Opening Statement
As our congregation is growing, our music program is also growing. Currently there is an adult choir and there are many instrumentalists who share their musical gifts with the congregation.

Opportunities for Participation

• Adult Choir
  Those who like to sing who are high school ages or older are invited to join the non-auditioned adult choir on Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. for rehearsals at the church. Though we love it when you read music, it is not required! The Adult choir sings two to three Sundays each month and meets at 10:15 a.m. on the choir Sundays.
• Instrumentalists
  If you play a musical instrument other than your voice, we would also love to hear you. We are looking for people who could play instrumental solos or in ensembles for the Sundays when choir isn’t singing, for special services and to supplement music done on choir Sundays.
• Music Committee
  Are you interested in helping facilitate the growth of music at the Umpqua UU Church? The music committee may be the place for you. The music committee supports the work of the music director in developing and maintaining a strong music program which enhances both the corporate and individual worship experiences at UUUC. Bring your ideas and energy to help us grow. See Barbara Alvis, our Music Committee Chair, for more information.
• Accompanists
  If you have skill as an accompanist but don’t want a “full-time gig” talk to our Music Commitee Chair, Barbara Alvist, about being a substitute accompanist for some of those occasions when one is needed.

Notes From Our New Music Director, (Wendy) Elona Wong-Haigh

My goal is to reinvigorate the choir and congregation with an eclectic smorgasbord of music and to bring in a guest musician each month to do a Sunday Service and a separate concert following the service.

Since the age of five, I have played the piano for school, orchestras, musicals, choirs, churches, and soloists and have sung in church and community choirs as well as lead the music for spiritual workshops. From 2005 to 2007, I studied music theory with Dr. Jason Heald at UCC and under his guidance learned to write Four Part Harmony. Let me know the kind of music you’d like included in our services or concerts and I’ll either find or write something appropiate!

First majoring in engineering at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, I switched to mathematics at UCLA, and then to architecture at the U of O in Eugene before ulimately graduating in linguistics. I am a life-long learner and love nature and human expression through all of the fine arts (music, art, dance, theatre, literature) and sciences (astronomy, psychology, chemistry, biology, geology, oceanography, physics) as well as theology, and metaphysics. My greatest passion is natural healing. I am a licensed massage therapist and ran Elona’s Circle of Healing Arts, a center in Canyonville from 1997 to 2004. I taught self-healing through yoga, Aromatherapy, and Reiki classes, and provided massage therapy and natural products such as herbal tinctures, essential oils, and flower essences. I am a practicing Taoist and also embrace the teachings of Pythagoras, Sufism, and the Essenes.

Special Events

Thursday, June 3, 2010
Bryan McAllister Group
7-9 p.m.
$10-20 sliding scale

An evening of live music: exploring UU principles and their application in jazz music. Bryan McAllister Group will be performing original compositions, as well as discussing communication and spirituality in improvisational music.