The Union Church Choir

Minister of Music and Organist:  
Dr. Nana Shi

Soloists in Residence:
Chung-Yin (Julia) Tang, Scott Morwitz, Elisa Nikoloulias, and Jay Chacon.

Volunteers:
Bruce MacIntyre and Carla Vel. 

The Union Church of Bay Ridge Choir has been serving The Union Church of Bay Ridge and the surrounding Brooklyn community for over 30 years. Currently directed by pianist Dr. Nana Shi, the choir generates live musical performances for the communities in lower Brooklyn -- both young and old. Since 2015, Nana has partnered with other music organizations such as the Children’s Choral and Arts Festival of Peace in Brooklyn, and has started a summer music camp at the Union Church of Bay Ridge. The choir consists of both volunteers and professional singers from different musical backgrounds. Being specialists of Baroque and Classical music, the group doesn’t shy away from other genres such as jazz, musical theater, and popular styles. They have been putting on concerts regularly at the church and strive to include more members, promote living composers, and make The Union Church of Bay Ridge a vital creative space for music and arts in the community. The choir rehearses every Sunday morning at 9:30 A.M. for the 11 A.M. service.

Union Church Organ: 1922 Skinner Organ

Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 37 registers, 23 stops, 36 ranks

Since about 1990, the organ has been revised by various builders. First, the Schantz Organ Company removed some of the reed and mixture ranks and installed a secondhand Clarinet rank. Then in 2007, John Klauder Pipe Organ Service made extensive console revisions, including new coupling and combination systems, MIDI capability, and Skinner stop names.

See specifications here provided by Gregg Patruno in May 2018. 

Union Church Concert Series invites a variety of established musical ensembles every year including classical, folk, indie rock, and jazz.  The great acoustics and spacious sanctuary make Union Church an ideal venue for singers, instrumentalists, and small ensembles to perform and make recordings. To apply for the UC Concert Series and inquire about space rental, please email director Nana Shi at ucbr.music@gmail.com.