by Loretta Mershon
Don, my husband, and I moved to Raleigh in 1972 and soon joined UUFR. We were meeting on Hawthorne Road, and at that time there was no music during the services and no summer services. There was an old spinet piano painted brown with a padlocked keyboard. (See Erik Dyke’s wonderful 75th Anniversary interview about music at UUFR, giving a full history of our pianos.)
In the mid-1970’s we began summer workshops. I volunteered to offer a two-week workshop for recorder players. Several people of all ages and abilities came. We had so much fun that we decided to continue meeting. Marge Gelbin had belonged to another UU church whose recorder group called themselves “The Transylvania Pipers”, so we “borrowed” their name.
In 1975 we began playing during services. For many years we played not only at UUFR but also at weddings, Renaissance Fairs at NCSU and at public schools. We were a close-knit group ministering to our Fellowship while having a great time.
In 1979 our first minister, Frances West, encouraged me to start a choir. All I had to do was let the congregation know that we were planning a choir, and nine faithful volunteers (8 sopranos and altos and one lone bass) signed up. We grew over the years to more than 20 singers. My philosophy is that a choir’s primary purpose is not perfection but ministering to the congregation. Anyone with that desire was welcome. No one was ever turned away.
Initially we borrowed anthems from the UUA’s Music Lending Library and sang from our hymnal, Hymns for the Celebration of Life. We sang anthems, and also led special services, such as Christmas Eve candlelight services, and themed hymn-sings (at first on Labor Day weekends where we sang at least one Union song). Erika Fairchild and I planned many-hymn sings. Initially the choir sang at one Sunday service a month, gradually increasing to more services over the years.
As our budget grew, we purchased more anthems, increasing our repertoire. Over the years Lynda Hambourger was very active in the choir and often sang solos. She served on the Music Committee and helped choose several of our musicians, including our first professional Music Director, Bill Yocum. (More on that later.)
At the 1981 dedication of our first building on Wade Avenue (now Peace Hall), we sang “Unto the Church Universal” written by choir member, Peg Nosek. Representatives of other UU churches, the UUA and our District brought celebratory greetings. There was lots of joyful hymn singing.
At first, I both played the hymns and directed the choir, but later we were accompanied by volunteers, including Erika Fairchild and Joan Voogel, among many others. It was certainly easier than having to direct the choir while not being able to see them! (We had a Steinway upright piano to which we attached a “rear-view mirror” so the pianist could see me!)
In 1988 I joined the UU Musicians Network. At its annual conferences I learned skills that helped me develop a stronger music program for our growing Fellowship and to find music appropriate for our choir’s skills.
At that time the UUA was preparing a new hymnal. As part of the challenge of choosing its contents, congregations were asked to “field test” hymns being considered by the Hymnbook Resources Commission. UUFR took part in this process, singing each hymn for several Sundays and filling out brief evaluations. I forwarded them to the Commission. Several of them appeared in the new hymnal.
When UUFR outgrew its space in 1988, we began having two services. The choir sang at both.
As our budget increased, we were able to hire professional musicians. Our first was Hye-yun Bennett, harpist with the NC Symphony Orchestra, and a wonderful pianist. In addition to playing for Sunday services, she delighted us with harp concerts. One Christmas she accompanied the choir as we sang Benjamin Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols” (written for choir and harp). She also played special music for the 40th anniversary celebration of UUFR In 1989. We were sorry to lose her in 1991 when she and her family moved to Virginia.
In 1991 we hired Lewis Whikehart, an accomplished pianist and composer. He chose a “composer of the month” for special music each Sunday and included biographical/musical inserts about that composer in the order of service. We sang many of his compositions, which he donated to us when he left in 1994.
In Jan. 1993 we dedicated our new building, Fellowship Hall. The combined choirs of UUFR and ERUUF sang a special anthem, Brahms’ “How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place”, ably accompanied by Mr. Whikehart. Representatives of other UU churches, the UUA and our District brought celebratory greetings.
In 1993 Singing the Living Tradition was published. It includes many hymns composed by members of the UUMN. The choir introduced many of the new hymns to the congregation. In November we led a hymnal dedication service. We interviewed T. J. Anderson, one of the members of the Hymnbook Resources Commission, as part of the dedication service. Many Fellowship members donated copies of the hymnal in memory or in honor of individuals or groups.
I resigned as Music Director in 1994. The Fellowship had grown to the point that it had needs that I, as an amateur musician, felt unable to provide. I urged the Board to hire a professional Music Director.
We were very fortunate to find the talented Bill Yocum as our first professional Music Director. He was an immediate hit with the choir and congregation. He greatly improved our choir’s sound, teaching us how to blend our voices pleasingly while having lots of fun in the process. I continued to be active in the music program, singing in the choir(s) and serving as music librarian.
In 1999 UUFR once more outgrew its space and began having two services. We formed two choirs: Songweavers at the first service and Morningtide Chorus at the second. Because each service was different, each choir sang a different anthem. It was quite a change, but Bill helped us meet the challenge (two rehearsals, two warm-ups.) The second choir had to warm up between services.
Bill’s time with us was wonderful and joyous, so we were very sorry when he left us in the spring of 2002.
Bill Adams (2002-2003) was our next Music Director (also a composer). Both choirs were larger by then, and he taught us new singing techniques.
The highlight of the year was Humor Sunday. It included funny hymns (e.g., “You Can’t Keep Me From Singing”) as well as the combined choirs (the UUnituunes) singing selections from the “Knock Knock Cantata” by the incomparable (and inscrutable) PDQ Bach. Soloists included Lynda Hambourger, Joe Ferguson, and Michelle McIntosh. As they say, a good time was had by all.
– Loretta Mershon is a friend and former member of UUFR.
