Beth  (musicdirectorocuucorg)  

the play about Prop 8
by Dustin Lance Black

Audition dates at OCUUC:

Sunday, June 10th, 12:45-2:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 14th, 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Audition information:

Two audition dates are being offered for the staged reading of “8” at Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church. Actors read from scripts onstage in the performance, and there will be just two rehearsals.

There are 21 parts, and all but the plaintiffs’ parts can be played by any gender. There are two parts specifically for teenagers. Interested actors can bring a short monologue of their own and should be prepared to sight-read courtroom-style text. Come to either audition during the times listed.

Performance date:  Saturday, August 4, 2012 at OCUUC

Website for more information:  http://www.8theplay.com/readings/orange-coast-unitarian-universalist-church/

 Facebook Page for Audition #1

Contact Beth for more information.  (musicdirectorocuucorg)  

Download the Audition Flyer in pdf, click here

Download the Audition flyer in pdf, click here

Event Details:

• 7:00 pm on Saturday, March 31st
• Admission is FREE
• Intermission with bar: wine and water for sale, and snacks for a donation
• 50-50 raffle (that is, the winner gets 50% of the money from the sale of raffle tickets and the church gets the other half). Raffle tickets will be available at the door and at intermission, when the drawing will be held

Questions? Contact Beth Syverson anytime at MusicDirectorocuucorg  (MusicDirectorocuucorg)   or 714-376-6666.  Hope to see you there!

Sing along, dance in the aisles, and have a GREAT time with Larisa Stow & Shakti Tribe

Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church hosts Larisa Stow & Shakti Tribe for a transformational evening of rocking, soulful KIRTAN and more! A RAISE THE ROOF celebration of unity-in-community, Shakti Tribe mix the spiritual and the sacred with an edgy pop sensibility, sensuality and rock groove like no other – truly a magic carpet ride for the soul.

$20 in advance / $25 at the door.

Check out this wonderful interview with Larisa Stow in Vision Magazine:

Vision Magazine: How does music really bring people and different cultures together?

Larisa Stow: Music is a vibration. It takes you into an energy, a vibrational energy. So when people listen to music, when they experience music together, it’s literally everybody getting on, let’s say, a space ship together. They’re going on a journey together because it takes you in a similar vibrational frequency. So it doesn’t matter who you are, it doesn’t matter where you are on the planet; music is a vortex.

Larisa Stow and Shakti Tribe in Concert Feb. 25th

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  (musicdirectorocuucorg)   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

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  (musicdirectorocuucorg)   if you’d like to get on board with the choir, or if you’d like to participate in the concert as an instrumentalist.   

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

Do you have the Worship Weekend with Jason Shelton on your calendar?  On February 10-12, 2012, OCUUC will be hosting a Worship Weekend with Rev. Jason Shelton (Music Minister at the Nashville UU church, and composer of “Standing on the Side of Love,” “Morning Has Come,” and many more).  A worship workshop led by Jason Shelton will occur all day Saturday February 11 — it’s open to anyone who is interested in creating worship.  There will be a concert featuring Jason Shelton, our own Orange Coast Choir, plus a mass choir and special guests on Saturday night, February 11th.  And Jason Shelton will be presenting the service on Sunday morning, February 12th.   We are looking for volunteers to help with the planning and execution of this big event. Contact Beth Syverson  (musicdirectorocuucorg)   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

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)  

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

• 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.

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…

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)  

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

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

emma’s revolution is the duo of award-winning, activist musicians and life partners Pat Humphries & Sandy O.  In the spirit of Emma Goldman’s famous attribution, “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution”, emma’s revolution brings their uprising of truth, hope and a dash of healthy irreverence to concerts and peace & justice events across the US (including Camp Casey with Cindy Sheehan and the School of the Americas Watch at Fort Benning, GA). They have performed by invitation at the World Culture Open in Seoul, Korea, the Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics, Palestine & Israel, and, in December 2007, in Santiago, Chile with Holly Near.

Here’s a tongue-in-cheek video that emma’s revolution recently produced called “Taxed Enough Already?”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGpRN7ZWlp8

I’m letting you know this far in advance so you can put this concert on your calendar and so you can think of people you might want to bring along with you.  We really need the support of the whole congregation to pull this off.  The concert committee is debating whether or not to continue the series next year, so if you (the congregation) want to continue the series, please support this concert!

Concert tickets will be available on Sunday mornings starting in February, and they’re available anytime online.

Musically Yours,
Beth Syverson

• Brad Van Wick (staff), pianist
• Susan Shaw, guitarist
• Ben Pruess, drummer
• Barbara Schilling, harpist
• Michael Straw, flutist
• Amelia Russo-Neustadt, oboist
• Aaron Neustadt, pianist
• Summer Albayati, drummer

We are very lucky that these Members and Friends gift us with their talents.  Their playing enriches and enlivens our music ministries.  Next time one of our own instrumentalists shares their music with us, won’t you please give them a special thank you?  And you can also express your thanks right here at the bottom of this article by submitting a Comment.

With gratitude,
Beth Syverson
Director of Music Ministries

Beth Syverson
phone: 714-376-6666
www.BethMusic.net

Let’s all try to view the instrumental music in the service as our gateway to our heart/soul/understanding/love — whatever word fits one’s theology the best. Let our thinking minds rest, let go of analysis and evaluation, and enter a peaceful place for those few minutes of music.

If it’s too awkward or uncomfortable for you to “go inside” during instrumental music, then please just remain quietly still so others who wish to can meditate, pray, or let the music touch their heart. We are in this communal worship thing together, folks. Lets all try to make our hour together as meaningful a time as possible.

Please post a comment to this blog if you have an opinion about instrumental music in our worship services. I’d love to hear your own personal experience “from the pew” — or from the cushioned chairs in our case.

May music often touch the inner core of your being and bring your peace and joy.

Your Director of Music Ministries,
Beth Syverson

If you’d like to experience this wonderful choral bond, you’re welcome to come try the Thursday night choir.  And the Halloween service will feature KALEIDOSCOPE SINGERS, our low–time-commitment, easy choir for those who don’t have time for a regular Thursday commitment.  Kaleidoscope Singers will sing in the intergenerational service on October 31, and we’ll rehearse between services on October 17, 24, and 31.  Come join the magic that is choir!

Contact me anytime at musicdirectorocuucorg  (musicdirectorocuucorg)   if you have questions about Orange Coast Choir or Kaleidoscope Singers.

Your Director of Music Ministries,
Beth Syverson

• In July, I received a copy of the new Spanish-language hymnal supplement Las Voces del Camino that the UUA just published.  There are some really wonderful new songs in that book, along with translations of songs we already know from our other two hymnals.  As soon as I browsed through it, I knew I wanted to try some songs out at church.
• Karen’s sermon this Sunday was about her experience at the Standing on the Side of Love rally in Phoenix last month, protesting Arizona Senate Bill 1070, which targets Mexican immigrants in their unfair “show your papers” law.
• I thought it would be interesting to let our congregation, which includes very few people who are fluent in Spanish, feel what it’s like to be the non-dominant culture – at least for an hour. By using an unfamiliar language for our songs, we felt what it’s like to be a little lost, a little confused, a little uncomfortable.

By talking to several folks after the service, it seems we hit the mark on making people feel uncomfortable by using the non-dominant language.  Luckily, no one was angry that I made them feel uncomfortable, but they appreciated the experience and have a new understanding of what it’s like for the many people who aren’t fluent in our dominant language.

One interesting observation — the congregation actually sang LOUDER in Spanish than in English.  I surmised that because they had to concentrate so hard to sing in Spanish, they were more engaged in their singing and belted it out more.  A nice side effect!

I very well may bring back a song or two from the new Spanish songbook occasionally, just to keep things fresh and to add that bit of challenge to our singing.

If any of you are interested in purchasing your own copy of the songbook Las Voces del Camino, you can order it on Sunday morning from our own church bookstore. Or you can order directly from the UUA Bookstore for $18 here.

And if you were at the service on August 29, 2010, I’m very open to hearing your thoughts and feelings about singing and listening to all the songs in Spanish.

Musically yours,
Beth Syverson

I was involved in several ways at this conference.  I mentored another local music director, Rebecca Berland from the Anaheim church, and introduced her to all the people I know.  At the first workshop, I led a session called “New to UU / New to UUMN” with a few of the other recently-credentialed Music Leaders.  I organized and hosted two noontime recitals, at which many talented UUMN members performed a wide variety of music.  All the past, current, and brand new credentialing candidates dined together at an Italian restaurant.  There are now about 20 of us — 7 in the first class (mine), 2 in the second class which just graduated, 4 in the next class, and 6 in the brand new class. We had a rollicking time at the restaurant, and the kitchen help all came out when we started singing a silly song together.  We sang the same song in the variety show that night.

I was one of the conductors in a master class taught by our choral clinician Stephan Alltop, whom we all LOVED.  He was very helpful to me, though it was a bit intimidating conducting in front of him AND 50 of my colleagues!

In addition to all these responsibilities, I also enjoyed our choral reading sessions, where we sightread about 50 new pieces of choral music together as a group (250 conference attendees).   We also prepared 4 songs for the Sunday morning service, led by Stephen Alltop.  Wouldn’t it be great to have a 250-member choir sing at our church service someday??  Singing in this group is always one of the highlights of the conferences for me.  I love being enveloped in sound and performing at a high level with other music directors.

I attended some wonderful concerts.  One was a new large work about liberal religion by Elizabeth Alexander called “Go Out!,” the centerpiece of which is a song about John Murray — “Give them not Hell, but hope and courage.”  Then I went to a lecture/performance by Fred Onovwerosuoke, an expert in African music.  And Saturday night was a lovely evening of Kirtan music (meditative, repetitive, call-and-response music from the Hindu tradition), which put me in a blissful state of mind and heart.

In between all that, I enjoyed socializing (Should I call it networking?  No, it was socializing) with the wonderful musicians I’ve met from all over the continent through attending these conferences for the last 6 years.  We see each other just once a year, but we instantly connect again like we’ve never been away.  People who share the same type of job in a UU church have lots of things in common, I suppose.

This was the best of the 6 conferences I’ve been to (and that’s not just because I’m on the national conference planning committee that organized this one!)  Thank you very much for supporting this avenue of professional growth for me!  I hope you can see by this list of activities that I brought back lots of new information and inspiration to OCUUC!

Musically yours,
Beth

I wanted to share the video from the event in case you missed the live streaming –
http://uua.org/events/generalassembly/2010/ga2010/165854.shtml

So you don’t have to watch the whole thing (including several lists of many names), here are the times in the video where the music occurs:

• Directing choir — “Lift Your Voice” by Jason Shelton – 9:20
• Directing choir — “boundless joy” by Catherine Dalton — 18:20 (this piece reflects upon the listing of those who’ve died this past year and a moment of silence)
• Directing choir – ”Now is the Time” by Jason Shelton — 27:30
• Playing piano “Suite for Piano” (Courante and Gavotte) by Clif Hardin — 57:30 (this was the Offertory – that’s why it was so long!)
• Playing piano “Rank by Rank” as the processional — 2:30

Enjoy!

Musically yours,
Beth Syverson
Director of Music Ministries
(949) 829-1752
musicdirectorocuucorg  (musicdirectorocuucorg)  
http://ocuuc.org/ministries/music/

• I’m grateful that I get to choose a wide variety of repertoire and performers for services and special events.
• I’m grateful for all the hard work, rehearsal time, and memorizing that the choir did recently for their Broadway concert.
• I’m grateful to Brad Van Wick for being the pianist for the choir all year and for subbing for me for services.
• I’m grateful to Suzi Cassidy who has served as our graphic designer and online ordering guru again this year — both for the choir concert and the Orange Coast Concerts flyers.
• I’m grateful to Clover Behrend-Gethard and Mark Miller and Ted Lundholm who create slides of the song lyrics every week.
• I’m grateful to have a beautiful 1920′s Steinway to play with every Sunday.
• I’m grateful to the concert committee (chaired by Kathleen McFarlin) and the music committee (co-chaired by Ted Lundholm and Amy Tompkins) who helped with so many of the administrative details throughout the year.
• I’m grateful to have a job that creates living music that enriches lives, connects people to their heart, and welcomes Spirit.

In other words, thank you, OCUUC, for a great year!  I’ll be away much of the summer — at General Assembly and at the UU Musicians Network conferences, where  I will have leadership roles.   Plus two family vacations.  I’ll be available by phone or email, though, as always. Brad will hold down the fort for several Sundays.

Musically Yours,
Beth

Please visit our website and fill out a short survey. We will take your opinions into account as we plan future events:
http://ocuuc.org/activities/concert-series/

Additionally, Orange Coast Choir and I cordially invite you to our spring choir concert on Saturday, June 5 at 7:00 pm.

Musically yours,
Beth Syverson
Director of Music Ministries
(949) 829-1752
musicdirectorocuucorg  (musicdirectorocuucorg)  
http://ocuuc.org/ministries/music/

My purpose as Director of Music Ministries in the Unitarian Universalist Church is to help the congregation fully experience shared music by providing a wide variety of musical experiences, worship opportunities, and community-building musical events. The Music Ministry at OCUUC will make spiritual and emotional growth available to all who seek it, will provide transcendent moment of grace, and will provide a nurturing space for anyone wishing to explore their musical gifts and talents.

I do this by making the Music Ministry open to all who are interested in participating. I place each individual in a role that features their strengths and helps them feel like a connected and contributing member of the Music Ministry. I provide musical and extra-musical opportunities for all ages and all abilities. Some of the vehicles for participation are:

• Family Choir
• MUUsical Magicians (children’s choir)
• Orange Coast Choir (adult choir)
• Songleaders
• Playing drums, shakers, etc.
• Narration and readings for those not skilled at singing but interested in participating
• Sign language and hand motions
• Create PowerPoint slides for worship or concerts
• Concert Series (with professional musicians), providing opportunities for dancing, listening, learning, and community-building.
• House Band for Music for Gathering every Sunday – rhythm section, winds, strings
• Feature soloists (vocal & instrumentalists) for entire song or just a verse or section
• Ad hoc Hospice singing, Singing Valentines, Christmas Caroling
• Run sound system or projector
• Sing and/or clap with the congregational songs
• Help design or coordinate worship service or concert
• Serve on music or concert committees

The other main component of my mission is to use music as the tool to help people connect to Spirit through their heart and soul. Our denomination is famous for the intellectualism and advanced degrees of its members, and our church is no exception. I view my job as touching that oft-neglected emotional and spiritual place through music. Here are some ways I do that on a regular basis:

• I often play ten minutes of Music for Meditation on the piano before our Contemplative Worship Service (our early service).
• Congregational songs and anthems complement the sermon theme, thus creating a bridge from the mind to the heart.
• We sometimes sing things we would never be able to say. Our church has many agnostics, humanists, atheists, and individuals who are “recovering” from their previous religious experience. If I asked them to speak something like “You got to do when the Spirit says do,” they would revolt. But when we sing and clap it at the end of a motivating worship service, it brings everyone together and speaks to the universal Spirit without starting a controversy.
• At every rehearsal and meeting I’m in charge of, we light a chalice, hear a reading, and do a check-in. Our choir members support each other when they’re sick or hurting. They come to choir not just to sing notes but to sing TOGETHER and create a vital musical community that supports each other.
• I use Taize-style chanting as well as non-Western chanting in worship services, at retreats, and at special events when appropriate. Members of the congregation regularly respond to this type of chanting with stories of healing, deep peace, and awakened understanding.

My Music Ministry is so much more than repertoire, technique, and administration. It touches souls, it creates change, it motivates, it heals, it brings people together, and it brings joy and peace to a hurting world. It is my calling, my life’s work, and my great privilege to provide this type of service to the community I love through a medium which I love – music.