"Songs of the Soul"

A Concert of Love, Compassion and Unity

Thank you for joining us for an evening of music and fellowship. Below you'll find tonight's program with song text's included, as well as information about our guest musicians. 

Our Guest Musicians

Devon Guthrie, Soprano


Grammy-nominated soprano Devon Guthrie, a Claremont native, made an acclaimed debut as Susanna in a new production of Le nozze di Figaro at English National Opera when she was still a student at the Juilliard School. Lauded for her “honeyed tones and silver-tipped high notes” (broadwayworld.com) and by The New York Times for her “opulent but weightless tone”, she has been enjoying an international career including opera, musical theater, and folk music. Career highlights include creating the role of Mary Johnson in the Cincinnati Opera world premiere production of Greg Spears' Fellow Travelers, a role which she also took to Chicago Lyric Opera and The Prototype Festival in New York. Other notable roles include multiple seasons with Santa Fe Opera both as an apprentice and principle with the roles of Marzelline in Beethoven’s Fidelio and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus; Sandman/Dewfairy in Hansel and Gretel at San Diego Opera; the role of Susanna in a touring production of Le Nozze di Figaro in Japan with Seiji Ozawa’s Saito Kinen Festival; a second season at English National Opera singing Pamina in The Magic Flute; and many seasons with The Paul Taylor Dance Company as the soprano soloist for Beloved Renegade at Lincoln Center.  She has won several awards and prizes in competitions such as the Gerda Lissner Competition, Houston Grand Opera Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers, Licia Albanese Competition, and Liederkranz. A dedicated recitalist and contemporary music interpreter, she has worked directly with many of the prominent composers of our time including Jake Heggie, Ricky Ian Gordon, Libby Larsen, Sheila Silver, John Harbison, and Huang Ruo. Her work on composer Luna Pearl Woolf’s album Fire and Flood earned her a Grammy nomination in 2020.

Anastasia Gastelum, Mezzo-Soprano


Filipino-Mexican coloratura mezzo-soprano Anastasia Belleza Gastelum (per/pers/they/them) is a versatile trans and agender vocalist, choral artist, consort musician, and teaching artist based in Los Angeles. They received their Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, studying with Dr. Steven Kronauer. They have previously attended the preparatory programs of the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music, Peabody Institute, and Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with Emily Stauch. They started their musical training at an early age with piano, cello, and voice, and have since been engaged with multiple orchestral, choral, and chamber ensembles. They have appeared in notable venues such as Carnegie Hall (New York City, NY), Severance Hall (Cleveland, OH), Segerstrom Center (Costa Mesa, CA), and the Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA). Their musical experience, ranging from historically informed performance and chamber music to steel pans and contemporary choral music, informs the quality of their musicianship as they continue to expand and challenge their abilities. They are currently engaged with Choral Arts Initiative, Long Beach Camerata Singers, Tonality, C3LA, 8TPS, and are presently commissioned as an alto section leader at the First Presbyterian Church of Orange.

Rohan Ramanan, Tenor


Rohan Ramanan is an OC/LA-based tenor & countertenor with a diverse musical background and expansive range. He has studied both Western and Indian classical voice, and has been immersed in many styles of commercial music, world genres, and fusion work.


Rohan performs with ensembles throughout SoCal (LA Master Chorale, LA Choral Lab, Tonality, Pacific Chorale, Choral Arts Initiative, Street Symphony, Laude, etc.) as a chorister & soloist (AGMA), and is currently tenor section leader for Long Beach Camerata. He also sings for film, television, & video game studio sessions as a member of SAG-AFTRA. His voice can be heard in scores for Disney, Marvel, & National Geographic, and he has performed live with Thirty Seconds to Mars @iHeartRadio, Tiësto, Michael Giacchino, Kronos Quartet, Musica Transalpina, LA Philharmonic, & for Björk as part of her USA ‘Cornucopia’ tour. He made his operatic debut in Houston Grand Opera’s premiere ‘Another City’ as Manoj Mukherjee, where his “ethereal phrases [...] offered a lightness and sweetness” (Texas Classical Review). He is a 2024 Fellow for the Thirteen Choir (D.C.), and was recently invited to the final auditions for Chanticleer.


Rohan is an accomplished Hindustani vocal soloist throughout the United States and internationally, and he concertizes as a professional oboist/English horn player as well. In addition to performing, Rohan maintains a private voice/oboe studio and is quite the plant geek!

Sam Garcia, Baritone


Baritone Sam Garcia is a classically trained singer equally at home in the world of vocal jazz and musical theater. Mr. Garcia has won awards at the local, state, and national level for vocal and theatrical performance. Favorite roles include Beast (Beauty & the Beast), JD (Heathers the Musical) Sergeant Belcore in the opera, L’eslir d’amore (Elixir of Love) and his most recent role as Count Capulet in the opera, Romeo & Juliette. Mr. Garcia is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and works as a session vocalist.  His vocals can be heard on Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios 2021 release of “Spiderman: No Way Home”, Marvel Studios 2022 release of “Thor: Love & Thunder”, and 20th Century Studios 2023 release of “Avatar: The Way of Water” and a soon to be released Netflix production. He is a member of Tonality, a vocal ensemble led by founder and artistic director Dr. Alexander Lloyd Blake whose mission is to deliver authentic stories through voice and body to incite change, understanding, and dialogue. Mr. Garcia is a graduate of California Baptist University with a B.M. in Vocal Performance.  

Michael Freed, Violin


Michael Freed is a classically-trained violinist originally from Columbus, Indiana. Michael received his formative training from Khin Yee Lo and Mimi Zweig at Indiana University’s precollege strings program, before joining the studio of Laura Andrews. Michael previously performed with his hometown’s professional symphony, the  Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, as well as taught for the organization. 


Michael completed his undergraduate studies under Andrew McIntosh and Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick at the California Institute of the Arts. Parallel to receiving a contemporary education from the institute, Michael has performed and recorded at venues such as Capitol Records, the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage, and LACMA. Michael currently performs with the American Youth Symphony, California Young Artists Symphony, and performs 40+  events annually. Several of Michael’s students have leadership positions in their school ensembles, play for YOLA, SCVYO, and CSUN’s Youth Orchestra programs.  


Michael plans to continue his graduate studies in Southern California. 

Rebecca Beerstein, Violin


Rebecca Beerstein, 22, is a fifth-year violin performance student of Movses Pogossian,  Varty Manouelian and Ji-Young An at the Herb Alpert School of Music. She is an accomplished musician  and enjoys experimenting with different genres of music alongside her expertise in classical violin. She has been a part of such groups as the UCLA Klezmer ensemble, Commercial Music Ensemble, Early Music Ensemble and FLUX modern music ensemble. In 2019 and 2021, Rebecca won first prize at the Henry Schwab Violin and Viola competition. In addition, she was a Conejo Arts Council Legacy Scholarship winner in both 2019 and 2020. She has performed as a soloist with the Thousand Oaks Philharmonic, the Westlake Village Symphony, and Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra and served as concertmaster of the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra in 2018 and 2019. She is currently associated with CYAS and Orchestra Santa Monica. Rebecca is also an accomplished figure skater and a member of the UCLA Figure Skating Team.

Sharon A. Ray (Viola)


Sharon A. Ray graduated from the Curtis Institute with a Performance Diploma for Viola. She also studied violin, viola and tympani at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. She has performed with the Opera Company of Philadelphia, Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia, the New Jersey Symphony, the Delaware Symphony, toured with Stevie Wonder on his “Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants” tour. Since moving to Los Angeles, she is currently affiliated with the Southeast Symphony, New Valley Symphony, Corona Symphony, San Bernardino Symphony, Riverside Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Santa Monica Symphony. Most recently, she performed at the Hollywood Bowl with the Recollective Symphony for their historic Juneteenth concert. She is the author of three bass guitar method books for Alfred Publishing and served on the faculty of the National Guitar Workshop for 16 years. From 2005-2015, she served on the faculty of the Renaissance Arts Academy, an LAUSD preforming arts charter school, where she taught theory, violin, viola, and the double bass.


Oliver Walton (Cello)


Oliver Walton is a cellist born and raised in Long Beach, California, and has been playing for 20 years. He started on violin and piano at age 5 taught by his mother, violinist/pianist/teacher, Jennifer Walton, and at age 10 he started on the cello.  While still playing piano for fun, he started playing cello full time and focusing on his career on the cello. He graduated from LA County H.S. for the Arts (LACHSA) in 2011 and continued his music education at Long Beach City College earning an Associate’s Degree in Music. He then studied privately with Dennis Karmazyan and continued to work in the music industry, playing professionally since age 15. Since then Oliver has played many weddings, cocktail hours and receptions, recording sessions, live concerts and musicals. Oliver has played solo and/or principal cello for numerous stage shows including Green Day’s American Idiot, Les Misérables, Candide, West Side Story, Into the Woods, Sweeny Todd, Wicked, Hands on a Hardbody, Evita, Damn Yankees, Cinderella, and many others. He has played with numerous orchestras around LA and OC, including “Pacific Opera Project”, “Torrance Symphony”, “Downey Symphony”, “West LA Symphony”, “Golden State Pops Orchestra”, “Korean American Youth Symphony Orchestra”, “Ventura College Orchestra”, “Hollywood Pops Orchestra”, and many others. He’s played shows with EDM artist Deadmau5 Live at the Wiltern Theater and also with Persian Pop Star Shahkar with guest artist Andrea Bocelli at the Dolby Theater.  

Scott Perloff (Percussion)

Nick Pierone (Bass, Keyboard)

Tonight's Program

“How Can I Keep from Singing?” - Arranged by Adam and Matt Podd

John Bergquist, conductor; Brian McConnell, piano; Michael Freed, violin; Oliver Walton, cello; Scott Perloff, percussion; Nick Pierone, bass


My life flows on in endless song, above earth’s lamentation.

I hear the real, though far-off hymn that hails a new creation.

No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging.

Since love prevails in heav’n and earth, how can I keep from singing?


While though the tempest round me roars, I konw the truth it liveth.

And though the darkness 'round me close, songs in the night it giveth.

No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging.

Since love prevails in heav’n and earth, how can I keep from singing?


I lift my eyes, the cloud grows thin; I see the blue above it.

And day by day, this pathway smooths, since first I learned to love it.

No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging.

Since love prevails in heav’n and earth, how can I keep from singing?


How can I keep from singing?


“Inherent Worth and Dignity” - Words and Music by John Bergquist

John Bergquist, conductor; Brian McConnell, piano; Scott Perloff, percussion; Nick Pierone, bass


We proclaim the inherent worth and dignity of everyone, yes, everybody life is a gift for you to give


Now is the time for us to recognize the love within us, now is the time to let it show

We know we all have the power to make this world reflective of the beauty that's inside us


[Refrain]

We proclaim the inherent worth and dignity of everyone, yes, everybody life is a gift for you to give

So give it proudly, now that we open our eyes to what we can be, it's plain to see, just to live is holy

So seize this opportunity to believe in what we can be


Now is the time for us to demonstrate the power within us, now is the time to let it grow 

We know we all have the power to look inside ourselves and find something that we are proud of


When we love ourselves and we share it with others we create an opportunity for them 

To join in saying, "just to live is holy."


[Refrain]


“This is Who We Are” - Words and Music by Mark Burrows

John Bergquist, conductor; Brian McConnell, piano; Scott Perloff, percussion; Nick Pierone, bass; Alan Kilmartin, djembe

Solos by Lisa Schreiner and Marilyn Shield


We lift our candles in the darkness. We stand together in the night

To mourn and bear each other's pain, to claim our better selves again, 

We are the bearers of the light


We send our hope into the silence, We lift our voices sure and strong.

To set the human spirit free, to sing our shared humanity

We are the keepers of the song


We raise our eyes to the heavens, though the clouds may hide the stars

We stand, we sing, we shine our light, this is who we are. 


We join as one for peace and justice, we sing to make the broken whole,

To speak the truth, to take a stand, we walk together hand in hand, 

We are the drumbeat of the soul.


Our journey urges us onward, even though we've come so far

We stand, we sing, we shine our lights, this is who we are. 


“Rain Come Down” - Words and Music by Shawn Kirchner

John Bergquist, conductor; Brian McConnell, piano

Solos by Reid Swanson, Nicole Pacent-Lindquist and Aviva Heston


[Refrain]

Come rain, come down, come rain, come down

Heaven's tear of mercy, come a-runnin' down. 


Say no words it is too soon, say no words out loud

but wrap your quiet arms around, hide us in your cloud


[Refrain]


Come wash away this grief and pain and let all hearts be healed

And bring the fairest flow'rs to meet the sorrows we have seen


[Refrain]

A little lower than the angels we were born to be,

Yet which of all the creatures knows this misery?


[Refrain]


“Deep Peace” - Traditional Gaelic blessing, Music by Elaine Hagenberg

John Bergquist, conductor; Brian McConnell, piano; Michael Freed, violin; Rebecca Beerstein, violin; Sharon Ray, viola; Oliver Walton, cello


Deep peace of the running wave to you;

Deep peace of the flowing air to you;

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you;

Deep peace of the shining stars to you;

Deep peace of the gentle night to you;

Moon and stars pour their healing light on you.


Deep peace of Christ the light of the world to you;

Deep peace of Christ to you.


“No Other People’s Children”- Words and Music by Elizabeth Alexander

John Bergquist, conductor; Brian McConnell, piano

Solos by Nicole Pacent-Lindquist, Rick Hoyt-McDaniels and Aviva Heston


How did we get to this place where we could look at each other’s face

And see anything but beauty and understanding?

I want to know who you are, and face the suffering that keeps us far apart

I can never truly see the world through your eyes

Or take away your pain, but I’m listening, and I’m hoping you can hear me saying:


[Refrain 1]

You are my neighbor. You are beloved. You are worth seeing for who you are.

You are my neighbor. You are beloved. You are worth seeing for who you are.

I’m here, I’m listening, I’m here listening with you:


Break bread with me. Make peace with me.

Speak the truth with me. Begin again with me.

Relate with me. Create with me.

Be the change with me that keeps our children safe and free:


There are no other people’s heartaches.

There are no other people’s injuries.

There are no other people’s children in this world.


[Refrain 2]

You are my neighbor. You are beloved. You are worth seeing for who you are.

You are my neighbor. You are beloved. You are worth seeing for who you are.

I’m here, I’m listening, I’m here listening with you:


Hold hands with me. Forgive with me.

Make mistakes with me, and take a chance with me.

Be whole with me. Be real with me.

Start to heal with me so we can live courageously.


There are no other people’s heartaches.

There are no other people’s injuries.

There are no other people’s children in this world.


See what is unseen, say what is unspoken,

Believe that there’s no wall between our beating hearts.

Say it with me -


[Refrain 3]

You are my neighbor. You are beloved. You are worth seeing for who you are.

You are my neighbor. You are beloved. You are worth seeing for who you are.

I’m here, I’m listening, I’m here listening with you:


Break bread with me. Make peace with me.

Speak the truth with me. Begin again with me.

Relate with me. Create with me.

Be the change with me that keeps our children safe and free:


There are no other people’s heartaches.

There are no other people’s injuries.

There are no other people’s children in this world.


“Please Help Them” - Words adapted from Catherine Anna Haas, Music by David W. Haas and Jaie Tiefenbrunn

John Bergquist, conductor; Brian McConnell, piano; Michael Freed, violin; Rebecca Beerstein, violin; Sharon Ray, viola; Oliver Walton, cello; Scott Perloff, percussion; Nick Pierone, bass


You can be anything.

You can worship anything,  you can worship anyone, you can worship noone.

You can love anyone.


But sometimes, people need help, please help them.


“The Ground” - Text from the Catholic Mass, Music by Ola Gjielo

John Bergquist, conductor; Brian McConnell, piano; Michael Freed, violin; Rebecca Beerstein, violin; Sharon Ray, viola; Oliver Walton, cello


Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory

Osanna, Osanna in excelsis.

Hosanna in the highest.

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.

Blessed is he who come in the name of the Lord.

Benedictus qui venit.

Blessed is He Who comes.

Osanna, Osanna in excelsis.

Hosanna in the highest.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,

Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world

Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi,

Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world

Dona nobis pacem.

Grant us peace.


“The Eternal One” Words adapted from Ralph Waldo Emerson's "The Oversoul," Music by Elizabeth Alexander

Greg Moring, Baritone; John Bergquist, piano


It comes to the lowly, it comes to the simple

It comes to whomever will put off what is foreign or proud

It comes as insight, it comes as serenity

It comes as grandeur


Within us the soul of the whole

Within us the wise, wise silence

Within us the universal beauty to which every part and particle is equally related

The eternal one.


When it breathes through our intellect, it is genius

When it breathes through our will, it is virtue

When it flows through our affection, it is love


Forever and ever there is no ceiling between our heads and the infinite heavens. 

Within us the soul of the whole,  

Within us the wise, wise silence,

Within us the universal beauty

The eternal one.


“Tree Song” - Words by George Ella Lyon, Music by Elizabeth Alexander

Anastasia Gastelum, Mezzo-Soprano; John Bergquist, piano; Oliver Walton, cello


Roots, trunk, branches, leaves. As a tree gives so it receives:

Food from the earth, rain and sun from the sky.

Its roots reach deep and its crown rises high.

Blossoms in spring, fruit in summer and fall:

home for many, shelter for all.


“Over the Rainbow” - Words by Yip Harburg, Music by Harold Arlen, Arranged by John Bergquist

Nicole Pacent-Lindquist, Soprano; John Bergquist, piano; Michael Freed, violin; Oliver Walton, cello


Somewhere over the rainbow way up high

There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby


Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true


Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me

Where troubles melt like lemon drops away above the chimney tops

That's where you'll find me


Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow why, then, oh, why can't I?


If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow

Why, oh, why can't I?


“The Hope of Loving” Music by Jake Runestad

John Bergquist, conductor; Michael Freed, violin; Rebecca Beerstein, violin; Sharon Ray, viola; Oliver Walton, cello


I. Yield to Love - Words by Rabia

I know about love the way the fields know about light,

the way the forest shelters us.

We are vulnerable like an infant.

We need each other’s care or we will suffer.

How will you ever find peace

unless you yield to love?


II. Wild Forces - Words by Saint Francis of Assisi

There are beautiful, wild forces within us.

Let them turn millstones inside

filling bushels that reach to the sky.


III. Wondrous Creatures - Words by Hafiz, Solo by Rohan Ramanan

O wondrous creatures,

by what strange miracle

do you so often not smile?


IV. The Heart’s Veil (String Quartet)


V. My Soul is a Candle - Words by Saint John of the Cross, Solos by Devon Guthrie and Sam Garcia


My soul is a candle that burned away the veil;

only the glorious duties of light I now have.

The soul is a candle that will burn away the darkness;

only the glorious duties of love we will have.

Tenderly, I now touch all things,

knowing one day we will part.


VI. The Hope of Loving - Text by Meister Eckhart


What keeps us alive, what allows us to endure?

It is the hope of loving, of being loved.

We weep when light does not reach our hearts.

We wither like fields if someone close

does not rain their kindness upon us.

My soul has a purpose,

it is to love.


“Sing On!” - Words and Music by Lane Johnson

John Bergquist, conductor; Brian McConnell, piano


Sometimes when I chance to catch the sunrise rising o'er the eastern range,

Something inside me winds up singing, something inside me is changed.

And deep inside it seems there's more to life than we might know and it stirs the music in my soul.


[Refrain]

Sing on!

Whatever comes your way, sing on! Sing on!

Keep your music going, flowing from your heart until the day is past and gone.

Take the time to look around and find the things that keep you singing on.

Sing on!


Sometimes as I sit and watch the sunset sinking past the distant shore,

Wishing I could change what life has handed me, fearing I can't face what's in store.

But deep inside I know I've got to let my life unroll and it stirs the music in my soul.


[Refrain]


Sunrise and sunset life will always rise and fall

Ups and downs and in betweens, it happens to us all.

So keep your music flowing strong, you'll find a way to carry on!


[Refrain]


Our Choir

The UU Choir of Studio City

Directed by John Bergquist

Accompanied by Brian McConnell

Soprano

Cheryl Caplow, Joan Gil, Yoshi Inman, Nicole Pacent-Lindquist, Lisa Schreiner, Heather Stewart Jorden

Alto

Aviva Heston, Lee Quarrie, Marilyn Shield

Tenor

Dan Cragan, Terry Hassman-Paulin, Reid Swanson

Bass

Alex Heston, Rick Hoyt-McDaniels, Alan Kilmartin, Peter Kooiman, Greg Moring, Will Rapp