Staff

music director: William Peek

William Peek served the First Unitarian Church in Brooklyn Heights, New York,  as Music Director and Organist for nearly three decades.  Under his direction, the choir and soloists of the First Unitarian Church performed a wide variety of works in concert performance, ranging from Handel’s Messiah and the Faure Requiem to rarely performed masterworks by composers such as Rheinberger, Zelenka, Leonarda, and Graupner.  For twenty-one years, Bill was on the faculty of the Portledge School in Locust Valley, New York, where he directed the choral program, taught music theory, coached chamber and jazz ensembles, and served as music director for theater productions.  He was formerly on the faculties of the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn and the Newark Boys Chorus School. 

An active freelance musician, Bill has performed with the Brooklyn Chamber Music Society, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, and directed the Brooklyn Conservatory Chorale and Orchestra in performances of Mozart’s Coronation Mass and works of Schoenberg, Bruckner, and Schubert. He is the author of articles on music published in the Encyclopedia of American History, and served as a music instructor and consultant for the 2007 Warner Brothers film August Rush.  Bill has had a life-long interest in traditional music.  He has performed widely with a variety of bands, playing American, English, and Celtic music on piano, guitar, banjo, hammered dulcimer, and bass. He can be heard on a number of recordings, including Long Expectant Comes At Last by Cathal McConnell. 

He holds the Master of Music degree from Westminster Choir College and has done additional graduate work at Indiana University and Manhattan School of Music.  His teachers include Joseph Flummerfelt, Allen Crowell, and James Jordan (conducting), Eugene Roan, Robert Rayfield, and Stephen Best (organ). 

Bill has served as Organist and Music Director for summer services at Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs since 2013.

HANDbell choir director: Hope O'Brien

Hope grew up with the sound of bells, listening to her church handbell choir rehearse in her family’s living room. She began ringing at her home church, continued through high school and was soon a master of many techniques. Her love of the sound and fellowship of the ringers brought her to direct three handbell choirs in Colorado for fifteen years.  The friendships, fellowships and musicianship of these choirs was simply amazing as they performed in the community as well as in worship services in their churches.

Upon moving to Martha’s Vineyard, Hope revitalized our Handbell Choir with a fantastic group of musicians who volunteer their time, talent and energy to our ever-growing bell choir.  Bell music is amazingly alive on Martha’s Vineyard and we are blessed!

CHILDCARE & SUNDAY SCHOOL: ANDRI COCA

Andri Coca is the proud Mom of 2 year old Valerie (you may have seen them at church), and she works as an assistant teacher at Vineyard Montessori School. She is also continuing her education toward becoming an ECE lead teacher with courses through Cape Cod Community College. Andri is originally from Puerto Rico and was trained and worked as a nurse there. She has lived here on the Vineyard for the past few years. She is pleased and excited to join our church Sunday School/Childcare team and looks forward to meeting children and families at church.

CHILDCARE & SUNDAY SCHOOL: SUSAN BLOCK

Susan Block comes to us from NYC where she was a Professor of Advertising and Graphic Design. On the Vineyard Susan has taught the After-School Program at the YMCA and was a substitute teacher at the Edgartown, Tisbury, Oak Bluffs, West Tisbury and Charter Schools. Susan has been a Sunday School Aide for the Church for over 3 years.