photo by Steve Nelson
After 28 years of dedicated and gifted service to First Parish in Milton, UU, beloved musician, Emma Jean Moulton, has announced her retirement in June 2014. Ms. Moulton, in her letter to the congregation, said her “music ministry at First Parish has been, over the years, very fulfilling musically and spiritually, but the time has come for me to sit back and enjoy hearing others play the organ and lead the voices of the Meetinghouse Choir.”
She was first drawn to First Parish by the 3-manual Schlicker organ and directing the many fine, talented, dedicated people of the Meetinghouse Choir.
Ms. Moulton has been active with the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network (UUMN) and in 2009 became a graduate of their first professional Music Leaders certification class. She participated on the planning committee when the UUMN conference met in Boston, and during that conference played the organ at Arlington Street Church and First Lutheran Church.
Emma Jean Moulton has organized, directed and played at a variety of anniversary events for both First Parish and the wider Milton community.
She organized a Children’s Recital both for the 70th and 75th anniversary of Children’s Church on the First Parish campus. She helped organize the first “Thanks for Giving” service at St. Agatha’s Church. She gave an organ recital at First Parish Meetinghouse at the time of the Town of Milton’s 325th anniversary. Her brother, David Maxwell, wrote “Partita on “Old 124th”, based on the hymn tune for “Here We Have Gathered”, a favorite hymns. The partita was later published by Augsburg Fortress with the byline: “in celebration of the 325th anniversary of First Parish in Milton, Unitarian-Universalist, Milton, Massachusetts”.
At the time of Milton’s 350th anniversary, she gathered Milton music directors and choirs from 10 faith communities to form a Community Choir which she directed at First Parish. With her brother Dennis Slaughter, they composed, “Our Glorious Milton” for Milton’s 350th (to the tune of Sine Nomine).
During her tenure at First Parish, Ms. Moulton served with seven settled and interim ministers. She is looking forward to continuing her membership in the congregation after her retirement.
Thank you Ms. Moulton for 28 years of hitting all the right notes. My daughter and I had the honor of joining other melodious voices as part of the Community Choir for the 350th Anniversary celebrations and under your direction, music filled the air. Here’s wishing you a Happy Retirement and may you live it with the great harmony you have provided us all with throughout the years, here in Our Glorious Milton. Thank you for being a gift to us all as you so willingly shared your gifts and talents. What a gem! Thank you
Congratulations to Emma Jean! Though I’ve not been active at FPMilton for several years, there was a time when I was very active indeed. Back when Emma Jean first started as Organist, I was serving as Treasurer for First Parish. We all worked hard together to support the FP music program. But there is no question that Emma Jean has been the glue holding it together, and the driving force behind the wonderful musical productions that everyone has enjoyed. Now she can be like everyone else – a critic. Well deserved!
In Celebration of Emma Jean’s 28 years of service to First Parish and to the Town of Milton, First Parish Presents “Bon Appetit”, a mini-opera featuring Vanessa Schukis as Julia Child and Milton’s Tim Steele on the piano. To open the show Emma Jean will perform a rousing piece on the historic Schlicker organ. Funds from this event will go towards needed repairs and upgrades to the organ.
During the 30 minute mini-opera, the lively score will illuminate Child’s words and witticisms and take the audience on a musical journey to match the culinary adventure unfolding before their eyes. For the first time you will be able to sit in the actual First Parish Meetinghouse and find the master chef teaching (and singing) the makings of a classic French chocolate cake as only Julia Child could. With dramatic style and sense of comic timing, this will be a treat for the whole community. Friday May 16th at 7pm. Tickets only $25, available at the door at First Parish Church, 535 Canton Ave. Milton.
Hope to see you there!
Brian Kelley