First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington
Musical Connections
Our "connections" page will feature upcoming performances in which First Parish folks will be participating. In addition, just below the special announcements will be a listing of groups in which our people are active, with web links where available.
Check them out -- you may find a group that sounds just right for you.
AnnouncementsMuse Stew -- with Scott Sammenfield and Caryn Sandrew, will perform Wednesday night, August 13, from 7:00 to 10:00 & Saturday, August 30, from 9:00 to 11:00, at the Main Streets Market & Cafe in Concord. SUMMER FESTIVAL CONCERTS --
TANGLEWOOD SUMMER SINGING OPPORTUNITIES Circle of Music at Ferry Beach, August 16-22, Tuesday nights in Lexington http://www.masterworkschorale.org/cms/index.php?page=summer-sings Lexington
Summer Concerts -- Fridays at Noon, May2 - Oct 17 -- |
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Special Announcement goes here! Use our online form to send an announcement or to tell us about a group with First Parish participants -- one we may have missed or whose description needs updating. (Member login required to open form.) |
Musical Groups in which First Parish Folks Participate
| Arlington
Philharmonic Orchestra
The Arlington Philharmonic Orchestra brings together instrumentalists of all ages and musical experience. Under the direction of Conductor Walter Pavasaris and Assistant Conductor James Russell Smith, the Orchestra performs in five concerts during the season, including its Family Concert in February, two concerts with the Arlington-Belmont Chorale, and the PSA's Annual POPS! Concert in June. Rehearsals are held every Wednesday night at 7:30 pm at The First Parish Unitarian-Universalist Church in Arlington from the Wednesday after Labor Day through May. Among the participants from First Parish : Phyllis Spence, Robert Olson. |
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The 2008 season includes a week in Vancouver (June 14-22, music of Vaughan Williams) and four weeks of classes and programs in Sheffield, MA (July 6-August 3) featuring Orff's Carmina Burana, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Handel's Solomon, Vaughan Williams' Sea Symphony, and several American masterworks. Although the Festival is based in Massachusetts, it also sponsors European weeks in Canterbury Cathedral (August 10-17) and Salzburg Cathedral (September 14-21). Adult participants pay tuition and room/board and may choose from a wide variety of tours, lectures, and courses. High school, college, and graduate students may apply for college credit and scholarships to attend for one-four weeks. Participants sing in choral and choral-orchestral rehearsals and perform with full orchestra. Participants from First Parish: Laura Prichard, faculty. |
| Cantilena,
a Women's Chorale
Under the direction of former First Parish music director Kenneth Seitz, Cantilena rehearses each Monday evening in the First Parish Arlington Sanctuary and holds auditions for new members at the beginning of each fall and spring season. Among the participants from First Parish: Libby Howell,
Cheri Minton, Emily Rankin, Carol Seitz. |
Coro Allegro is a not-for-profit musical organization composed of members and friends of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities and dedicated to the performance of significant choral works for the enjoyment of all. Rehearsals are held from 6pm to 9pm Sunday evenings at Church of the Covenant. An additional Saturday retreat is held three times a year from 9am to 3pm. Participating from First Parish: Andee Rubin |
| Halalisa
Singers
Music is global language that communicates the joy and pain we all feel. The Halalisa Singers are dedicated to sharing this common experience by celebrating enchanting music from around the world. We choose music for its power and beauty, and for its ability to move us all. Participating from First Parish: Anyone, now that Susan Lynch has moved away? Susan, we miss you! |
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Iveria is a male a cappella ensemble that sings folk songs and religious music from the Republic of Georgia in the Caucasus mountains. The group has been singing together since 1984 in the Boston area and was featured in a recent August 2007 service. Participating from First Parish: John Burt and Jean Renard Ward |
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The Lexington Bicentennial Band, formed in 1974, is a community symphonic band playing several seasonal concerts at the Lexington High School and every Tuesday night throughout the summer at the Bandstand the corner of Mass Ave and Worthen Road in Lexington. Participating from First Parish: Andrew Leonard |
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Muse Stew began in the early 1990's as a collaboration between words
and music in a series of performances at coffee houses and at the
Book Cellar Cafe in Cambridge. The name of our group reflects the
mixture of poetry, jazz and percussion we initially cooked up. Over
the past 15 years our focus has changed more towards original compositions,
but we've maintained the diverse elements including our mixture of
jazz, poetry and percussion to create a unique musical expression.
Our group has expanded recently and is now a sextet. |
| Mystic
Chorale
The Mystic Chorale is a community that shares a love of celebration, joining voices to create a living harmony that is joyful, healing, and compassionate. No audtions are required. The group rehearses Tuesday evenings here at First Parish. Among the participants from First Parish: Debbie Botos, Marilyn Downs, Mark Fingerle, Marsha Finkelstein, Debbi Milligan, Larry Osgood, Wendy Page, Lynne Rosenbaum, Sue Streeter, and Dick Terry. Help me out -- add your name to this list if I have missed you! |
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The New World Chorale was founded in 1999 by Holly MacEwen Krafka and John Zielinski with the mission of performing the best American choral music and, particularly, to commission the composition and performance of new music for chorus. The Chorale’s membership comprises some of the Boston area’s most experienced choral singers and soloists who have performed both locally and internationally with the world’s major orchestras. Collaborations in 2007-08 include repeat performances with the Boston Ballet and the Landmarks Symphony Orchestra under Jonathan McPhee, and staged performances with the Clafin Hill Orchestra in the historic Town Hall in Milford, MA. Participants from First Parish: Michael Prichard (soloist), Laura Prichard (diction coach and accompanist) |
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This twenty-year-old mixed voice chorus draws participants from the greater Boston area to its weekly rehearsals culminating in a "good will" tour each spring/summer -- this year a trip to Brazil. In recent years, the chorus has traveled to Cuba, Russia/Estonia (2004), South Africa (2005), Vietnam (2006), and Louisiana (2007). An additional weekend retreat is held on Cape Cod in March to prepare for the tour. Among the participants from First Parish : Gwen Hooper, Sarah Haera Tocco (accompanist since 2005), Laura Prichard (former director, 2004-06), Michael Prichard (former soloist, 2004-06). |
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The Spectrum Singers perform choral music from the pre-Renaissance through the 20th century, emphasizing seldom-heard works by master composers.The chorus performs at historic Emmanuel Church in Boston's Back Bay. Participants from First Parish (in 2006-07 season): Michael Prichard, Laura Prichard |
Tanglewood Festival Chorus/Boston Pops Chorus The 2007/2008 Season includes Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe, Holiday Pops, Bach's St. Matthew Passion, a new symphony by American composer William Bolcom, and Berlioz's Les Troyens. The orchestra and chorus will make two trips to Carnegie Hall under the direction of James Levine and have announced a full summer season at Tanglewood for 2008. Participants from First Parish: Michael Prichard, Laura Prichard, Brad Amidon, Carl Schlaikjer |
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Vox Lucens is a 12-member vocal
ensemble formed in 1998 to explore the Renaissance sacred and
secular a capella repertoire. Under the direction of Jay
Lane, choristers work cooperatively to develop programs combining
popular favorites with lesser known works, often in original
editions. Vox
Lucens, Latin for "a shining voice," echos not only
the ensemble sound but also the group's hope to shed light
on the many styles and textures of the Rennaisance repertoire.
Participants from First Parish: Laurie Francis-Wright and Diane Taraz Shriver |
Weston Wind Quintet Participant from First Parish: Carl Schlaikjer |
| We are probably missing a lot of groups! Use our online form to send an announcement or to tell us about a group with First Parish participants -- one we may have missed or whose description needs updating. (Member login required to open form.) |
Links for Individual Musicians of First ParishDiane Shriver has her Diane Taraz website and there's also a site for the Gloucester Hornpipe and Clog Society with which Diane performs regularly. Sara Tocco has a website and we also have a link to an article written about her following the SANS trip to Vietnam in 2006. Laura Prichard recently provided a biographical note about Carl Schlaikjer, who sings in our choir and frequently plays oboe during our services and other musical events:
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