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Church Staff Director of Religious Education Marlies Grogg, Program Assistant Ann McDermott, Youth Coordinator Sonny Munoz, Custodian
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Church Organist: Dianne Broyles
A
member of First
Unitarian since the spring of 1980, Dianne Broyle became the
church organist in January 1981 and, except for 1989-90, which
she spent in Bethesda, Maryland, has served in that capacity
ever since.
A lifelong musician who remembers her mother teaching her to sing harmony and play melodies on the keyboard before she could read music, Dianne began studying piano at the age of nine and organ at age thirteen. She studied organ with Dr. Paul Robinson at Wake Forest College (now University).
Although music was a very important part of Dianne’s life and studies, she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish at Wake Forest, and later a master’s degree in Spanish from Florida State University and a master’s degree in Comparative Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. After moving to Oklahoma City, she studied organ with Dr. Antone Godding at Oklahoma City University, and she has attended numerous organ workshops conducted by Dr. Godding. Dianne is a singer as well as an organist and pianist, and she has sung with the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus, the Cantate Chamber Singers of Bethesda, Maryland, and the Canterbury Choral Society of Oklahoma City. Whenever the First Unitarian choir sings a cappella or with instruments other than organ or piano, she joins them in singing.
When she is not performing music at First Unitarian, Dianne is at her other job as Professor of Modern Languages at Oklahoma City Community College, or she is traveling. In her travels to Mexico, Ecuador, Spain, and France, she has visited many churches and cathedrals, where she has heard wonderful organs, including those of Chartres and Notre Dame.
She currently serves as chair of the Department of Languages and the Arts at the college, and her department includes Modern Languages, English as a Second Language, Art, Theatre, Graphic Communications, and Music. She enjoys the opportunity to interact on a regular basis with music faculty and to participate in choral rehearsals and concerts.
Dianne’s husband, Robert H. Broyles, is also an active member of First Unitarian and is frequently heard at the Forum speaking on scientific issues. |
