by Music Director David Brown
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MLUC Choir | illumine concerts | Open Mic
MLUC Choir
This was a landmark year for the MLUC Choir—the year they stepped out into the broader community and found their footing as something more than a performing ensemble.
The choir made their public debut at the Berwyn Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, joined an intercongregational UU choir for a performance of Fauré’s Requiem at First Unitarian, and the Justice Choir took the stage at a No Kings rally. Closer to home, the choir learned and premiered Observatory—an original oratorio about the cosmos, composed right here at MLUC.
The choir itself is changing in the best ways, seeing an influx of millennial and Gen Z singers—drawn in by a cultural shift away from perfectionism and toward participation. To support that shift, childcare has been added during rehearsals. There is a genuine hunger for community music-making that keeps growing.
What the choir is most proud of this year is the shift from ensemble to community. Sections began hosting their own sectionals outside of rehearsal. Social gatherings became part of the rhythm. And so many choir members showed up to the Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil, they needed their own section. As Barbara Welsh puts it: “The Choir ALWAYS shows up.”
Looking ahead, the choir is excited to train apprentice conductors from within the choir, standardize Justice Choir appearances at local protests, seek out MLUC composers and perform their work, explore theatrical chorus roles, and bring an MLUC Choir concert into the illumine series.
illumine Concert Series
illumine had a remarkable year: 30 distinct concerts spanning classical, jazz, singer/songwriter, Celtic, swing, old time, Klezmer, bluegrass, Cajun, early music, and opera, with a mix of performance-focused and participatory events throughout.
Audiences grew steadily as programming expanded. Partnerships deepened with both local and touring artists, benefit concerts were woven into the lineup to raise money for values-adjacent organizations, and the MLUC Music Committee took on greater responsibility for planning and staffing events.
What the illumine team is most proud of is the culture forming around the series in the broader community. Returning audience members with no other affiliation with MLUC have started showing up on Sunday mornings. This year, illumine concerts raised nearly $30,000 for causes including relief for children orphaned by the war in Ukraine, flood victims in Kerrville, Texas, Prader-Willi Syndrome research, and music education for children in underserved Philadelphia communities.
In the year ahead, the illumine team is planning to diversify offerings further, fold in theatrical performances in collaboration with the new MLUC Theatre Group, integrate the Main Line Singers into our programming, establish MLUC as a recognized venue in both the folk/rock and classical communities, and experiment with multimedia performances combining music with dance, visual art, and meditative experience.
Open Mic
The MLUC Open Mic Night flourished in its first, full congregational year. The second Friday of every month—now transitioned to our new and improved McGinness Room space—featured myriad poets, singers, instrumentalists, and appreciative audiences comprising both MLUC congregants and members of the broader community. Led by Nathan Surles, with support by Lilia Weber and the Media Services team, Open Mic Nights have become a joyous, welcoming staple of evening events at our congregation.