Doors Open for Music at Southminster

After 12 years serving as the Southminster United Church’s music director, Roland Graham will step down from his post at the end of January. For the time being he will continue to run the Doors Open for Music at Southminster (DOMS) noon-hour series, which he has run in parallel with his role in the church since launching the series in 2013.

“As with so many programs in so many institutions recently,” said Graham, “DOMS struggled to survive the pandemic and now needs some development and support to have a solid future in the post-pandemic era. I plan to see the series through until the end of the season at least, to weather some of these challenges, and possibly beyond. Suffice it to say, the future of DOMS is as important to me as anything else in my musical and professional life.”

One of the biggest pandemic challenges has been financial. Costs of presenting live-stream concerts have risen and revenue has gone down due to smaller audiences. The current financial model will be difficult to sustain over the long-term. Additional sources of income are needed to survive in a post-COVID world, and work on this is being done. Dontions can be made through Canadahelps.org or directly to the church.

In view of his retirement from leading Southminster’s liturgical music program, which involved directing the church’s choir and playing music for Sunday services, Graham will lead the final DOMS concert for the year on December 22, featuring an expanded Southminster choir joined by a baroque orchestra and soloists.