https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-c25d8-adb22f

What a delight it was to talk to DeReau Farrar, the Director of Music at First Unitarian Portland! I have admired him since I first heard his new arrangement of a popular hymn (no spoilers!), and it seems we just got started when we had to wrap up our engaging conversation. Among other things, we talked about urban congregations, musical whiplash, musical diversity, and the Association for UU Music Ministries (AUUMM).

 

Links:

Association for UU Music Ministries

Come Ye Disconsolate (Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway)

 

The theramin:

Grégoire Blanc, playing Debussy

Theme from Midsomer Murders (Celia Sheen)

 

Bio: 

DeReau K. Farrar is Director of Music at First Unitarian Church of Portland, Oregon, which houses the denomination’s largest music program. He is also President-elect of the Association for Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries and a member of that organization’s Conference Planning Committee. He has previously served Unitarian Universalist congregations in Santa Monica and Downtown Los Angeles, California, as well as the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Commission on Institutional Change. DeReau is also a regular contributor for WorshipWeb’s Braver/Wiser publication and has written for UUWorld Magazine. Prior to leaving Los Angeles for Portland in 2016, DeReau worked as a freelance music director and vocal contractor for the theater/opera, film, recording, and touring industries. His last films were HBO’s All the Way (2016) and Jordan Peele’s Get Out (2017).