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Beatus Meier - Pianist and Composer
Martin-Beatus Meier has been a pianist with our church since 2002. He plays one Sunday a month and for special services such as Christmas Eve. Beatus often invites guest musicians to perform with him and regularly mentors young musicians. It is our good fortune that Beatus occasionally composes music for specific events. Beatus, a native of Switzerland, received his musical training at the Berne and Paris Conservatories and the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. During most of the 60's, he conducted symphony and opera in Western Europe. During the 70's and 80's, he served as director of orchestra and opera at Washington State University where he also taught composition and chamber music, and as music director of the Mid-Columbia Symphony Orchestra. Never comfortable with the prerequisites of marketing and self-promotion imposed on today's performing arts, he opted out of public life in the mid-90's. Setting up residence in a Port Townsend house overlooking Admiralty Inlet, Beatus has been pursuing mainly compositional work, but also occasionally accepts guest conducting, coaching, and commissions overseas. For several years he has served on the P.T. Arts Commission and contributed to various educational projects both on the Peninsula and in Seattle. Beyond writing and performing, Beatus has been an inveterate wilderness explorer. Locally he can be seen zipping around town on his Vespa.
Ikue Goldstein - Pianist and Choir Accompanist
I started my classical piano lessons when I was four years old. Since then I have spent 25 years in total of active training with lessons and classes from three very wonderful teachers, first in Osaka and then in Seattle and now here in Port Townsend. There's always something new to learn, and I see myself being a student forever. I also have been performing and teaching piano for the last seven years. It is very meaningful for me to pass on what I have learned. I have been a choir accompanist at QUUF since 2006. I am thoroughly enjoying playing for the choir and Sunday services. In the music of great composers and writers you hear and feel love, joy, hope, sorrow, and everything which makes human lives. And when in tune, it can be a great comfort to us. I feel very fortunate to be able to share the beauty of music with the people in this wonderful fellowship.
Otto and Kristin Smith
Kristin and Otto Smith have been involved in music making for QUUF since the days of Tim Haley at the Tri Area Center 1992. Thanks to an advertisement for "a pianist who can get people to sing," Otto was chosen from the other applicants based on a successful audition during which the audition committee sang! For many years he held the post of church pianist for QUUF. In the course of musical duties, the Smiths began to enjoy the smart, fun, and articulate people who made up the UU crowd. Johnny and Anna Smith, then ages 9 and 5, eagerly attended the RE program, still in its early stages, stimulating and empowering them in their maturing. The many rewards of their associations with QUUF drew the family on year after year, through the move to the new building and the growth and bridging of their children. Otto assisted Freida Fenn in starting QUUF's first choir. Kristin worked to supplement "choir Sundays" with instrumental music Sundays, coordinating Port Townsend musicians in a varied and high-quality music program. Due to the growing emphasis on the choir, the Smith's part in the music picture is now much scaled down, but still join QUUF on occasion as guest musicans.
Otto Smith is a hybrid: a scientist as well as an active musician with a varied musical life. Educated at Cal State Chico and Washington State University Pullman in computer science and math, he continues research into electrical efficiency in motors and development of innovative circuitry. He exercises his percussion skills in the Port Townsend Orchestra, piano, guitar and concertina in a number of bands and chamber ensembles, providing music for contra-dances, weddings, parties, and all kinds of community events. He is world renown in concertina circles for his performance of the Molique Concerto for Concertina with the Port Townsend Orchestra. He has inspired his concertina students to a high level of enjoyment of music and success in performing and recording.
Kristin's life centers on music, performance ,and teaching being her sole livelihood and great pleasure. She holds a degree in music performance from the University of Montana. Her professional experience includes eight years in the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, in Alberta, Canada. Chamber music is an ongoing passion currently satisfied by the Port Townsend String Quartet, now in its 25th year. She serves as concertmaster of the Port Townsend Orchestra and director of the Chimacum Pi String Program. In addition to her private students, she loves teaching for the Washington Old Time Fiddlers Association and at Swan School. Her musical contributions to the services remain as they always have -- a labor of love, a donation.
Volunteer Musicians
Dicksey Scott -- choir member
I love music but found out early that I'm only on key with strong singers surrounding me. I was able to sing with Sweet Adeline's in Bend but was challenged by the politics. I came to QUUF to sing with the choir, got intrigued by Bruce's four faiths (life stances, approaches) series and took a class on the same. Finally, I found that I could fit UU into my atheistic/humanist philosophy. Early on I asked Marj for some extra help with the music, and she generously gave it. My greatest challenge is singing through tears, as I find music very emotional and when Bruce or Marj start tearing up, I'm a goner.
Susan Pratt -- choir member and member of the Music Program Committee
On Sundays when the choir sings, Susan Pratt can be found in the middle of the second row of sopranos. She likes that spot because she doesn't have to hit the real high notes (like the first sopranos) or learn the harmony (like the altos). She is also mostly hidden from view, so when she makes a mistake she can pretend it was somebody else. Susan loves being in the choir because she gets to sing all the music over and over. The rehearsals are lots of fun, and she even likes practicing at home on the on-line choir practice room. It's a good thing to do when you don't really feel like cleaning the house but want to pretend that you're doing something productive. Susan spent the first part of her life in California and joined the State Department when she was in her forties in order to see the world. She has lived and worked in six different countries. She and her husband, Dick Williams, moved to Port Townsend four years ago when Susan retired. Living the retired life in Port Townsend, Susan is learning that you don't have to be very good at something in order to get a lot of pleasure out of it. In addition to the choir, Susan dabbles at playing the recorder. She also does a little gardening, takes an occasional art or yoga class, volunteers here and there, and enjoys bicycling to errands around town when time and weather permit.
Dennis Crawford -- choir member
Music has been a part of my life from the beginning. My grandfather was the 1st trumpeter for one of John Phillip Souza's bands. Grandpa let me hold his trumpet when I was two. My father had a beautiful voice and sang up until his death at 93. In sixth grade in Bremerton, WA, I began playing the trumpet and continued through high school in the band and orchestra. I occasionally played the French Horn and E Flat Alto Horn and tried to learn to play the piano. My freshman college roommate was a music major at Linfield College and talked me into singing in the Cappella Choir for three years, taking voice lessons and appearing in a couple of operettas. I continued singing in a men's chorus and with voice lessons throughout three years of graduate school. I helped form two men's quartets as a student and sang as a tenor in them. Since school days, I have sung in several church choirs, appeared in the "Boyfriend" by Sandy Williams, as the boyfriend, sung at weddings, and other events.
Nan Toby Tyrell -- pianist
Nan Toby occasionally plays for music social events and has sponsored musical events at the fellowship to support community organizations such as The Gathering Place. She brings music to the children in QUUF's Religious Education Program. Nan Toby writes: My life revolves around music. I have studied piano since the age of six years and spent many years at Georgian Court College in Lakewood,New Jersey, practicing classical music. I believe performing music changes people's lives by giving pleasure, comfort, and joy. My favorite songs come from the Broadway songbook as well as Chopin, Bach, and Grieg. I love to play at Quimper UU Fellowship since it gives me an opportunity to share my heart and soul and talents with others
Megan Cate -- choir member
I'm the really tall gal who switches between tenor and alto. Singing in choir with my husband Esko (not a QUUF member; he leaves during first service to attend his church) is special shared time. Marj's patient leadership and humor, the camaraderie among the choir, and Ikue's skilled piano playing make it a pleasure to participate. My mother played 15 instruments, and I grew up with music. If I slept too late on a weekend, my parents woke me up by playing the triumphal march from the opera "Aida" at high decibel levels! I played oboe through college.
Esko Cate -- choir member
Esko couldn't talk Megan into joining the PT Community Chorus, so when she suggested QUUF choir, it was an "of course." I love the friendship of fellow choir members and the wide selection of songs Marj picks. Also, it's kind of fun to slip out, sing at the Christian Science Church and come back for the second QUUF service and more singing. I don't have much musical background (that was not a requirement for working at Boeing), but am trying to fill that in with a couple of classes, lessons, and getting involved. Doing the MIDIs for the choir has helped with learning some technical details. The high end of the bass range has been a challenge and not as much fun as rumbling in the basement.
Lee Goldhammer -- string bass musician and member of the Music Program Committee
Lee and Janelle moved to Port Townsend in 2007 and became members of QUUF in 2008. They are raising their 15-year-old grandson, Ryan. Lee has been playing bass since 1955. In 1956, he bought his German G.A. Pfretzchner bass, which is now over 100 years old, and is still playing it. Music has always been his life's passion. He played many instruments throughout high school and college, including French horn, trumpet, and guitar. In his senior year in high school, he was the marching band's Drum Major. As an adult in Southern California, he focused on playing his bass and plays all kinds of music from classical, rock n' roll, country blue grass, folk, jazz, blues, etc. He loves it all. He has recorded the bass track on 14 of his friends' music CDs (many of the recordings are original music written by these musicians). Currently, he enjoys playing with the choir and has been involved in many of the music programs at QUUF. Lee has a Masters in Space / Radiation Physics and has been in the business of solar arrays for communication satellites since 1967. In 1999, he retired from Hughes Space and Communication Company (now Boeing) and is currently consulting as a space photovoltaics systems expert for the satellite / space industry.
Carolyn Salmon -- choir member and Chair of the Music Program Committee
I've always loved choral singing but have had little opportunity to participate. When we moved to Port Townsend in 2006, I joined the QUUF choir as an amateur soprano. I have a small voice but lots of heart. What great fun to work with a dedicated group of musicians to fine tune a challenging piece of music. Chairing the Music Program Committee gives me an opportunity to extend QUUF music offerings without being a significant performer.
The Piano
The Fellowship's piano is a 9-foot Steinway Concert Grand. It was built in 1925 for the Cleveland Orchestra. It arrived at QUUF in April 2004, on loan from Max Bernard. Although there was some controversy about the appropriateness of the piano for the space available (the congregation's liability for the piano and even who really ownedit), there was no doubt it had a magnificent sound. The musicians were ecstatic and the congregation delighted. In 2007, Max Bernard decided to leave Port Townsend and offered to sell the piano to the church rather than take it with him. The money was found and the piano became the property of the Congregation. In 2008, a Chamber Music Society was founded in Port Townsend. All of their concerts at performed at QUUF because of The Piano.
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