, please read this report from Organ Consultant Jonathan Ambrosino.