Music Ministry Notes
The regular column from Beth Syverson, OCUUC’s Director of Music Ministries.
January-February Music Ministry Notes
On Sunday Jan. 22nd, music will be performed by guest artist Roy Zimmerman. We are very lucky to have Roy with us while he swings through Southern California on his tour. You can get a preview of his political satire on his YouTube channel.
We’re gearing up for the Jason Shelton Worship Weekend “With Hands and Hearts and Voices” on February 10-12. Please pre-register if you plan to attend the workshop and/or the concert on Saturday, February 11. And contact Beth if you’d like to participate in any of these ways:
- Sing in mass choir finale
- Children’s choir
- Volunteer at workshop (comp ticket)
- Volunteer at concert (comp ticket)
- Housing for choir members and ministers Friday and/or Saturday (February 10 and 11)
And please spread the word to folks you know at other nearby churches who might like to attend or sing in the mass choir. A pdf of the sheet music is free and Beth (musicdirector
ocuuc
org) can email the file to the singer right away.
The concert on Saturday, February 11 is our big choir concert for the year. (We usually have it in June.) The choir would sure appreciate a full house! The music for the concert is all written or arranged by Jason Shelton — a real testament to Unitarian Univ ersalism. You will leave inspired and filled up with UU spirit!
The February service theme is UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS – MAKING A DIFFERENCE, and each week we will profile an ordinary individual (or a couple in one case) who let their UU principles guide their lives in an extraordinary way. The people we will be focusing on will be:
- Linda Barnes (food diversity and sustainability)
- Jason Shelton (UU composer and Minister of Music)
- John Murray and Judith Sargent Murray (Universalist pioneers)
- Emrys Staton (undocumented immigrant justice)
Come hear their stories and let them inspire you to act on your UU principles in your own way.
February 11th will be here before you know it!
Mark your calendar for the concert Voices in Unity February 11th at 7:30 pm, featuring music composed by Rev. Jason Shelton, performed by choir members from OCUUC, a combined choir piece, and the Children’s Choir.
OCUUC Children’s Choir will be singing in the Jason Shelton concert “Voices in Unity” on February 11 at 7:30pm.
- Rehearsal schedule:
- Sunday, January 29, 1-2pm, Gillan 3 classroom
- Sunday, Febuary 5, 1-2pm, Gillan 3 classroom
- Thursday, February 9, 7-8pm, sanctuary
- Friday evening, February 10, 6-7pm, sanctuary
- Saturday evening, 6pm call time, 7:30pm concert
Upcoming Music Events
December is such a busy time for musicians – and everyone – as we prepare for the many holidays that seem to consume us this time of year. OCUUC is busy preparing for Winter Solstice, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day musical meditation service, and New Year’s Day service. But I want to make sure you also have two upcoming events on your radar for early 2012…
February 10-12, 2012 – Worship Weekend with Jason Shelton – “With Hearts and Hands and Voices”
I am very excited to bring out my friend and colleague Jason Shelton to lead not only OCUUC but all the local UU congregations in a weekend-long exploration of worship. He will be presenting a workshop about how our worship can be more aligned with our values. Plus we’re producing a big concert with Jason, our choir, a mass choir, and special guests. And Jason will lead worship at OCUUC on the Sunday morning.
Jason Shelton is one of the shining stars in the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network. He went to seminary to become a Minister of Music and he serves the big UU church in Nashville (where Beth and Tom Winnett go now). He is a wonderful composer with a huge heart for Unitarian Universalism. We are lucky to have several of his songs in our hymnals and in our choir’s files as well. In 2009, our choir traveled to sing in a mass choir at the Arizona district assembly, where we performed Shelton’s Sources: A Unitarian Universalist Cantata. His church has produced a CD of UU songs that I highly recommend.
I hope many of you will become involved in this exciting event. You can participate by attending the workshop, singing in the mass choir, volunteering to help, attending the Saturday concert and Sunday worship, or by inviting your friends to come along.
Attention Singers & Instrumentalists — As soon as the calendar turns over to 2012, we will hit our concert repertoire hard to prepare for our big Jason Shelton weekend concert on February 11. It’s the perfect time to join the choir so you can participate in this very special event. The choir is open to all singers who can match pitch and follow directions. We meet on Thursday nights at 7:30pm in the sanctuary. Plus the choir is having a special retreat on Saturday, January 14th in Long Beach to further prepare for the concert. Contact Beth (musicdirector
February 25, 2012 – Orange Coast Concerts – Larisa Stow & Shakti Tribe
Another big event happening in February is our one-and-only Orange Coast Concerts event this year — Larisa Stow & Shakti Tribe will be performing again at our church. I believe this will be their fourth appearance. Larisa is another friend and colleague of mine who I respect and admire very much. She travels around the world with her band, performing in concerts and rituals, plus serving others through a prison ministry. Her music is a combination of rock and world sacred music – a vibrant, energetic, loving musical experience based on Hindu mantras. You can dance, meditate, sing along, or just enjoy the music like a “regular” concert. Tickets are already on sale online and they will be sold on Sunday mornings after the first of the year. I hope you will also be able to participate in this event as an audience member or volunteer. This is an excellent opportunity to bring a friend who’s never been to OCUUC before. Since this is our only Orange Coast Concerts outing this year, we are hoping for great support from OCUUC so we can continue offering concerts next year.
Thank you for supporting the many ways that music intersects with worship and spiritual growth at OCUUC. I am at your service — let me know how I can best meet your musical wishes.
Beth Syverson
Director of Music Ministries
musicdirectorocuucorg (musicdirectorocuucorg)
714-376-6666
December Music Ministry Notes
Jason Shelton Worship Weekend
ocuucorg) if you’d like to volunteer to help out.
Christmas Eve Children’s Choir
The children’s choir which will perform at the Christmas Eve service.
- December 22nd – Dress rehearsal for all Christmas Eve participants, 6:30 pm*
- December 24th – Christmas Eve
Winter Solstice Singing Ritual
October Music Ministry Notes
Stop and Think Before Posting Recordings
A hot topic on the UU Musicians Network list-serve has been the licensing (or lack thereof) of “homemade” videos that folks are posting on YouTube, facebook, and elsewhere. So I thought this would be a good time to remind and educate everyone about copyright guidelines and intellectual property rights of composers, authors, and presenters.
It’s become so easy to create videos nowadays, and we are all enjoying the ease of producing our own “live” videos of everything from our dog’s silly tricks to important ceremonies and milestones. It’s fine and dandy to do so, but when there is copyrighted content, then we just need to stop and think before pushing the POST or UPLOAD button.
Sometimes it’s hard to know if something is copyrighted material. On a given Sunday, for instance, there might be some songs that are copyrighted, and some songs that are in the Public Domain (free to copy and distribute however you want). Here are some Public Domain songs that we have sung recently:
- When the Spirit Says Do
- Tis a Gift to be Simple
- For the Beauty of the Earth
- There is More Love Somewhere
- This Little Light of Mine
Notice that these Public Domain songs are old Spirituals, hymns or folk songs. The composer, if they were ever identified, are long gone now. Copyright extends for the life of the copyright holder plus 70 years (if not renewed by their estate, etc.). So older songs, poems, etc. are typically Public Domain. That’s why, by the way, classical music is sometimes used in movie previews, TV shows, or commercials — because it’s FREE.
Now of the remaining works that have copyrights still attached to them, there are a few different categories to consider:
- Works that the copyright holder has given blanket permission to use — such as “Spirit of Life,” which is OK to broadcast, copy, and distribute for any UU church service or event.
- Works that the copyright holder has given one-time permission to broadcast, copy, or distribute, by granting a license, sometimes with a fee but sometimes without charge.
- Works that the copyright holder does NOT grant permission to broacast, copy, or distribute. Some artists do NOT want their work performed but by themselves or their choice of performer.
Now that you know there are copyright issues regarding any broadcasting of any copyrighted material – which includes on your Facebook page, on YouTube, on your website, or on physical CDs or videos – you have a responsibility to protect the intellectual property rights of the copyright holder by simply asking permission to broadcast their work. I’m happy to help with this process, but it’s really quite simple. Just find the copyright holder (at the bottom of the printed work), Google them, and email them a short note asking their permission to post it. They might say yes or no, and they might respond within a day or 2 months. But it’s important to respect their control of the dissemination of the work, andthey get to decide.
The UUA has put together Copyright Guidelines after consulting several legal experts. This is a murky topic, and if you ask 3 copyright lawyers, you’ll probably get 3 different answers. But I think the best idea is to go along with the UUA guidelines since they’ve already done the work for us and have found a middle road that is workable for churches.
By the way, it IS possible to get the “copyright police” to come after you. A Mormon church was fined $20,000 for refusing to desist using illegally copied songbooks in their worship services. And a copyright holder can find your YouTube video and ask you to remove it because it wasn’t licensed.
Please talk to me if you have any questions or concerns about posting any creative works on the Internet, or making physical copies of music, written words, or videos. I’m here to help guide the congregation to the most responsible use of our creative resources.
Also:
I would also like to announce that we are forming a Children’s Choir for the Christmas Eve service. Please let me know if you are interested in participating!
and
We are gathering a group of tech-minded volunteers who would like to be trained to run the sound system. The trained volunteers would run occasional Sunday morning services and special events (i.e., the auction, memorial services). Please contact Beth to volunteer.
Your Director of Music Ministries
Beth Syverson
714-376-6666
MusicDirectorocuucorg (MusicDirectorocuucorg)
July Music Ministry Notes
Have you missed hearing the choir this summer? Our choir has been off since mid-June, but we’re starting rehearsals up again on August 18th. We rehearse Thursday nights, 7:45pm to 9:15pm. Everyone is welcome to join us any Thursday night. I’ll have you sing for me very quickly before rehearsal starts (not in front of everyone) to make sure you can match pitch.
One thing you ALL can do is think of ways you can acknowledge the choir for all the many hours of service they give OCUUC. They rehearse every Thursday night plus they sing three to four Sundays per month (both services). Just a simple “thank you” would do. But even better would be a personal message to a singer that what they did on a Sunday morning enhanced your worship experience. That’s the choir’s goal — “Our mission is to light our hearts and the hearts of others by sharing inspirational music that enhances worship.”
Another way to support the choir is just by your presence. We were all pretty disappointed that only about 40 people came to hear our spring concert. Thank you very much if you were one of those who came! The rest of you — you missed a great concert, funny and heart-warming songs with a strong UU message about acceptance. And we missed your support. Please consider attending the next choir event.
I am willing to organize an ad hoc children’s choir, rehearsing just a few times before performing on a Sunday morning. I will put in the time and effort to do so if I hear from at least a few families that their child(ren) would be interested in such a thing. Please email me at MusicDirectorocuucorg (MusicDirectorocuucorg) or call me at 714-376-6666 to let me know you’re a YES for children’s choir.
I want to acknowledge our musicians who have kept the summer music running for Sunday. We are so lucky to have such talented musicians in our congregations! Michael, Susan, Amy, Debbie, Sam, Amelia, Aaron, Hannah, Barbara, Karen, Nancy…. I hope I got them all… They could really use a word of thanks from you too.
OCUUC is in a time of change — our new interim minister will be here soon, a new church season is upon us, there are many big events in the world that UUs are watching closely. Please know that your Music Ministry is on top of it all (as much as humanly possible) and we will maintain a vibrant musical presence in the midst of all the changes.
I’m always open for comments, suggestions, constructive criticism, and compliments. Email me at MusicDirectorocuucorg (MusicDirectorocuucorg) or call me at 714-376-6666.
Your Director of Music Ministries, Beth Syverson
June Music Ministry Notes
The Spring Choir Concert on June 4th was a wonderful success thanks to everyone who played a part in its planning and performance!
- Hannah Kim, Choir Pianist
- Ben Pruess, Percussionist
- Clover Behrend-Gethard, Tom Loghrey, and Barbara Schilling, Slides
- Nolan Daigle, Sound
- Franci Coleman, Box Office
- Amy Tompkins, Snack coordinator
- Suzi Cassidy, Flyer design and online ticketing
- All performers who gave it their all!
The choir will be performing send-off music for Karen’s last sermon on June 19th, so don’t miss us before our summer break!
Update June 22th:
Thank you to the Orange Coast Choir for a wonderful season of “lighting hearts with inspirational music that enhances worship”! (That’s from the choir’s mission statement.) June 19th was the choir’s last Sunday to sing for awhile. Our next rehearsal will be August 18, 7:45-9:15pm. If you’re interested in joining the choir for our upcoming season, just contact Beth.
May Music Ministry Notes
Two contrasting musical events are coming up at OCUUC:
Musical Meditation service on May 29 AND Spring Choir Concert “Singing for Our Lives: Gay and Straight Together” on June 4
The Musical Meditation service, on Sunday morning May 29 at our regular service times, is our annual Taize-style all-music service. We will sing and chant and sit in silence as we each connect with Spirit and/or ourselves in our own way. In the past, this service has touched people deeply. Come with an open heart and mind, and be ready for some transformation, relaxation, and healing!
And our spring choir concert is always a special event. This year’s event, on Saturday night, June 4 at 7:30pm, is going to be an exploration of gender in our society – including equal marriage and gay rights, the coming-out-of-the-closet, transgender issues, feminism, and our culture’s binary concept of gender. There will be several soloists and small groups – serious and silly – plus of course plenty of choir music. The choir asks for a $10 donation for the concert, which goes toward the Music Committee. If you are part of any LGBT or feminist groups, please invite them. Ask me for some flyers (online or paper) to send their way.
Please mark your calendar for both of these unique events! See you there…
April Music Ministry Notes
Open Mic Night, put on by OCUUC’s Music Committee, was held last Saturday, March 26. It was by far the best attended Open Mic Night in recent history, and we had over 20 acts! Thanks to Amy Tompkins who organized the whole event and who gathered the wonderful roster of performers.
Here are some photos from the evening:
And don’t miss our next special event – emma’s revolution will be performing at OCUUC Saturday, April 2 at 7:30pm. This is a fundraiser for the church, plus an opportunity to hear great music from a social activist musical duo. Thanks in advance to the Concert Series Committee, co-chaired by Barbara Schilling and Kathleen McFarlin, and to all the volunteers who produced this concert. It takes many hands and minds to create a big event like this!
Looking ahead, the choir’s spring choir concert will be Saturday, June 4, 7:30pm. Their event will be entitled “Gender Twists” and will feature an oratorio called “Boys and Girls and their Stories.” Another event you don’t want to miss!!
Beth Syverson
Director of Music Ministries
MusicDirectorocuucorg (MusicDirectorocuucorg)
March Music Ministry Notes
I was so very grateful for the Shining Star Award the congregation gave me in February. What a surprise! You are all unique treasures and I love creating a music ministry for you every week.
Open Mic Night is an annual tradition. This year it will be on Saturday night, March 26. It’s an opportunity for EVERYONE to perform in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. In the past we’ve had poetry readings, skits, vocal solos, Boomwhacker ensembles, dancing dogs, hose horn, and cross-dressing. I am always looking for more children and youth to perform, so invite your family members participate, or better yet, perform an act as a family! This event is a fun-draiser for the Music Committee, so please come out to support the event, even if just as an audience member.
And emma’s revolution will be here in concert in less than a month – on Saturday, April 2, 7:30pm. Bring the family for this event, too! Last year we brought my son Joey (at age 6) to hear their concert in Fullerton, and he LOVED it – and sat still for the whole thing. (Those who know Joey know what a major feat that is!) He also begged for a “Peace, Salaam, Shalom” t-shirt, which he proudly wears to school. Kids 12 and under are free! Check out their website at www.emmasrevolution.com to hear their music, see their videos, and read their newsletter. They sing out loudly for peace, justice, and equal rights. You’ll love them! Tickets will be available on the patio on Sundays starting March 13, but you can always purchase tickets online through BrownPaperTickets.
And Orange Coast Choir has been invited to sing in an Interfaith Choir Festival on Sunday, April 3 at 4pm at Good Shepherd Lutheran, 7082 Crescent Ave., Buena Park. We will be the only non-Christian church represented, and there will be choirs from AME, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Episcopal church, plus a Swahili Choir from San Diego. Please come support the choir and enjoy a great variety of wonderful sacred music.
Musically Yours,
Beth Syverson, Director of Music Ministries
February Music Ministry Notes
On the Sunday that we celebrated the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. the choir + a few young singers presented “What Can One Little Person Do?” A big shout-out to the 4 kids who sang solo verses – Alexandra, Emma, Cole, and Ellie. Did you know OCUUC made a CD with that song and many others on it, including “Spirit of Life,” “How Could Anyone,” and “Meditation on Breathing”? About 12 kids and adults recorded the CD in 2008, It’s a wonderful resource for RE teachers, parents, and folks who like to take our UU music home with them. Here’s the link to iTunes where you can download one song or the whole album: and here’s the link to purchase it on Amazon:
Do you have Saturday, April 2 marked on your calendar? The touring duo emma’s revolution will be in concert at OCUUC that night. Please don’t miss it! They are activists for peace, LGBT rights, human rights, and environmental rights. Here’s a link to their website where you can listen to excerpts of their songs, several of which I know you will recognize: http://www.emmasrevolution.com/listen/album/wecametosing/
And a warm welcome to Hannah Kim, our wonderful new choir pianist. Please introduce yourself to her next time the next Sunday she plays for the choir.
Musically yours,
Beth Syverson
Director of Music Ministries
