Sunny's Reflections on 26 Years at FPCE
The Sakais came to the First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood’s Sanctuary for the first time on Sunday October 31, 1999. Our children, Nozomi, Hibiki, and Inori, were 7, 4, and 3 respectively.
Ted and I were in awe of the beauty of the sanctuary, the message from the pulpit, and the professional singing by soloists on the balcony. The people of the congregation welcomed the five of us with open arms from day one, helped us get our life started here in this community, and nurtured us with warm hearts.
I began my musical life here at FPCE by singing in the choir, and I occasionally was given opportunities to play the piano. Shortly after, I was to play at the Wednesday Worship regularly by Rev. Doug Stevens. Shaun joined me when he returned from college. In these casual services, we introduced many contemporary hymns and songs which were not allowed in the sanctuary that time.
Then Rev. Beckie Hickock came as the interim pastor. Beckie would throw whatever music she thought “appropriate” including rock and pop music, to the services. She had us play this music (which was often requested at the last minute) even in the sanctuary. It was quite a change, but in my opinion, the music scene in this church changed for good.
I was assigned as the organist when Rev. Mike Wilson and Rev. Michael Rucker were with us. This was a significant challenge. It was never easy for me despite my trying very hard (especially with those foot pedals – some are too far to reach with my little legs) to make the instrument sound its best and to play hymns as beautifully and authentically as I could. Looking back on it now, taking organ lessons and practicing hard every day was certainly a good experience and a good memory.
One of my passions as a church musician has been to try to reharmonize and tweak existing pieces of music especially for the postlude so the music could be uplifting, soothing, and meaningful to conclude the service. I have been fortunate to be allowed to share this joy in the formal service. I always hoped people would leave the service with smiles and be able to start their week with positive feelings.
None of this would be possible without Brian Bailey, my piano technician. He has been taking care of the YAMAHA grand piano in our sanctuary which I brought from Japan. Piano technicians are always behind the scenes, but what they do is very critical for pianists to perform their best. Tuning the piano precisely is already demanding, but Brian always goes the extra mile to make it last longer. He also makes the brightness of the tone and the action of each key regulated so the player can play comfortably. Brian’s amazing ear, expertise, and his love for the instruments make my music life much better. It is no wonder that he used to be the piano technician at Heinz Hall, working with numerous world-renowned pianists.
In 26 years, I’ve seen many changes here in this church, but some things have not changed. The very first time I called the office, the voice from the phone sounded warm and welcoming, making me feel relaxed. 26 years later, Judy’s voice hasn’t changed at all. That makes everybody–new and old comers–feel good. Always.
For 25 years, I got to work with Shaun, who has made my work so easy by helping me with his
thoughtfulness as well as his musical gift, knowledge and experience. He would prepare EVERYTHING to make me do my job smoothly. I cannot thank him enough for his support in so many ways. With our non-verbal communication, we’ve had (maybe too much) fun making music together in worship services.
In recent years we are blessed to have Jason and David with us. Their kind souls and sharp brains brought us such positive energy and have drawn wonderful new folks to the church.
My sincere gratitude to Jason, who encourages everybody to say The Lord’s Prayer in their own language. It had been my wish for such a long time.
In worship services, what I enjoyed so much was to watch and listen to you all sing hymns with my accompaniment. I have been so blessed by this FPCE family. I could not think of my life in Pittsburgh without all of you. The FPCE will always have a special place in my heart, full of wonderful memories of striving to be an instrument of God’s peace.
Ted and I were in awe of the beauty of the sanctuary, the message from the pulpit, and the professional singing by soloists on the balcony. The people of the congregation welcomed the five of us with open arms from day one, helped us get our life started here in this community, and nurtured us with warm hearts.
I began my musical life here at FPCE by singing in the choir, and I occasionally was given opportunities to play the piano. Shortly after, I was to play at the Wednesday Worship regularly by Rev. Doug Stevens. Shaun joined me when he returned from college. In these casual services, we introduced many contemporary hymns and songs which were not allowed in the sanctuary that time.
Then Rev. Beckie Hickock came as the interim pastor. Beckie would throw whatever music she thought “appropriate” including rock and pop music, to the services. She had us play this music (which was often requested at the last minute) even in the sanctuary. It was quite a change, but in my opinion, the music scene in this church changed for good.
I was assigned as the organist when Rev. Mike Wilson and Rev. Michael Rucker were with us. This was a significant challenge. It was never easy for me despite my trying very hard (especially with those foot pedals – some are too far to reach with my little legs) to make the instrument sound its best and to play hymns as beautifully and authentically as I could. Looking back on it now, taking organ lessons and practicing hard every day was certainly a good experience and a good memory.
One of my passions as a church musician has been to try to reharmonize and tweak existing pieces of music especially for the postlude so the music could be uplifting, soothing, and meaningful to conclude the service. I have been fortunate to be allowed to share this joy in the formal service. I always hoped people would leave the service with smiles and be able to start their week with positive feelings.
None of this would be possible without Brian Bailey, my piano technician. He has been taking care of the YAMAHA grand piano in our sanctuary which I brought from Japan. Piano technicians are always behind the scenes, but what they do is very critical for pianists to perform their best. Tuning the piano precisely is already demanding, but Brian always goes the extra mile to make it last longer. He also makes the brightness of the tone and the action of each key regulated so the player can play comfortably. Brian’s amazing ear, expertise, and his love for the instruments make my music life much better. It is no wonder that he used to be the piano technician at Heinz Hall, working with numerous world-renowned pianists.
In 26 years, I’ve seen many changes here in this church, but some things have not changed. The very first time I called the office, the voice from the phone sounded warm and welcoming, making me feel relaxed. 26 years later, Judy’s voice hasn’t changed at all. That makes everybody–new and old comers–feel good. Always.
For 25 years, I got to work with Shaun, who has made my work so easy by helping me with his
thoughtfulness as well as his musical gift, knowledge and experience. He would prepare EVERYTHING to make me do my job smoothly. I cannot thank him enough for his support in so many ways. With our non-verbal communication, we’ve had (maybe too much) fun making music together in worship services.
In recent years we are blessed to have Jason and David with us. Their kind souls and sharp brains brought us such positive energy and have drawn wonderful new folks to the church.
My sincere gratitude to Jason, who encourages everybody to say The Lord’s Prayer in their own language. It had been my wish for such a long time.
In worship services, what I enjoyed so much was to watch and listen to you all sing hymns with my accompaniment. I have been so blessed by this FPCE family. I could not think of my life in Pittsburgh without all of you. The FPCE will always have a special place in my heart, full of wonderful memories of striving to be an instrument of God’s peace.
December 2025 Music Ministry News
What a celebration we had on November 23 for our beloved sister Sunny! We put on our best and did hospitality in the best way we know – gathered around tables. Thanks to Mandy, Jan, Sue, Ruth, Lorraine, Marcia, Rhonda, Flo, Tyler, Jason, David, Judy, Jim, Lisa, Patricia, Kim, and anyone else that I may not have known was involved in planning the day and providing the tasty treats. It was such a blessing to share a beautiful concert with some of our favorite pieces played by Sunny, and with wonderful commentary by her on why she chose the selections. Then to spend time in the Gathering Place with Sunny, Ted, Nozomi, Inori, as well as some neighbors and friends of the Sakais, former FPCE pastors and members, and our church family sharing stories and memories of how Sunny has touched our lives. A fitting tribute to someone who has given so much of herself to our congregation for over 25 years. We have been truly lucky to have deep worship through Sunny’s musical gifts.
And thanks to our faithful videographer, John Foster, the concert will be available on our YouTube page. We’ll send the link out in our weekly email newsletter and post it on the webpage for you to view.
We will treasure the next few weeks in December, making as many musical memories as we can before Sunny’s last worship with us on Christmas Eve. To make that service even more meaningful, Inori will join us on violin, and the choir will share a special anthem (they don’t usually sing due to holiday commitments by our singers). If you are able to join us, we would love to have a many of our church family in the pews, raising our candles and voices in an emotional chorus of “Silent Night.”
December 14 my North Hills Singers group will return to join us for worship. Due to the congregational meeting after the service, we will not have the mini-concert, but they will sing 3 or 4 songs during worship and also combine with our Sanctuary Choir on the “Christmas Hallelujah” that we’ve performed a few times. Thanks in advance to the choir for helping me provide a meal for the students while you all are meeting.
Once we turn the calendar to January, it will be me sitting at the piano bench for about a month while we transition. We’ll have more details to share in February – rest assured, God’s hand was involved in crafting the future of our music ministry!
I wish you all the blessings of the holiday season and am grateful to be part of this church family that is so special.
Peace,
Shaun
And thanks to our faithful videographer, John Foster, the concert will be available on our YouTube page. We’ll send the link out in our weekly email newsletter and post it on the webpage for you to view.
We will treasure the next few weeks in December, making as many musical memories as we can before Sunny’s last worship with us on Christmas Eve. To make that service even more meaningful, Inori will join us on violin, and the choir will share a special anthem (they don’t usually sing due to holiday commitments by our singers). If you are able to join us, we would love to have a many of our church family in the pews, raising our candles and voices in an emotional chorus of “Silent Night.”
December 14 my North Hills Singers group will return to join us for worship. Due to the congregational meeting after the service, we will not have the mini-concert, but they will sing 3 or 4 songs during worship and also combine with our Sanctuary Choir on the “Christmas Hallelujah” that we’ve performed a few times. Thanks in advance to the choir for helping me provide a meal for the students while you all are meeting.
Once we turn the calendar to January, it will be me sitting at the piano bench for about a month while we transition. We’ll have more details to share in February – rest assured, God’s hand was involved in crafting the future of our music ministry!
I wish you all the blessings of the holiday season and am grateful to be part of this church family that is so special.
Peace,
Shaun
Music MinistryAlways expect the unexpected. This is probably a good way to describe the varied ways in which music is incorporated into the ministry at First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood. Led by Minister of Music Shaun Cloonan, the volunteer and staff members of the music ministry present expressions of praise and enhancement to worship through a multitude of ways.
Sanctuary Choir The dedicated and talented members of the Sanctuary Choir meet each week for an hour before Sunday morning worship to learn hymns, anthems, and presentations to share in worship. Mostly a traditional SATB format, the styles the choir have tackled range from simple chants from the Taize and Iona traditions, to mass settings in Latin, to gospel pieces and traditional songs from Africa. More important than the high quality of music, though, is the incredible sense of family and community felt in this group. Consider joining to be a part of the "joyful noise!" Worship Ensemble What some might consider a "praise band," this ensemble varies in its instrumentation and members depending on scheduling and availability. The core group is piano, percussion, a vocal soloist, and guitar. Some months, additional guitars are included, as well as keyboard, additional singers, auxilliary percussion (such as djembe or conga), saxophone, euphonium, and even violin. This ensemble rehearses the week before the monthly Emerging Worship service, usually on a Wednesday evening as well as early Sunday morning. Guest Musicians Over the years, FPCE has been fortunate to have several guest musicians and ensembles join in worship. Several years in a row, the University of Pittsburgh Women's Choral Ensemble sang during worship, and then used the building for their fall retreat. The Nouveau Noir Vocal Ensemble twice collaborated in worship with the FPCE Sanctuary choir during 2012 and 2013. The North Hills Singers chamber choir that Minister of Music Shaun Cloonan directs at North Hills High School sang during worship and then offered a mini-concert after in 2012, 2014-2018, and 2022. We've held Jazz Vespers services, featuring pianist Sunny Sakai with various combinations of professional jazz musicians. Easter 2017 featured guest flute and cello player, and niece of retired Pastor Michael Rucker, Liana Westerman, along with resident worship ensemble guitarist Lisa Segedy. Christmas Eve 2022 featured guest flute soloist Sarah Steranka, and our 2022 Christmas Day "from Home" recorded service featured violinist Inori Sakai playing with mom Sunny on piano. Music Outreach FPCE has enjoyed a partnership with the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra for nearly 30 years by hosting their annual holiday concert on the first Saturday in December. In 2020, the ESO began holding their weekly rehearsals in the sanctuary. They performed several socially distanced recordings and concerts in the sanctuary during their 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. In the summer of 2022, the partnership was formalized further by the ESO taking residency in the office space on the second floor of the building. They hold their annual auditions, regular board meetings, weekly rehearsals, and at least one subscription concert at FPCE each year. From 2014-16, the FPCE music ministry hosted a fall regional Women's Choral Festival, featuring collegiate, community, and high school female singing ensembles for an afternoon of song. The community choir Belle Voci has re-established this festival and will host it in the FPCE sanctuary in October 2023. Throughout the years, Edgewood has welcomed visiting musical groups, ranging from organ recitalists to jazz combos to choral ensembles. Most recently, FPCE audience members have enjoyed performances by the Cantare Choir from the Young People's Chorus of Erie in June 2012, pianist Nathan Carterette in June 2013, the Heidelberg University Concert Choir in May 2017, Voces Solis Summer Singers in August 2019 and 2023, and Munhall Community Band for several of their season concerts in 2021-23. Vocal Confluence All-Voice Barbershop Chorus meets weekly on Monday evenings in the Sanctuary and holds their annual holiday and summer shows, as well as seasonal coaching sessions at FPCE. Steranka Flute Studios, LLC runs out of the Christian Education Office on the first floor for private flute students of Sarah Steranka. Their winter and spring studio recitals are also held at FPCE. The Edgewood Organ The first pipe organ of the Edgewood Presbyterian Church was installed in 1917 by Casavent Frères, Lte. company of Canada. This organ served the church until 1967 when, under budgetary constraints, the failing organ was replaced with a modest-sized Möller organ, built in Hagerstown, Maryland. The console from the original organ had been retained until funds became available for a new one. In quite serious condition, the console was finally replaced in 1978 with a generously sized 4-manual Möller console built to match the intricately carved oak of the sanctuary and organ case. In 1992, the console was rebuilt with a new solid-state combination action which replaced the old, air-driven, pneumatic combination action. Less than two years later, the entire Antiphonal organ had to be shut down completely and it was apparent that substantial repairs were imminent. In 1998, a fundraising campaign began to rebuild the organ and to purchase a keyboard. The Organ Fund Committee launched the campaign, "Music for the Millennium" on Easter Sunday, 1999. In 2001, the instrument renovation was completed, and the organ was used regularly for Sunday worship, weddings, funerals, and recitals, until 2019 when Session voted to reduce spending on regular tuning and maintenance in the annual budget. The instrument is now used mostly to toll the hour at the start of worship, for weddings or funerals at the family's expense, and for occasional concerts by music ensembles using the sanctuary. Music Ministry Staff Shaun Cloonan, minister of music Sunny Sakai, associate music director & pianist |
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