BEACON: Music Director
MAY 2012
Music at Unity Temple
Martha Swisher, Music Director
music@unitytemple.org
Music for May at Unity Temple is bursting with activity for our young people, our choir, Team Taizé, our professional guests and for the members and friends of the congregation stepping forward to participate in our annual MusicFest!
This year’s MusicFest held on Saturday, May 5th will be an event you will not want to miss! Proceeds will directly benefit the music program here at Unity Temple. The offerings of talented amateurs and professionals alike will truly amaze you. We hope to see you there.
Speaking of May 5th, The Unity Temple Choir will be in rehearsal all day for their annual choir retreat. This intensive session has been an integral part of the preparation for our annual May Choir Sunday.
Choir Sunday this year will be held on May 13th. An exciting and challenging work will be presented entitled Triptych by Tarik O’Regan. This three movement cantata scored for choir and string orchestra will be presented with a full complement of strings and soprano soloist. It is contemporary music at its finest, but I warn you, it is going to be different than anything we have presented! With supportive poetry provided by our own Burt Andersen, we hope to challenge and inspire you with this reflective and intense work. Click on the link located on our website to catch a glimpse of what you are in for!
May 6th and 20th will be our High School and Coming of Age Services showcasing music by our students. We always look forward to showcasing our young people and their outstanding and often unpredictable talents.
The Unity Temple Choir has once again received the honor of being invited to perform for the Commencement of the Meadville Lombard Theological Seminary on May 20th. President, Lee Barker has invited us for the past four years where we present our finest selections of the year.
On May 27, master percussionist and teacher, Jim Skoog will provide music for our services. Jim is a former regular here at UT and we look forward to having him back as he plays marimba on this Memorial Day weekend.
We are making plans for summer services and welcome musicians from the congregation to participate. Please let me know if you have interest in being featured for services starting June 17th through Sept 2nd.
On Monday, May 21st another session of the popular, Rise Up Singing! will take place in Gale house at 7 p.m. Led by Laurie Bellmar, this all generation informal singing session is a great to time to come together and sing songs of our folk heritage for great fun. All ages are welcome and encouraged to bring an instrument and sing!
Join us on Friday, May 25th for our final service In the style of Taizé of the season. Harpist, Steve Hartman will be featured this month joined by our talented Team Taizé musicians: Jane Wood, Dr. Mary Gardner, Mary Anne Gardner, Bob Lund, Jim Parks and Amanda Thomas. The supportive team led by Betsy Davis has worked tirelessly to provide these special services. We are proud that the services serve to inspire many friends and members of the community. If you haven’t been to one of our services, this is a perfect opportunity to see us at our best and to experience this unique time of serenity and inspiration.
Lastly, we express our heartfelt gratitude to Alice Muciek and all the member of the newly formed Unity Temple Bell Ensemble. Music Director, Joan Hutchinson of Oak Park’s Pilgrim Congregational Church graciously lent us the use of the bells. We are so grateful to Joan for her generosity. Thank you Alice for your planning, your efforts to transport and set up and for your inspiring leadership. We also thank all the ringers who dedicated six weeks of rehearsals and bell schlepping to provide truly beautiful music for our April 29th services. We look forward to hearing you again in the future.
Spring Music Festival – May 5
Please plan on attending the Spring Music Festival, Saturday, May 5th at 7 PM. This somewhat annual fundraiser presents a cavalcade of your favorite UT performers: Marty Swisher, Peter Storms, UT Players, Victoria Storm, Christine Steyer & Paul Geiger, Chris Nemeth to name but a few. Last year’s Fest garnered rave reviews and we’re hoping for more of the same this year. Don’t miss out on a great evening of music. You won’t be disappointed! Tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for children. All proceeds will go to the Unity Temple music program.
Rise Up Singing
Sing for the pure joy of it! The music committee is sponsoring a group singing experience, a song circle for all ages and abilities. These evenings will feature round-robin style group singing. You are welcome to bring your acoustic instrument. We will gather on Monday, May 21 at 7:00 p.m. in the Gale House. For more information, contact Laurie Bellmar (call the office at 708-848-6225 for her contact information) or email music@unitytemple.org.
Taizé at Unity Temple
Please join us again for Taizé Service in the Unity Temple Sanctuary, on Friday, May 25, at 7 p.m. This service will offer a time for meditation, reflection, and renewal through music, brief words, and silence. Come sing, light a candle, and nurture your spirit during this non-traditional worship experience—and bring a friend. The service will conclude before 8 p.m. For more information, contact Marty Swisher, Music Director, at music@unitytemple.org.
