First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh

  605 Morewood Avenue
  Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2999
  412-621-8008

The Music Program at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh

The music program at First Unitarian Church serves our members through joyful celebration both in our worship services and in the larger community. We nourish congregational music-making by offering a variety of ways for members to make both instrumental and choral music together. We also work with musicians from the community to present rich, meaningful, and diverse musical offerings that support our wider mission of "celebrating life and its stages."

Sanctuary Choir

Lift your hearts and voices with the forty-voice Sanctuary Choir, as we offer a wide variety of music for presentation during the 11:00 AM service. In addition to singing twice per month from September to June, we present one or two major works a year. Recently we have sung Schubert's Mass in G, Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, Vivaldi's Gloria, and Faure's Requiem. The choir welcomes new members of any voice part at any time. No audition or experience is necessary. For information, please call Victoria Cole at 412/621-8008, x105 or via e-mail at colevicky@hotmail.com.

Family Choir

The Family Choir provides an opportunity for families to sing together and to create a friendly, informal, supportive community. September through May, rehearsals take place on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. A simple catered meal is served from 6:00 to 6:30 PM. This is not a potluck supper; families may simply show up for food and fellowship without having to prepare anything in advance. The Family Choir provides music for the 9:30 AM service about once each month and for the Family Christmas Eve Service. All kinds of families are invited to be part of the Family Choir! For more information, please contact David Herndon at 412/621-8008, extension 102, or via email at dherndon@first-unitarian-pgh.org.

Listen to the Family Choir perform That UU Jazz (mp3) at the 11:00 a.m. service on November 5, 2007.

"Start a Family Choir at Your Church!" - Presentation by Reverend Herndon at General Assembly, St. Louis MO, 2006.

Folk Orchestra

The Folk Orchestra gathers on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 PM. Members of the Folk Orchestra, who play instruments such as flute, recorder, mandolin, fiddle, guitar, electric bass, and percussion, join together to play music by various songwriters and folk composers. This unique musical group performs once per month at the 9:30 AM service. For more information, please call David Herndon at 412/621-8008, extension 102, or via email at dherndon@first-unitarian-pgh.org.

Guest Musicians

First Unitarian frequently utilizes the talents of guest musicians within worship services. Church members have the opportunity to share guests' talents, & our services also provide a unique performing opportunity for many of Pittsburgh's very finest soloists & ensembles.

Recorder Ensemble

Members of the Recorder Ensemble, who play all different recorders from bass to sopranino, share a love of early music & play for Sunday services from time to time. For more information, please contact Mary Denison via email at mde@the-institute.org

Allegheny Passage

The music of the five-member folk group Allegheny Passage is characterized by superb instrumental playing, fine vocal harmonies, and solid rhythm. Members of Allegheny Passage write some of their own songs and draw the remainder of their repertoire from a variety of sources. They perform at the 11:00 service from time to time.

Music Committee

The Music Committee assists Victoria Cole and Bill Larson in coordinating our music program. A love of music is all that is needed to be involved. Please contact Mary Denison via email at mde@the-institute.org.

Music Endowment

Our Music Endowment was established in 2002 through the generosity of Herbert and Dorothea Simon and their family. The endowment provides financial support for "extras and externals" such as public concerts and music for special occasions. Additional contributions to the music endowment are most welcome! Checks can be made out to "First Unitarian Church" (with "Music Endowment" in the memo line) and sent to First Unitarian Church, 605 Morewood Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Gifts of securities can be handled by our Treasurer, Ward Kelsey, who can be reached via email at finance@first-unitarian-pgh.org.

Musical Instruments

First Unitarian Church has several very fine musical instruments. The organ in the sanctuary was built by Phillipp Wirsching and was given to First Unitarian Church by Andrew Carnegie in 1904. It has 1,721 pipes in thirty ranks. It is the subject of an article written by local organ historian Jim Stark, which was published in the January, 2003, issue of The Tracker: The Journal of the Organ Historical Society. The nine-foot concert grand Steinway piano in the sanctuary was purchased in 1981. The harpsichord was built in 1978 by James Herndon, the father of Rev. Herndon. The seven-foot Hardman grand piano in the Undercroft Gallery was recently rebuilt by Eric Nelson. Three upright pianos elsewhere in the church building are used for various purposes, including music lessons.

Pittsburgh Music Academy

If your child has expressed an interest in learning a musical instrument, or if you would like to introduce your child to music, please consider the Pittsburgh Music Academy. Kiki Barley, former member of First Unitarian Church and now the Music Director at the Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church, serves as Director of the Pittsburgh Music Academy. Using the Suzuki method, the Pittsburgh Music Academy provides instruction on piano, violin, viola, cello, flute, and guitar for children as young as three years old through high school. Lessons can be scheduled right here at First Unitarian Church. Please visit their web site at www.pghma.com or contact them by phone at 412/429-2122.

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