Hello All Souls,

I write to share news of the extraordinary musicians who have agreed to lead the Music and Arts program for All Souls in the next church year.

Keith Arnold, Minister of Music at the Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, Colorado, has agreed to come to All Souls as Acting Director of Music and Arts. Keith is a respected UU musician, experienced in leading choirs and directing music programs. He is a past President of the Association of UU Music Ministries, a lover of children’s and meditative music and all of the many ways music nurtures the spirit.

In addition to overall leadership, Keith will direct the All Souls Choir, either the Children or Youth Choir and provide music for our Vespers services.

Keith will return to his ministry in Colorado at the end of next year, by which time All Souls will have identified a permanent Director for our program.

Angela Powell Walker will become Acting Associate Director. Many of you know Angela in her role as a Section Leader in the All Souls Choir. This part-time role will allow her to continue serving as Classical Voice in the Howard University Music Program.

Angela will provide overall direction for Black American Music Sundays, with direct responsibility for half of them next year. She will also direct either the Children’s or Youth Choir (She and Keith will determine how to share those responsibilities).

Angela will continue as a Section Leader for the All Souls Choir.

Amelia Peele, working with Angela, will be adding responsibility for 5 Black American Music Sundays to her duties as Section Leader in the All Souls Choir.

And we have already announced that Dr. Carl DuPont will direct the Jubilee Singers for the next year.

Amelia, Angela and Carl will all be welcome to apply for permanent positions at the end of this year.

The three new appointments come with the unanimous recommendation of the Advisory Music Search Committee that has been at work, with me, for the past month: Fred Katz, Taryn Wilgus Null, Amlan Mukherjee and Elizabeth Zitelli. Please thank them for their good work.

Music next year will, of course, not be the same, but with these appointments, I am certain it will be very good. I hope you will join me in welcoming both the new and familiar faces to worship at All Souls.

Rev. Bill