Come, Sing a Song with…the Multigen Choir this Sunday!
Attention singers of all ages and experience levels (including those with no experience at all) – you’re invited to sing with the Multigen Choir this Sunday, October 19th. Here are the details:
- Who: Anyone and everyone who wants to sing – all ages are welcome, and no experience is necessary!
- What: Singing two songs during our worship service this Sunday, October 19th.
- When: Meet at 9:30 to learn the songs, then we’ll sing during the service.
- Where: In the sanctuary.
- Why: Because singing together is good for you…and fun!
Get in touch with UUCC Music Director Mike Carney if you have any questions. I hope to see you Sunday at 9:30!
Music Notes – Sunday, Oct 19th:
This Sunday’s musicians are The Multigen Choir and UUCC Music Director Mike Carney
Centering Music: Freedom No. 7 – Ellington
Special Music: Meditation – Ellington
One of the true legends of American music, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington (1899-1974) was best known as the composer of dozens of jazz standards, including “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)”, “Mood Indigo”, and “Come Sunday”. Late in his career, Ellington composed three larger works (each titled Sacred Concert) that combined elements of jazz, classical music, choral music, spirituals, gospel, blues and dance and explored Ellington’s relationship with the spiritual world. Ellington called these compositions “the most important music I’ve ever written.” Both “Freedom No. &” and “Meditation” are from Sacred Concert No. 2, which premiered at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York on January 19, 1968.
Song: Gather the Spirit – Scott
#347 in our Singing the Living Tradition hymnal, “Gather the Spirit” is one of the most familiar and well-loved hymns of our UU faith. The song was written by UU composer, performer, activist, and friend of UUCC Jim Scott (b. 1946), who also wrote and arranged several other songs found in our hymnbooks, including “May Your Life Be as a Song” and “Nothing but Peace Is Enough”.
Offertory Music: Love, Come Take Me Home – Hardin/Elicker
Clif Hardin (b. 1955) has lived in the Washington, D.C. area most of his life, and has served as music director for many opera and music theatre productions through the years. More importantly, he started working as Music Director at River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation in 1983, thinking it would be steady employment until his “real job” came along. Gradually, River Road became his main focus. There, he works with the adult choir and three youth choirs. He regularly arranges and composes for those groups as well as composing piano music for services. “Love, Come Take Me Home” was co-created in 2015 by Clif along with lyricist Jan Elicker (b. 1955), and the song is now a part of the UUA’s new Sing Out Love virtual hymnal.
Song: We Are Not Our Own – Hurd/Wren
“We Are Not Our Own” (#317) is one of the lesser-known hymns in Singing the Living Tradition. The words come from British poet, theologist and prolific hymn writer Brian Wren (b. 1936), who is the author of several other hymns in Singing the Living Tradition, including “Name Unnamed”, “Joyful Is the Dark”, and “Love Makes a Bridge”. The arching, hopeful tune for “We Are Not Our Own” was written by Dr. David Hurd (b. 1950), a composer, organist, and educator who currently serves as the Director of Music at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in Times Square, New York City.
Postlude: Be the Change – Britt and Kaplan
“Be the Change” was written in 2010 by Marc Kaplan and Colin Britt, based on the “Be the change you wish to see in the world” quotation that is frequently attributed to Mahatma Gandhi. This song is part of the online Justice Choir Songbook and will be sung by UUCC’s Multigen Choir to close this Sunday’s service.
-Mike Carney, UUCC Music Director