Music Ministry
Pop-Up Choir Info!
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Pop-Up Choir Info! 〰️
UUMC is full of love for our tradition of meaningful, community centered music. Our choir began more than 80 years ago and continues to support worship weekly with sacred music from a variety of genres and style periods.
Our director AV Villarreal (they/them) practices identity affirming voicing and rehearsal language, and encourages singers to choose the section that is healthiest for their vocal longevity and their gender expression. There are no auditions- and folks with any level of experience (including beginners!) are supported and cherished in this loving choral community.
If you’re ready to sing- email AV!
(or just show up!)
The Sanctuary Choir- Easter 2025
“Alleluia, The Light Returns!” by Karen Marrolli
Sanctuary Choir
The Sanctuary Choir consists of adults, college-aged and beyond. This choir presents a variety of choral anthems each week in worship, supports congregational singing, and performs major works annually. We are a thriving community of singing humans who love to support each other through all stages of life.
Rehearsals
7 - 8:45 pm
in the Choir room on the first floor
Sunday Mornings
Call time: 10:30 am in the Choir Room
Worship: 11 am - 12:15 pm
Come as you are! We love new singers!
Pop-Up Choirs!
Join us for short term projects!
January 2, 2027 | 2 - 4 pm
“Choose Something Like A Star”
by Randall Thompson
Rehearsal & Recording: January 2, 2027
Worship Service: January 3
Call 10:30am | Service @ 11am
December 13 | 5:30 pm
Join our SUPER CHOIR & sing at the Festival of Carols closing sing-a-long and concert at the Musical Christmas Market!
February 3, 2027 | 7-9 pm
Song TBD
Rehearsal & Recording: February 3
Worship Service: February 7
Call 10:00am | Service @ 11am
AV Villarreal
Music Director
AV strives to create rehearsal spaces where all musicians feel empowered, essential, and worthy.
Have a question? Need more information?
Dr. EunJoo Fierro
Organist & Collaborative Pianist
EunJoo is a thoughtful, skilled, highly qualified collaborative pianist and organist, and the choir is blessed to work with her!
Check out a playlist of some of Eun Joo’s preludes and postludes!
Some recent examples of instruments enhancing our worship include:
“A Jubilant Song” by Allen Pote, feat. our Easter Brass Quintet- Diana Gonzalez & Kirsten Boynt (trumpet), Danny Maldonado (french horn), Ulrican Williams (trombone), and Joelle Varner (tuba)
“Fire Flowers” by Timothy Corlis, text by Pauline Johnson, with vibraphone accompaniment by Carolyn Trowbridge (Teen Pop-Up Choir)
“Create in Me a Pure Heart” by Mark Shepperd, feat. Kenzie Slottow on flute, and Katie Hobson on violin (Sanctuary Choir)
Choral Anthems Playlist
Instrumentalists
Do you play an instrument? We would love to have you play in worship! Throughout the year instrumentalists are incorporated into worship both as featured soloists and accompaniment for our singers. You can always count on strings on Good Friday, brass on Easter Morning, a string quartet on Christmas Eve, and a bluegrass band the Sunday after Easter.
If you have a sacred solo piece in mind that you’d like to share with the congregation, please reach out to AV! They love to include instrumental features as offertories throughout the year.
Selected Works
Our annual All Saints’ Service where we remember those we’ve lost from our community through a choral requiem. The past few years we’ve performed:
November 2025- “Eternal Light: A Requiem” Howard Goodall
November 2024 - “Ein Deutsches Requiem” Johannes Brahms
May 2024- Bach’s Cantata “Lobet Gott in Seinen Reichen” BWV 11
November 2023- Morten Lauridsen’s “Lux Aeterna”
November 2022- “Street Requiem” Kathleen McGuire
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes please! Even the best musicians need to know what the plan is for this particular performance of this piece. If you missed a rehearsal but feel like you’re prepared to sing in worship, feel free to text me and we can make a case by case decision.
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Attendance every Sunday is not required to participate in the UUMC Sanctuary Choir–we know you have full exciting lives! Use the sign-out sheet on the music table in the choir room to let AV and your section mates know when you won’t make it to worship so we can plan accordingly
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Nope! We do a lot of learning by rote (I sing, then you sing back), you will also learn SO MUCH from your peers sitting next to you. Some of our choir members have been singing in choir for many years and the best way to learn is by listening and then joining in. ALL experience levels are welcome!
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Every Communion Sunday (1st Sunday of the month) we will process. This is not required! If you are uncomfortable singing and walking for any reason, you can start worship at the front of the Sanctuary!
Upcoming Events
