Dear First Church,
I am pleased to announce that Ulung Tanoto has been selected as our next Director of Music Ministry. As you will see from his bio below, Ulung is a composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist who brings a multicultural sensibility to music and worship. His current church setting has been a predominantly Cameroonian congregation in Adelphi where he is known as a collaborative music leader whose style is deeply respectful and informed by his faith. Ulung’s skills, talents, and experience align with our emerging vision for music at First Church.
After being selected by the Search Committee as the final candidate, Council unanimously approved the terms of his contract. In accordance with our Bylaws, the agreement to hire Ulung is subject to ratification by the congregation at our Spring Meeting on May 18, 2025. Ulung’s first Sunday with us will be April 27th, the Sunday after Easter. Please help him experience the warm welcome of First Church.
Finally, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our search committee (Susan Anderson, chair, Rev. Amanda, Jamie Orr, Sydney Avent, Jason Carson Wilson, Gail Sonneman, Laura Simmons, Dwan Reece, and Abigal Cipparone) for its thoughtful deliberations throughout the entire search process. Please take a moment to read Ulung’s bio below.
Dwan Reece, Moderator
About Ulung Tanoto, First Church’s Next Director of Music Ministry
Ulung Tanoto has been a musician his entire life. From playing electric guitar in a rock band in high school to performing flute in orchestras and jazz bands during college, to composing music for films and commercials, his journey in music has been diverse. He moved from Indonesia to the U.S. to further his career as film composer, earned his MFA, and briefly worked in Hollywood. However, he took a sharp turn to focus on music projects that blend his Indonesian influences with Western music traditions. His works in this cultural fusion have been premiered at concert venues around the DMV area, as well as nationally and internationally.
Regardless of his ever-changing focus in the music field, Ulung has always been involved in church music ministry, which has played a significant role in his musical training, development, and career. Over the past decade, he has served at Adelphi Presbyterian Church, City Church of Honolulu, and Rockville Presbyterian Church. When it comes to style, he enjoys all types of worship music—traditional, gospel, contemporary, etc. He especially loves rearranging familiar hymns in different styles and often shares his recordings on his YouTube channel, Hymns Made Fresh.