Unity Church of New York Music Ministry

As the founding Director of Music Ministry at Unity Church of New York, Britt’s work has received praise from around the world. He is the director of Spiritus vocal ensemble, in which he is also an original member, as well as the Unity New York choir, Voices In Unity. He has produced and directed numerous concerts and events at Unity of New York and beyond. Britt also played a key role in the creation and publishing of the inspirational book and accompanying CD, Badge of Courage (written by Barbara Raven, read by Oscar-winning actress Patricia Neal, music by David Friedman, sung by Spiritus.)

After wearing lots of hats in many different phases of life, Britt finally realized that the passionate thread of his life since childhood was music.  It’s what has always come naturally to him.  Busy earlier in life as an athlete and musician, Britt didn’t really begin his career as a performer until after attending college, first at Troy State University in Troy, Alabama, and later at the University of Florida in his home state.

Britt is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. As an actor, he has performed and originated numerous leading roles in musicals and straight plays from Off-Broadway to regional and dinner theatres around the country to national tours. His work has included film, television, cabaret and recordings. As a commercial print model, Britt’s likeness sometimes pops up in the most unlikely places. You might spot him anywhere from a bank to an airplane; from a bus to a billboard.

“Although my career is what brought me to New York, the moment I arrived many years ago, it was clear that I was home. As the Director of Music Ministry at my spiritual home, Unity Church of New York, I am living proof that we really can create what we want in our lives. I am truly honored to be the leader of these amazing groups of talented individuals. As my favorite mystic Meister Eckhart pointed out in the 13th century, ‘if the only prayer we ever said is Thank You, that would suffice.’ So I fervently say, Thank You, God!”

see also: SpiritusNYC.com

Doyle Newmyer began studying piano at age five in his native state of Colorado. His musical interests drew him to study music theory and composition at the University of Colorado, the University of Memphis and with Rudolph Schramm in New York City. Throughout Mr. Newmyer’s career he has appeared numerous times as soloist, composer and arranger with the Memphis Symphony as well as the Memphis Civic Orchestra performing classical, contemporary, jazz and original material. His broad range of musical interests and experiences serve him well in his many musical pursuits. He has recorded an album of his original songs and has worked extensively in the recording industry in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee and in New York City.

Mr. Newmyer has served as Musical Director/Arranger and Vocal Coach for numerous performing artists including Tony Award Winner Chuck Cooper, Alton Fitzgerald White, Jana Robbins, Marieann Meringolo, Karen Kohler, and Avery Sommers. He also teaches at NYU/CAP21 in New York City working with aspiring musical theater students. As Vocal Coach he has worked with Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus Ringmaster Tyron McFarlan and Songstress Jennifer Fuentes. Mr. Newmyer is the bandleader for Unity Church of New York.

Musician, Magician, Producer…Clyde Bullard has played bass with Bill Withers, Eddie Murphy, The Weather Girls, Gloria Gaynor, Martha Wash, Freddie Jackson, Cuba Gooding & the Main Ingrediant, The Delfonics, Brasil’s superstars Beth Carvalho, Zeze Motta and Jair Rodriques. He spent seventeen years as the bassist for “The Boys Choir of Harlem”, touring the world.

He created “Mystic Merlin”, a band that performed magic in concert and was signed to Capitol Records in Hollywood, California.

Clyde has played in the orchestras of such Broadway shows as “Two Gentlemen of Verona”, “Hair”, “Bubbling Brown Sugar”, “A Chorus Line” and “Amen Corner”.

As a producer, Clyde has produced, Bucky Pizarelli, Jay Leonhardt, Eddie Palmieri, Joey DeFrancesco, Stanley Turrentine, Marion McPartland, Jon Hendricks, The New York Opera, Alex Blake, Gloria Lynne, Little Jimmy Scott, The Tito Puente Orchestra,, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Jimmy McGriff, Kenny Garrett, Barry Harris, Jimmy Heath, Gary Bartz, Randy Weston and The World of Brasil.

Clyde is also on the panel for N.Y.S.C.A (New York State Council for the Arts).

Drummer/Teacher/Percussionist, Brian Woodruff has been free-lancing in the New York City area since 1995. Mr. Woodruff received a Bachelor of Music in Applied Percussion from the University of Connecticut in 1990 and a Master’s Degree in Jazz and Commercial Music from the Manhattan School of Music in 1995.

Mr. Woodruff has toured the United States, Asia, and Europe and has performed with Bobby Watson, Marian MacPartland, David Lahm, Jerry Hahn, Harvie S, Jiggs Whigham, Stacey Dillard, Sebastian Noelle, Nick Russo, PULSE Percussion Ensemble, The New Music Consort and in the orchestras for a variety of musicals, including “A Chorus Line”, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and “Chicago”.

Recently, Mr. Woodruff has been recording and performing with the Jacob Varmus Quintet, singer Aimee Allen, The New-Trad Octet, Astoria Music Society, and with his own band, the Brian Woodruff Sextet.
e-mail: woodruffbrian@yahoo.com

Eleni Yalanis is filled with joy and gratitude to be a member of Unity's music ministry.  Eleni began playing the violin at an early age under the direction of her father, violinist Tom Yalanis.  She continued her studies at American University in Washington, D.C., where she earned her B.A. in Music in 1997.  Eleni has played with the Washington Symphony Orchestra and has participated in the summer music festival at Brevard Music Center in North Carolina.  As a free lance violinist she has played for numerous musical theater productions and studio recordings, as well as orchestral and chamber music concerts in the tri-state area. She has appeared with the New York Metro Mass Choir as a choir member as well as violin soloist.   As a member of Sarasvati String Quartet, she enjoys playing for weddings, celebrations and religious services. She has taught music in the New York City and Washington, D.C. public school systems and at the Monmouth Conservatory of Music in Redbank, New Jersey.  Currently, she serves on the violin faculty and as a teaching artist at the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music. Grateful and blessed, Eleni really enjoys playing and teaching the violin and singing with Unity of New York’s choir, Voices in Unity!

Ms. Hamilton, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, says that she began “fiddlin’ around” at the age of eight to keep her little brothers from bothering her.  Pamm began performing professionally at the age of twelve as a folk singer and self-taught guitarist.

In the mid-seventies, she performed as a violinist “a la Chic” with A&M Records recording artists Seven Miles High, an R&B group that toured with War, Al Green, Leon Thomas and Grand Funk Railroad.  At the same time, she began exploring musical theatre with Ohio regional theatre companies, performing in Hello Dolly!, For Colored Girls…, and Eubie, to name a few.  She also honed her improvisational chops performing as an opening act at the “Kool Jazz Festival” which featured Oscar Peterson, Earl Klugh, Spiro Gyra and Stephane Grappelli.
Pamm studied Jazz Vocal Performance at the New School/ Mannes College of Music in Manhattan, and studied Jazz Improvisation on viola with internationally known educators and performing artists Julie Lyonn Lieberman, John Blake and Darol Anger of the Turtle Island String Quartet at Stanford University’s Jazz Workshop in Palo Alto, California.

Ms. Hamilton has been a faculty member at the Queens Conservatory since 1999 and is the violist with the conservatory’s string quartet.  She performs original compositions as well as blues, jazz, contemporary and spiritual selections.  She has participated in several national vocal competitions, most notably the national American Traditions Vocal Competition in Savannah, Georgia,  where she was a semi-finalist.  She also teaches violin at the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II Charter School and Riverbank State Park’s Cultural Center and is the violin instructor for Los Angeles County Summer Youth Music Academy in California.