Homecoming, at long last! After two and a half years of mostly virtual church, we are moving into a time of mostly in-person worship. Last spring, as a few people started coming to church, I heard people crying. I was crying! Experiencing the resonance of our sanctuary reminded us of what we had lost during our months of virtual services–not only in music but in the warmth of physically being together. This year we are gathering in a new but familiar way. For those who cannot be with us in person, there will still be a virtual option, but the focus will be on the experience within the sanctuary. Kudos to our technology folks.
Chalice Choir rehearsals from 7:00 to 8:15 begin again on Tuesday evenings, starting August 30. There may be scheduled solo and ensemble rehearsals after or before the full choir rehearsals. The Chalice Choir sings for worship every other Sunday. Members of our music community offer special music on “non-choir” Sundays – instrumentalists, solos, ensembles. It would be lovely to have children involved in music-making once again.
This year the Chalice Choir will work on a masterpiece by John Rutter (Requiem) which has a 40-minute performance time divided into seven independent pieces. The bulk of the work will be presented for Music Sunday in May, but some movements will be offered in other services. John Rutter is perhaps the best-known living choral composer of our time, and last spring the choir sang his lush setting of “A Ukrainian Prayer.”
If you have questions about music, please be in touch. If you are new to our church, welcome! You can easily reach me through the church directory or by emailing music@uumiddleboro.org. And check out the new music page on the church website at www.uumiddleboro.org/music.
Susan Hotchkiss, Music Director
