I have been a church musician since age six when I began playing piano for special music at the Unitarian Universalist Church in my hometown of Waterville, Maine. Throughout high school I served as the Music Director for a small Methodist church before beginning my Bachelors of Music at Ohio Wesleyan University. Throughout college I worked as youth choir director at Asbury UMC in Delaware, Ohio as well as an accompanist at the Delaware Church of Christian Science. After completing my Masters in Choral Conducting at the New England Conservatory in Boston, I moved to Chicago with my partner of 2 years, Nathan, who started medical school at the University of Chicago this fall.

It gives me great joy to be a part of such a radically inclusive and welcoming church and it bewilders me that there are still churches that do not operate this way. My goals this year are to include all members of the congregation in the music making experience, continue to improve and expand current musical standards and provide new opportunities for members to have meaningful musical experiences as an expression of faith.

And please, don’t be shy about introducing yourself and offering to share your musical gifts!

In Peace,

Sam Duplessis