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Music

Music plays a huge part in our worship and in our community, and there's room for everyone to participate in our music programs. Many talented individuals take part in our services individually, in groups, in singing circles, and in choirs.  Whether it's leading hymns, participating in choirs, playing piano or guitar, or even gifted professional musicians providing spirited musical themes, everyone can play a part. Our music director, Mary Bopp, with help from a very active music committee, plays a key role in all of the musical offerings that take place at UUSE.

UUSE Choir Mary Bopp_edited.jpg
Mary-Bopp.jpg

Mary Bopp

Music Director

Mary has served UUSE since 2015, after over 30 years as a professional full-time musician in New York City! An award-winning artist, Mary brings more than hymns and classical composers' music to our services. She is also an improv-magician to many, directs our choir with her unique creativity and adaptability, and brings a variety of professional artists to perform at services and more! Mary is a beloved inspiration to us all.

Choir News

Wednesdays, starting October 30th at 7:15 PM


Do you love to sing? Do you love to have fun? You don't have to audition. If you answered “yes” to these questions you can sing with the UUSE Choir! Weekly rehearsals start Wednesday, October 30th at 7:15 PM. in preparation for the Holiday Music Services on December 15th. All ages welcome. For more information, contact Mary Bopp at music@uuse.org.

#DecemberNewsletter

Music Reporting

The Music Report lists all of the music performed at UUSE Sunday Services during the reporting period Starting Mon Jul 01 2024 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) today is Tue Dec 10 2024 06:15:05 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

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"Principles and Values: Reflections on Article 2" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, July 14, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- "Teach Your Children Well"

- by Graham Nash

- Pat Eaton-Robb, guitar

Opening Song ---------------------

- #1031 "Filled With Loving Kindness"

- Traditional Buddhist meditation, ad. by Mark W. Hayes

- Music by Ian Riddell

Offering Music ---------------------

- "All Some Kind of Dream"

- By Josh Ritter

- Pat Eaton-Robb, guitar

Closing Song ---------------------

- #95 "There is More Love Somewhere"

- African American hymn

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"Let Us All Sing" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, July 21, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- "Sing Break Into Song"

- Members of the

- Manchester Women's Sacred Singing Circle

What Makes a Hymn UU? ---------------------

- --Reading from the Preface to

- Read by Nancy Madar

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- #108 "My Life Flows On in Endless Song"

- Words: Traditional, Verse 3 by Doria Penn

- Music: Robert Lowry

Congregational Hymn Sing Part 1 ---------------------

- #123 "Spirit of Life"

- Words and music: Carolyn McDade

- Introduced by Martha Larson

- #205 "Amazing Grace"

- Words: John Newton

- Music: Columbian Harmony, arr. by J. Jefferson Cleveland

- Introduced by Anne Vaughan

- #16 "'Tis a Gift to Be Simple"

- Words: Joseph Brackett

- Music: American Shaker tune

- Introduced by Martha Larson

Congregational Hymn Sing Part 2 ---------------------

- #159 "This Is My Song"

- Words: Lloyd Stone

- Music: Jean Sibelius

- #1064 "Blue Boat Home"

- Words: Peter Mayer

- Music: Roland Hugh Prichard, adapted by Peter Mayer

- Introduced by Stacey Musulin

Congregational Hymn Sing Part 3 ---------------------

- #1053 "How Could Anyone"

- Words & music: Libby Roderick

- Introduced by Leslie Greene

- #203 "All Creatures of the Earth and Sky"

- Verses, 1, 2, 3

- Words attributed to St. Francis of Assisi

- Music: Ausserlesene Catholische Kirchengesang,

- Adapted by Ralph Vaughan Williams

- Introduced by Stacey Musulin

- "In the Garden"

- Words and music: Charles Miles

- Introduced by Martha Larson

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- #1057 "Go Lifted Up"

- Words and music: Mortimer Barron

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"Spinoza's God: Wisdom from the 1600s" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, July 28, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- "God is All, All is God"

- by Mary Bopp

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- #155 "Circle Round for Freedom"

- by Linda Hirschhorn

Offering Music ---------------------

- "Lawful Harmony of the World"

- by Mary Bopp

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- #1064 "Blue Boat Home"

- by Peter Mayer

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"Sacred Words" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, August 4, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- "The Song the World Still Sings"

- Music and Lyrics by Jenn Richards

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- "Morning Has Broken"

- #38 in

- Words by Eleanor Farjeon; Music: traditional Gaelic melody

Offering Music ---------------------

- "The End"

- Music and Lyrics by Lucky Luke Harper

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- “May Nothing Evil Cross This Door”

- #1 in

- Words by Louis Untermeyer, Music by Robert N. Quaile

-  

-  

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"Unearthing Our Spiritual Roots" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, August 11, 2024

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"Ritual and Repetition: The Pathways to Spirituality" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, August 18, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- "Secret of Life"

- by James Taylor

- Andy Ricci, guitar and vocals

Offertory Music ---------------------

- "Circle Game"

- by Joni Mitchell

- Andy Ricci, guitar and vocals

Hymn ---------------------

- #1009 "Meditation on Breathing"

- by Sarah Dan Jones

- Dorothy Bognar, piano

Musical Meditation ---------------------

- "Meditation on Breathing"

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- #1031 "Filled with Loving Kindness"

- Ancient Buddhist Chant

- Adapted by Mark W. Hayes; Music by Ian W. Riddell

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"Coffee House Worship" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, August 25, 2024

Gathering Music ---------------------

- “Turn, Turn, Turn”

- by Pete Seeger/Ecclesiastes

- Pat Eaton-Robb, vocals, guitar

Prelude ---------------------

- “I Will”

- by Paul McCartney

- Sandy Johnson, vocals; Dan Thompson and Andy Ricci, guitars

Opening Song ---------------------

- “Morning Has Broken”

- by Eleanor Farjeon

- Pat Eaton-Robb, vocals, guitar

Offering Music ---------------------

- "Nosebleeds"

- by Luke Harper

Music and Poetry ---------------------

- Original Song (to be announced)

- Nick Glomb, guitar and vocals

- “Independence Day”

- by Gretchen Peters (Martina McBride version)

- Kate Howard-Bender, guitar and vocals

- “Rearview Mirror”

- by Cory Clark

-  

- “Girl from Ipanema”

- Antonio Carlos Jobim

- Sandy Johnson, vocals; Dan Thompson and Andy Ricci, guitars

-  “Wisdom of Athena”

- by Bill Lautenbach

- "Healing Time On Earth"

- by John Denver

- Nancy Madar, guitar and vocals; Joe Madar, vocals

Closing song ---------------------

- #131 “Love Will Guide Us

- by Sally Rogers

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"You're Invited!" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, September 1, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- Original Composition

- by Mary Bopp

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- #361 Enter, Rejoice, & Come In

- Words & Music by Louise Ruspini

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- #188 "Come, Come, Whoever You Are"

- Words adapted from Rumi

- Music by Lynn Adair Unger

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"Homecoming" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, September 8, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- “Bulgarian Rhythm from Mikrokosmos”  

- By Béla Bartók

- Mary Bopp, Dorothy Bognar, pianos

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- #361 “Enter, Rejoice and Come In”

- Words and Music by Louise Ruspini

Offertory Music ---------------------

- “Allegro Molto ed Appassionato” from

- Edvard Grieg

- Anhared Stowe, violin; Mary Bopp, piano

Chant ---------------------

- “Love is the Spirit of This Church”

- words by James Vila Blake, music by Mary Bopp

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- #1010 “We Give Thanks”

- Words and music by Wendy Luella Perkins

-  

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"Sitting at the Messianic Table" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, September 15, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- “Allegro” from

- by Wolfgang A. Mozart

- Greig Shearer, flute

- Anhared Stowe, violin

- Patricia Vance, viola

- Pablo Issa, cello

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- #360 “Here We Have Gathered”

- Words by Alicia Carpenter

- Music: Genevan psalter, 1543

-  

Music ---------------------

- “Adagio” from

- by Wolfgang A. Mozart

- Greig Shearer, flute

- Anhared Stowe, violin

- Patricia Vance, viola

- Pablo Issa, cello

-  

Offering Music ---------------------

- “Rondeau” from

- by Wolfgang A. Mozart

- Greig Shearer, flute

- Anhared Stowe, violin

- Patricia Vance, viola

- Pablo Issa, cello

- “Sitting at the Messianic Table”

- Rev. Josh Pawelek

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- #407 “We’re Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table”

- Traditional

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"Equinox: Harvest and Balance" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, September 22, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- "Mabon Magic

- by Mary Bopp

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- #1069 "Ancient Mother"

- Traditional Navajo Prayer

Offering Music ---------------------

- "Everything Will Be All Right"

- by Kay Gardner

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- "Cycles of Life"

- by Janet Ciano

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"Are You Ready?" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, September 29, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- "Falling Colors"

- by Mary Bopp

Opening Song ---------------------

- #1009 "Meditation on Breathing"

- by Sarah Dan Jones

Offering Music ---------------------

- "Ritual Fire Dance"

- by Manuel de Falla

- Mary Bopp, piano

Closing Song ---------------------

- "Great Balls of Fire Alarm"

- Adapted from Jerry Lee Lewis

- Andy Ricci, guitar and vocals

- Mary Bopp, piano

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"Listen to the Voices" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, October 6, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- "Listen to the Voices"

- written by Holly Near

- and recorded by Joe Madar

- New video by Dan Thompson and Jeannette LeSure

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- #112 "Do You Hear?"

- Words: Emily L. Thorn

- Music: William Caldwell's Union Harmony, 1837

Offertory Music ---------------------

- "The Silence Between the Notes"

- by Mary Bopp

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- #391 "Voice Still and Small"

- Words and music by John Corrado

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"All That We Let In" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, October 13, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- "Autumn Town Leaves"

- by Iron and Wine

- Jenn Richard, guitar and vocals

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- #298 “Wake Now My Senses” (verses 1-3)

- Words by Thomas Mikelson

- Music: traditional Irish melody

-  

Offering Music ---------------------

- “All That We Let In”

-  by the Indigo Girls

- Jenn Richard, guitar and vocals

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- #318 “We Would Be One”

- Words by Samuel Anthony Wright

- Music by Jean Sibelius

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"Ageism" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, October 20, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- "Autumnal"

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- #1007 "There's a River Flowin' in My Soul"

- Words and Music: Rose Sanders

Offering Music ---------------------

- "How Could Anyone"

- by Libby Roderick, arr. by Mary Bopp

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- #1028 "The Fire of Commitment"

- Words: Mary Katherine Morn

- Music Jason Shelton

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"Ancestor Day" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, October 27, 2024

Prelude and Calling the Quarters ---------------------

- "To the Four Directions"

- Music by Mary Bopp

- Words adapted from Joan Goodwin's "To the Four Directions"

- Sandy Johnson, vocals

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- #103 "For All the Saints"

Offering Music ---------------------

- "Faded in the Sun"

- by Lilly Coleman

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- #52 "In Sweet Fields of Autumn"

- words by Elizabeth Madison

- music by William James Kirkpatrick

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"America the Beautiful" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, November 3, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- Americana I: "Fantasia on America the Beautiful"

- Music by Samuel A. Ward

- Mary Bopp, piano

Song ---------------------

- #1009 “Meditation on Breathing”

- By Sara Dan Jones

Offering Music ---------------------

- Americana II: "Fantasia on Themes from Aaron Copland”

- Mary Bopp, piano

Closing Song ---------------------

- “America the Beautiful”

- adapted from Katherine Lee Bates

-  

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"America the Compassionate" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, November 10, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- "Spirit of Life"

- by Carolyn McDade

- Mary Bopp, piano

Opening Song ---------------------

- “For a World Made Whole”

- Music by Mary Bopp

- Words by Josh Pawelek

Song ---------------------

- #1053 “How Could Anyone”

- By Libby Roderick

Offering Music ---------------------

- "O Mio Babbino Caro"

- by Giacomo Puccini

- Eric Rosenberg, saxophone

- Mary Bopp, piano

Closing Song ---------------------

- #95 “There is More Love Somewhere”

- African American Hymn

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"Building a Consensus Community" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, November 17, 2024

Song ---------------------

- "Ju

- by Matt Falkowski

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"Joyful Thanksgiving" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, November 24, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- “When I See You”

- By Linda J. Smith Koehler and Rissa Moore

-  

- “Open My Eyes to the Miracles Around Me”

- By Abigail Spinner McBride

-  

- “Gratitude”

- By Ina Hata

-  

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- #349 “We Gather Together”

- Words by Robert E. and Dorothy Caiger Senghas

- Verse 3 by Rev. Josh Pawelek

- Music by Adrian Valerius, arr. by Edward Kremser

Offering Music ---------------------

- “Praying for Time”

- By George Michael

- Will Alexon, vocals and guitar 

Song ---------------------

- “We Give Thanks”

- By Wendy Luella Perkins

Closing Song ---------------------

- #128 “For All That Is Our Life”

- Words by Bruce Findlow

- Music by Patrick Rickey

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"Evening Vespers Service" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, December 2, 2024

Music ---------------------

- Kristen Dockendorff, flute

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"The Present of Presence" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, December 1, 2024

 Opening Hymn                                                                      ---------------------

- #16 "‘Tis a Gift to Be Simple"                                        

- Words: Joseph Bracket

- Music: American Shaker tune 

- Chris Crossgrove, piano

- with Sandy Johnson, vocals (11:00 A.M.)

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- Winds Be Still, #83                                                                 

- Words: Richard S. Kimball

- Music: Samuel Sebastian Wesley

- Chris Crossgrove, piano; Sandy Johnson, vocals (11:00 A.M.)

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"On Being Present in the Dark Season" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, December 8, 2024

Prelude ---------------------

- "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"

- Mary Bopp, piano

Opening Hymn ---------------------

- #89 "Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life"

- Words by George Herbert

- Music by Ralph Vaughan Williams

Music ---------------------

- #1059 "May Your Life Be as a Song"

- Words: Jim Scott

- Music: Yuri Zaritsky

Offering Music ---------------------

- "Largo" from Harpsichord Concerto in f minor

- By J.S. Bach

- Mary Bopp, piano

Closing Hymn ---------------------

- "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"

- Words, Latin c. 9th century, trans. composite base on John Mason Neale

- Music adapt. by Thomas Helmore

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