Steeple Extra: New Director of Church Music Announced

May 6, 2019

New Director of Church Music Announced

Dear Members and friends,

It is with great joy that we introduce to you our new Director of Church Music, Justin Murphy-Mancini . Justin is a native New Englander, who comes to us now from San Diego, CA, where he spent the last five years working at the First Unitarian Universalist Church San Diego while earning his PhD in music composition.

We trust that you will find Justin as delightful as we do. He is a consummate musician, having played the organ since the age of ten. He carries a deep love of classical and church music and respect for our organ and our long time Music Director and renowned organist, Barbara Owen. Justin also loves diverse music and partnering with other musicians.

This was an incredibly thorough search executed by a top notch Search Committee. There were many qualified candidates. Our decision was informed by many things including several interviews, an audition on the organ and piano, an audition with our expanded choir, meetings with the staff and Rev. Rebecca, and extensive discussions with references. The Board and Music Search Committee unanimously agree that Justin is the perfect fit for FRS.

This search was a success due to the commitment and engagement of so many people. Thank you to everyone who completed our online survey, participated in one of the two discussions after church, served on the Search Committee and/or sang in the choral auditions. Thank you to the amazing musicians who have made beautiful music over the course of the last six months while we were in search. Special thanks to the choir members, Jo An Carroll, Kristen Miller, Lea Pearson, Bettina Turner who all served as choir directors and to Laura Hargrove and Mateo Lincoln who played the organ and piano. Deep thanks to the members of the Search Committee and to Barbara Owen and Kristen Miller who both offered invaluable input into this process and decision. Thank you as well to our other guest musicians and to all of you.

Justin will be starting with us on August 19.

We look forward to many wonderful years to come.

With appreciation,

Music Search Committee

Stan Barrett, Affiliate Minister

Anna Brittan, youth member

Bruce Deveau, member at large

Leslie Lawrence, Chair Human Resources Committee

Hugh Martinez, choir member

Kristen Fehlhaber, Director of Finance and Administration

Forrest Speck, Parish Board and choir member

Bettina Turner, choir and worship planning team member

Rev. Rebecca, Minister

A Note from Justin

I am tremendously excited to join the community at the First Religious Society. I knew I was coming to a special place as soon as I got off the train, and even my first gaze upon the spire and the historic meetinghouse was enough to tell me that I was going to have a good experience. I appreciate the care that this community demonstrated through the search process and I have already seen the possibility of forming deep and profound relationships. Many thanks to all of the wonderful congregants and staff, especially Reverend Rebecca and the DCM Search Task Force, who welcomed me and made me feel like this was a place I could call home. I cannot wait to experience the many ways that you build community and see what we can craft together in the future.

Justin Murphy-Mancini

Justin's Bio

Justin Murphy-Mancini is a keyboardist and composer originally from Wilbraham, MA. He grew up playing the piano and singing in choirs before discovering a love of the organ, which he insisted on learning to play as soon as he was tall enough. His first teacher, Cheryl Wadsworth, directed music at First Universalist Church in West Hartford, CT, for many years. Justin ultimately decided to study organ and harpsichord at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where his primary teachers were Jack Mitchener, Webb Wiggins, and Marie-Louise Langlais. He developed a love of early music in this environment that also led him to sing with the Collegium Musicum Oberliniense for six years. He earned a BM in Organ Performance and Composition and a MM in Historical Performance, as well as BA in Philosophy from Oberlin College. At Oberlin Justin pursued an experimental approach to composition that brought together influences from Renaissance polyphony, Romantic formal structures, and avant-garde luminaries like Philip Glass and John Cage. He has developed these ideas intensively at the University of California, San Diego, where he is completing his Ph.D. dissertation in June. Upon moving to San Diego, he joined the staff at First Unitarian Universalist Church as organist and pianist and discovered not just a job but the beginnings of a spiritual home. While at 1st UU, Justin has also served in interim capacities as director of the Handbells program and the Women's Choir and produced over 50 concerts on the "Fridays at First" concert series. He is willingly leaving the nearly-always-pleasant weather of Southern California in part to be closer to his family, who still live in Western Massachusetts.

View Justin's Full Resume

Staff

Minister –Reverend Rebecca M. Bryan,

Sexton -Mike Baker,

Religious Education Assistant –Sharon Broll, Office Administrator –Diane Carroll, Director of Finance and Administration –Kristen Fehlhaber,

Director Youth Choirs –Kristen Miller,

Director of Religious Education –Julie Parker-Amery,

Director of Community Engagement –Nicole Salemi

Parish Board

Chair –Art Henshaw; Vice Chair - Karen Young, Clerk –Ann Haaser; Treasurer –Rich Johnson; Finance Chair –Tim Fountain; Maureen Adams, Rebecca Brodish, Micah Donahue,

Lynn Kettleson, Sophia Lyons, Ann Power, Forrest Speck

First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist | 26 Pleasant St., Newburyport MA 01950

978-465-0602 | frsuu.org