Dear friends,
It has been lovely to reconnect with folks in Community Singers and at First Unitarian over the past couple weeks with the resumption of weekly rehearsals and our Ingathering service at First UU. If you haven’t made it to a rehearsal or performance yet, I hope you will soon.
“Who are the Community Singers?”
We are a choir that is open to all members of First Unitarian as well as the wider Pittsburgh Community and that does many different types of performances. We make connections in the Pittsburgh community and perform at community events that have a focus on social justice, interfaith cooperation and/or multicultural celebration. These community performances are usually done in collaboration with one or more partner choirs – the AAMI Lemington Gospel Chorale, Coro Latinamericano, the Pittsburgh UU Cluster Choir, the Thanksgiving interfaith combined choirs, the Let Freedom Sing combined choirs. We also serve as a church choir at First Unitarian, and occasionally other local UU Churches, about once per month. Community Singers members are encouraged to rehearse and perform with us as much as possible, while still maintaining a pace and schedule that works with their life. Our most dedicated members sing in most of our community and church performances and rehearsals; some singers only have capacity to sing for a few weeks out of the year; some perform only at First UU, while others mostly perform in community concerts. All are welcome.
Here is an update with upcoming events and resources for Community Singers.
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments, and let me hear how you are doing.
In faith and love,
Kris Rust
Community Singers Schedule
Sat, 14 Sept, 4pm (3:30 call) Celebration of Life for Whitney Granger @ First UU. Wear bright colors
Wed, 18 Sept, NO REHEARSAL for Community Singers
Wed, 18 Sept, 7:30pm Concert by Zedashe Ensemble from the Republic of Georgia @First UU . www.zedashe.com
Sun, 22 Sept, 10:30 (9:30 call), Climate Justice Service @ First UU. Wear Green. With Kris & Lee.
Sun, 13 Oct, 10:30 (9:30 call), Service @ First UU, Directed by Deryck Tines
Sun, 27 Oct, 10:30 (9:30 call), Service @ Allegheny UU Church, Directed by Deryck Tines
Thurs, 14 Nov, 6pm, UU Cluster Choir dinner & rehearsal @ UU Church of North Hills
Sat, 16 Nov, 11:45am – 2pm, Cluster Choir sound check & performance @ UUCNH
Sun, 17 Nov, 10am, Cluster Choir perform in Service @ Allegheny UU
Tues, 26 Nov, 7pm (6pm call) Combined Choirs @ Interfaith Thanksgiving service @ First UU Church
Sun, 15 Dec, 10:30 (9:30 call), Service @ First UU
Sun, 15 Dec, 4pm (2:30 call), Holidays in Latin America Concert @ First UU
Tues, 24 Dec, 7pm (6pm call) Christmas Eve Service @ First UU
Sat, 18 Jan, Let Freedom Sing afternoon rehearsal
Mon, 20 Jan, 7:30pm – Let Freedom Sing Concert
Repertoire Resources for Singers
Sept 14
“When the Saints Go Marching In” https://drive.google.com/file/d/110c4KG7PxDGJoKApTswQb6Ttd2BT4jbg/view?usp=sharing
Sept 22
“Morning/Evening Breeze” #1072
Text: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11lM6qPSmmYuSrHGQRP9gEuuQRzgK_w-t6Qc4wuXyCmU/edit?usp=sharing
“As the Earth Goes Turning Around”
Score: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yvLADSxu3qCwK7u4CIXY0XeOw_X30uOB/view?usp=sharing
“More Waters Rising”
Score: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10eatRccgiFDstv5YDvcfYUuYWHEZ31UU/view?usp=sharing
December 15 & 24
“Mañanita pueblerina” by Inocente Carreño, arr. Gregory Pino
Text: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aI87e3XPeJWhDMpJjEA4_0X7_fW7Njaj9Ruj0LX5AnI/edit?usp=sharing
Recording of different arrangement : https://youtu.be/iPv6LkYrgDQ?si=AGnE9zIPRGz2csO7
“The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy”
Miami Univ performance: https://youtu.be/6-2v44ksMRs?si=HbOEfLmLNy5fT_MT
Indiana / Purdue Uni (slow): https://youtu.be/XZMM2UdIGDk?si=t4Yyzb_juZ8PGDrO
Cantico Singers w/steel drums: https://youtu.be/XAI-86CcB70?si=A6D7JbUCR9tMjDNG
“Villancico Mexicano” arr. Ramón Noble
Performance: https://youtu.be/YcX-yn8V-o8?si=6r0twfDXsKt1fGwL
Tenor part https://youtu.be/kx9mKSg-KpM?si=M3ITn5cajDXtWS4-
Text/ Translation: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-TtVWKBRBJ80RvpSE6i_9PO0zYd9W7jLlo5pQ3StAGw/edit?usp=sharing
“A adorar al Niño” Venezuelan carol
Trans. & Pronun guide: https://www.stantons.com/scores/0/0/2/8/6/5/4/3/leon-00286543.pdf
“Ay Si, Ay no”
Quar = 60 – 92
Text/ translation:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qhtdB2R0idawaImsNsyp1nUPHWL0KGD69UjMCgWk5ew/edit?usp=sharing
“Noche de Paz (Silent Night)”
“Feliz Navidad”