Tree of Life UU Welcomes Dr. Jie Yi as Interim Music Director

Dr. Jie Yi, Interim Music Director for the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation in McHenry.

The Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5603 Bull Valley Road in McHenry, Illinois has appointed a new interim Music Director to aid the congregation in providing quality musical programing while it continues to conduct Sunday morning services via Zoom due to the continued of the Coronavirus pandemic.  Although the congregation hopes to return to in-person services as soon as it is safe and possible, that is weeks or months away.

Dr. Jie Yi is currently the Music Director of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Huntington, New York and will continue in that position as well. 

Jie holds a Doctor of Music Arts degree in conducting from Manhattan School of Music. He is the author of Chinese for Singers, the first comprehensive guide for Western singers to use in singing Chinese texts. Jie conducted Messe de Minuit by Charpentier, Musikalische Exequien by Schütz, and Missa O quam gloriosum by Victoria at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in 2018 and 2019. He also conducted Handel’s coronation anthem Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened at Riverside Church in 2018. In 2015, he made his Carnegie Hall debut, conducting Xian Xinghai’s Yellow River Cantata. He was Chorus Master and Assistant Conductor at the Shanghai Opera from 2008 to 2013.

Jie is a recipient of the Asian Culture Council Fellowship (2011) and the U.S. China Cultural Institute Fellowship for Young Conductors (2006). As pianist and vocal coach, he performed at La Lingua della Lirica Festival in Italy (2015–16) and performed Bellini’s opera I Capuletti e i Montecchi at Manhattan School of Music (2013).

Jie will be able to work remotely from Huntington because he is especially adept at the technical aspects of creating videos blending the voices of many individual singers recording their parts from their homes. He has already begun work with members of the Tree of Life Choir and together they expect to create music for services two times a month and prepare a Christmas/Yule/Solstice/Winter holiday music service in December.  He will work closely in planning services with Tree of Life’s Interim Minister, the Rev. Jenn Gracen.

The congregation’s choir is one of the most highly regarded in McHenry County and is known for its wide repertoire including not only hymns and other traditional worship music but also jazz, pop, folk, Broadway, international music, and classical. They toured internationally to Romania (Transylvania) in 2016 and have performed in both McHenry County choral music programs and with regional Unitarian Universalist choirs.  The ensemble includes several outstanding soloists as well.

Former Tree of Life Music Director Tom Steffens led the Choir in the annual Christmas/Winter Holiday concert in 2015.  This year Dr. Jie Li and the Choir will prepare Zoom program.

Tree of Life is also still conducting a search for a permanent Music Director who will be able to lead the choir and coordinate other music as the congregation returns to live, in-person worship.

Tree of Life Sunday services are currently held via Zoom at 10:45 am.  Visit the congregation at https://treeoflifeuu.org/  for links to the services. 

Tree of Life UU Congregation Announces New Musical Team

Tree of Life Music Director Cassandra Vohs-Demman.

The Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5603 Bull Valley Road in McHenry, Illinois will have new leadership this year for its choir and music program.  Cassandra Vohs-Demann has been named Music Director and will be joined by Billy Seger as Accompanist.

The pair takes up their duties after Forrest Ransburg, Music Director for the past three years, resigned to further his professional music education in Maryland.

Vohs-Demann is well known in McHenry County as a performer, singer/songwriter, vocal coach,  and owner of A Place to Shine Music.  She is the founder and Artistic Director of the Woodstock Community Choir, curates and hosts monthly Second Saturday Concerts and  hosts the Original Open Mic at the Stage Left Café.  She also leads the Ukulele Super Heroes.   She is no stranger to Tree of Life having sung with the Choir and performed at Coffee House programs.  Last spring she teamed with Forrest Ransburg for a special joint concert at the church. 

Billy Seger, Tree of Life Accompanist.

Billy Seger first started participating in musical theatre productions, choir, and piano lessons at the age of 8.  He is remembered for his enthusiastic performances in productions of Dille’s Follies presented by the church when it was known as the Congregational Unitarian Congregation in Woodstock. He graduated from Millikin University’s prestigious School of Theater and Dance in 2009.  He went on to perform professionally across the country, including two national tours, two international contracts aboard Oceania Cruise Lines, and two Christmas seasons as a backup singer/dancer for country superstar Pam Tillis. Segar currently lives in Woodstock and works as a professional director/choreographer for various theater companies including Woodstock High School and Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake.

Look for the Tree of Life UU Congregation sign on Bull Valley Road in McHenry.

The Tree of Life Choir under Vohs-Demann’s direction will perform during the annual in-gathering service and water communion Sunday, September 15.  A picnic on the grounds will follow the service.  

For more information contact the church at 815 322-2464, e-mail office@treeoflifeuu.org , or visit https://treeoflifeuu.org/ .

Woodstock Choirs Join for Benefit Concert of Historic Music

Early America in Music and Words is a special concert featuring the musicians of local congregations to benefit the Woodstock Area Community Ministry (WACM.)  The program will be presented on Sunday, February 26 at 7 PM at Grace Lutheran Church, 1300 Kiswaukee Valley Road in Woodstock.

The combined adult, children’s, and bell choirs of congregations affiliated with WACM will present an evening of music and history highlighting the period from 1790 to 1865.

WACM is a group of 10 churches and synagogue which provides emergency help to people in need within the boundaries of School District 200.

A five dollar donation at the door is requested and a free will collection will also be taken.

Woodstock Unitarian Universalist Choir Offers a Farewell Holiday Concert

The Adult Choir of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Woodstock will offer a special Farewell Holiday Concert and New Home Benefit at the church, 221 Dean Street on Sunday, December 18 at 7 PM.

The holiday concerts by the Choir have long been a tradition at the church, but have usually been held as part of a Sunday morning service during the season.  “There is a very special reason for this evening concert,” Music Director Thomas Steffens said, “We have been at our present building on Dean Street since 1907. Now after 104 years, we are leaving one great home for another. In January, we will move to our new location on Bull Valley Road, in McHenry.”

The choir wanted to present an evening performance as a gesture of gratitude from the congregation to its long time home town.

The 28 voices in the choir will present   holiday music from the Christian, Jewish, pagan, and African traditions, as well many seasonal secular favorites. Members of the choir will be featured as soloists and in small ensembles and accompanied by guest musicians trumpeter Terry Guynes and percussionist Brenton Bartelt.  Choir members Ken Johnson will play guitar and Beth Hoover-Gavriel will perform on English horn

Steffens composed two original songs on the program, Let Us Sing Noel and Which is My Christmas, the latter with former congregation minister the Rev. Dan Larsen.  Many of the other selections are presented in original arrangements.

Soloists will include Carrie MacDonald, Ken Johnson, and Ron Relic.  An a capella male quartet including Steffens, Johnson, Paul Krieg, and George Kazlusky will sing a song in Hebrew.

Admission is free, but there will be a free will offering with proceeds to support expenses for the church in its upcoming move to McHenry. 

Childcare will be available for infants and toddlers.  Parking is available in the municipal lot across Dean Street and on the street.  Come early to secure a seat.

A reception in the basement Helen Wright Room will follow the concert.

For more information contact the church at 815 338-0731 or visit http://joomla.uucofwoodstock.org/.