Under the direction of Director of Music Charles “Chuck” Dickerson, RHUMC offers Sunday morning music provided by the 4-part SATB Chancel Choir, accompanied by organist/pianist Ms. Althea Waites, and Sunday evening music provided by the 5-member Third Service Ensemble led by Ms. Patti MacLeod; in addition, RHUMC hosts community concerts, such as its Second Sundays at 2pm Series, and offers both Christmas and Holy Week concerts of classical works for SATB choir and orchestra.
Director of Music Charles “Chuck” Dickerson
Music is an important part of Rolling Hills United Methodist Church, and the church is exceptionally fortunate to have a superb musical staff, choirs, and volunteers. The Chancel Choir, under Director of Music Charles “Chuck” Dickerson, sings at both morning services. Chuck, himself, is renowned as a tenor and was chosen in the summer of 2007 to sing the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium on Methodists’ Night. In addition to being Director of Music at RHUMC, Chuck is Music Director and Conductor of the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles , a member of El Sistema USA. The Chorus of the Inner City Youth Orchestra will be participating in the Mahler Project, a performance at the Shrine Auditorium on February 4, 2012, of the Mahler 8th “Symphony of a Thousand” conducted by Gustavo Dudamel with Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. In previous years, Chuck has served as conductor to the Southeast Symphony, which under his leadership performed twice at the Disney Concert Hall.
Organist and Concert Pianist Althea Waites
Organist and concert pianist Althea Waites, Professor of Piano at California State University, Long Beach, performs the morning service’s Preludes and Postludes, and accompanies the choirs, soloists, hymns, and vocal ensembles, among her numerous other musical contributions. In addition to her acclaimed classical piano CDs on the Cambria label, Althea was the featured piano soloist at the Southeast Symphony’s 60th anniversary celebration in Walt Disney Concert Hall. Read about Althea at her website: www.AltheaWaites.com.
Third Service Ensemble Director Patti MacLeod
Patti has been directing and performing with the 3rd Service Music Ensemble for the past 5 years, and prior to that, she had been active in RHUMC music with the Women of Grace ensemble, Chancel Choir, and summer music for children. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Texas Woman’s University, majoring in voice and piano. Following college, she performed in musical theater summer stock, travelled on the road with a rock band, and played piano and sang in major hotels throughout the country. After moving to the Los Angeles area in 1979, she obtained a California Teaching Credential and began teaching music in Torrance, directing both elementary and high school choirs. A certified Orff-Schulwerk specialist, she used the Orff method in her elementary music classes.
Read more about the Choirs and Ensembles at Rolling Hills UMC.
