UUCB Choir

Onthe Ives day enjoy this masterpiece! Charles Ives's 4th Symphony was given its World Premiere in 1965 by Leopold Stokowski and the American Symphony Orchestra.... A few days later they made work's first recording and also played it in a televised studio performance, seen here, which was introduced by Stokowski and others, including co-conductors Jose Serebrier and David Katz, and John McClure, producer of the CBS recording. Get the Leopold Stokowski - Complete Phase 4 Recordings [23 CD Box Set] here: https://amzn.to/3fNcRAX

Grant Gershon, Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director and Master Chorale soprano Elissa Johnston perform Morten Lauridsen's setting of "Sure On This Shining Night". To enjoy more performances like this one, sign up for our email list: https://bit.ly/35sXwna

The Voice: Anatomy, Function and Covid | Dr Declan Costello Have you ever heard a singer belt out a particularly high note and wondered, 'how the heck is that h...umanly possible?' Dr Declan Costello, the 'voice doctor' talks us through the anatomy and function of our vocal cords to show us how it is done. Dr Declan Costello was also part of the Bristol team commissioned by Public Health England to study the transmission of aerosol and droplet particles during singing, wind and brass instruments. In this talk, he describes the results of that study and some of his recommendations so that we can get back to live performances, safely and as soon as possible. To learn more about Dr Declan Costello's fantastic work or to contact him, please visit his website: http://www.voicedoctor.co.uk/

Announcing a new Online Learning discussion series: Choir-antine Conversations! Join hosts Camille Hatton and Sarah Jebian every Tuesday from August 18 to Octo...ber 6 to talk with other music professionals about rehearsals in virtual spaces, audio mixing, video techniques for virtual choirs, and more. AUUMM members can access the link to these free sessions at auumm.org/free. Non-members are invited to participate as well and should contact [email protected] for further information. See more

I'm writing today on behalf of the Board of Trustees. We were deeply saddened to learn that AUUMM member Dr. Tony McDonald passed away from COVID-19 last night.... He was diagnosed with the illness just 3 weeks ago. Tony joined AUUMM in 2010. He served as the Director of Music at the First UU Church of Columbus from 2007 until he retired last year. Many of you may share my memories of meeting Tony at our Annual Conference. He was a good, kind man with a ready smile. I remember not only his giant intellect and immense talent but also his humble and unassuming demeanor. The Board sends its love and condolences to Tony's friends and family. May his memory be a blessing and may his legacy of love and music ministry live on in all of us who had the privilege of knowing him. See more

Why do some hymns connect deeply with our congregations and others, not? How do you write a hymn that is meaningful, memorable, and sing-able for the congregati...on, especially for those who don’t consider themselves to be musical or to have good voices? Find some answers at Hymn Composition 101, the first of AUUMM's Online Learning sessions. Register today at www.auumm.org/online to receive access to the videos and the follow-up discussion with composer Clif Hardin on Monday, Aug. 10 at 7:00pm ET. See more

First Unitarian Portland Joins Lawsuit to Cease Federal Presence On Our Streets. (July 21, 2020) First UPDX Signs on as Plaintiff: First UPDX has signed on as... a plaintiff to a lawsuit filed this morning in Federal Court alleging that the presence of militarized federal law enforcement personnel in Portland chills our ability to exercise our right and spiritual call to protest. The case claims that federal agents have been deployed in violation of the 10th Amendment to the Constitution that defines the separation of powers. The Western States Center: Lead Plaintiff: The lead plaintiff in the suit is the Western States Center, one of our community justice partners that works to strengthen the organizing capacity of often marginalized communities and to promote inclusive democracy in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain States. Why First UPDX is Joining the Suit: The church joins as a plaintiff because we believe that the unconstitutional overreach of federal agents into general policing, specifically the abduction and detention of protesters, creates heightened fear and greater barriers to exercising our right and faithful call to protest. These are times where there is much to trouble the spirit. This lawsuit is an important way for us as a faith community to bear witness and live out our faith principles. As Unitarian Universalists, our principles uphold the right of conscience & democratic process & we strive for world community with peace, liberty & justice for all. See more

Dear Friends, It is with great sadness that we announce the cancellation of the 21st Annual Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts due to the Covid-19 pandemic. T...he festival is a large public event that has always been free and open to all. Our Committee has come to the conclusion that we cannot honestly create a safe environment for our all volunteer staff, 250 volunteers, 170 artists, 55 cultural groups, food vendors and tens of thousands of attendees. We also believe we would not be granted all of the permits from the state, county and city needed to legally operate. We plan on creating ongoing artist, craftspeople and musician promotions as well as concerts. Links will be on our website (https://elmwoodartfest.org) and our Facebook page. If able, please support all of our artists and the Elmwood businesses. Almost all festivals have been canceled for the summer. Many artists and musicians are facing significant losses of income. We are so grateful for all the love and support the festival has received over the past two decades. The dates for 2021 are August 28-29. We look forward to another twenty years of bringing our community together to celebrate the creative spirit we all share. Sincerely, Joe DiPasquale for The Festival Committee

We have our second Choir Zoom check-in scheduled for next week, and, on the topic of our new-normal, here's some clear, concise guidance from the Unitarian Universalist Association

Although many of us are physically distant from people and places we love, please remember you are not forgotten, even if you’re feeling alone. May this pandemic be a time where our connections deepen, even if our routines change.