»Music
The ministry of music is
a vital part of our church.
Choir Mission
 Music
is at the heart of worship services at UCUCC. It's a central vehicle of prayer and
praise. The choir and organ support the congregation in hymns and responses.
Through the anthems and offertories, music enhances the message of the day
with the particular power of song.
For the individual choir member, the language of music
is often as powerful as the word, and provides a unique worship experience.
As we study and sing the vast repertoire of sacred choral music, we learn to
understand and appreciate the various ways that believers in times past and
present have expressed their faith.
Choir Membership
The choir presently consists of
50+ singers. Although this is not an auditioned choir, membership
requires a conference with the conductor. The choir season begins in
September with a weekend retreat and continues to the end of June. The choir
sings three Sundays per month.
Music for
Youth and Families
In addition to
the chancel choir, music opportunities are available throughout the church
year for children, youth and their families. The Christmas pageant and the Children's Choir are just a few of the
opportunities that are available.
Choir Tours
The chancel choir has a lively
interest in travel to experience the excitement of singing in historical
venues, in cathedrals whose acoustics are life enhancing, and to investigate
the cultural environments which have shaped our sacred musical traditions.
In the last ten years, the choir has toured Eastern
Europe, Mexico, Great Britain, southern France, Spain and Italy. Individual
choir members pay their own way, but liberal scholarship support helps to
make the excursions available to every choir member.
Heidi
Blythe, Music Director
Heidi Blythe has a rich and varied musical experience: from flute, organ and
voice performance to directing groups of all ages, backgrounds, and
contexts. Her Masters degree in Choral Music Education spans a number of
different disciplines, including conducting, pedagogy, theory, performance
and psychology. She has experience as choir director, organist and music
coordinator of various churches. She will also serve as children’s choir
director.
David Nichols, Church Organist
David has been a successful organist/keyboard player for many years
in various churches. Most recently he served a Disciples of Christ Christian
Church in Virginia.
David grew up improvising
music and has played in dance bands. He is facile in playing classical
music, jazz, and pop music as well as contemporary “serious” music. If
you listen carefully to his hymn accompanying, you will notice that he
regularly varies the accompaniment for each verse of the hymn, while still
supporting the congregation in singing. Several times, he has improvised his
prelude or postlude on familiar hymns using his jazz skills. He has quickly
proved his sensitivity as a musician to the choir as he accompanied them
during their fall retreat.
We
hope that you will join us in extending the warmth of a UCUCC welcome to
David and to his wife, Sharon, who is also an outstanding musician. We feel
blessed by their presence among us.
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