Our congregation is blessed with marvelous musicians and wonderful opportunities for folks to participate and experience our joyful noise! Our vocal choir has nearly twenty voices and is led by Mr. Steve Muller. This group presents a wide range of selections during the Service of Worship, from traditional to contemporary, from baroque to spiritual, and more. Mr. Muller has directed our Vocal Choir since 2004, having also served in that capacity from 1990 - 2000. Having earned a Master of Music degree from the University of Oregon, Steve has been an educator in the Pendleton School District for over twenty-one years, currently the Choir Director at both the high school and the middle school. Mr. Muller has served as an officer of numerous music and educator organizations, as well as being a charter member of the Oregon East Symphony.
Our Handbell Choir, the Bells of Joy, has more than a dozen ringers and is led by Mrs. Annette Matlock. The Bells of Joy are members of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers. As with the Vocal Choir, the Bells of Joy also present a wide range of selections, using five octaves of Malmark handbells and three octaves of Malmark handchimes. Many of these instruments have come to the congregation through memorial contributions. Mrs. Matlock has been the director of the Bells of Joy since 2004, and was a charter member of the group when it was formed in 1995. The Bells of Joy choir provides music during the Service of Worship on the second and fourth Sundays of months during the school year, and also performs at numerous community events, frequently in conjunction with other bell choirs.
We are blessed with a small cadre' of accompanists, anchored by Mrs. Sue A. Nelson, our organist since 1993. Mrs. Nelson plays the congregation's three-manual Moller organ, which has seventeen ranks. Sue earned her B.A. degree in Music from Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, and is a member of the American Guild of Organist (with a Service Playing Certificate) and Member of the Oregon Music Teachers Association, an affiliate of Music Teachers National Association (through which she is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music). Both Mrs. Susan Wood and Mrs. Denise Owen add their keyboard gifts on our grand piano. Mrs. Susan Wood earned Bachelor of Science degrees in both Music and English from California State Polytechnic University, and is a former member of the California Music Teachers Association. An organist in Porterville, California some years ago, Mrs. Wood is also a former private piano instructor. Mrs. Denise Owen has performed with the Blue Mountain Community College Chorale, the college's Blue Jazz ensemble, and other groups. Mrs. Owen is a member of the Oregon Music Teachers Association and works at Pendleton High School with Mr. Steve Muller, and in 2004 opened a private music studio for piano and voice students.
