General Assembly Choir

2019 General Assembly Choir with Director Marty Swisher

2019 General Assembly Choir with Director Marty Swisher

Each year a talented group of choral singers gathers to practice and perform for the General Assembly (GA) audience. Typically the choir participates in the Sunday Morning Worship and the Closing Celebration, and sometimes other events or hymn sings during GA. For many, singing in the choir is a key part of coming together as UUs at General Assembly.

General Assembly Choir registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. You must be registered for General Assembly to participate in the choir (you may register for choir first). Choir registration is $20, payable by Visa or Mastercard at the time of registration, to be used for sheet music and music production costs. Financial support for choir registration is available, and registrants may select a waiver of one-half of the fee or the full amount if needed. The Choir Director will distribute digital copies of the music to all participants before the first rehearsal. Choir Binders and print copies will be distributed at the first rehearsal for in-person attendees.

This year, all GA Choir rehearsals will be multi-platform, to allow all choir participants to be included in the process. We will gauge interest and feasibility of creating a music project.

Rehearsal Schedule

  • Tuesday, June 6, 7:30 pm Eastern
    Zoom
  • Saturday, June 10, 3:00 pm Eastern
    Zoom
  • Thursday, June 22, 10:30 am - noon Eastern
    Choir Practice Room and Zoom
  • Friday, June 23, 12:30 - 2:00 pm Eastern
    Choir Practice Room and Zoom
  • Saturday, June 24, 9:30 - 10:45 am Eastern
    Choir Practice Room and Zoom
  • Saturday, June 24, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Eastern
    General Session Hall, in-person tech rehearsal, conflicts with programming (no Zoom)

Participation at all rehearsals will be expected.

In-person choir members will perform at the Sunday Morning Worship on June 25, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Eastern (see full GA schedule). In-person choir members should dress in black for the Sunday service; colorful stoles will be provided.

Choir Director

We are excited to welcome our 2023 General Assembly Choir Director, Clif Hardin, generalassemblychoir@gmail.com!

Clif has lived in the Washington, DC area most of his life. He and his wife, Jan, are the proud parents of three daughters.

Clif has served as music director for many opera and music theatre productions through the years. More importantly, he started working as Music Director at River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation in 1983, thinking it would be steady employment until his “real job” came along. Gradually, River Road became his main focus. There, he works with the adult choir and three youth choirs. He regularly arranges and composes for those groups as well as composing piano music for services. Visit River Road UU Congregation for more information their music program.

Clif recently completed writing the music for a new family musical called Oink! A Pigsical. Fully staged productions are targeted for the spring and summer of 2016.

Clif holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory (BM in piano and theory), the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University (MM in conducting), and the University of Maryland (DMA in choral performance).

We Are...

“We Are…” by Ysaÿe Barnwell; Performed by the 2020 GA Virtual Choir, Directed by Benjie Messer; Soloist: Dr. Ysaÿe Barnwell

Tomorrow

“Tomorrow” by Kate and Justin Miner; Performed by the 2020 GA Virtual Choir, Directed by Benjie Messer

Members of the choir, wearing colorful stoles, sing from their music folders

2019 General Assembly Choir

Seven members of the GA Choir hold their songbooks and sing.

2018 General Assembly Choir