The Brooklyn Ecumenical Choir of Bedford Stuyvesant is a group of volunteer choristers from divergent faiths who initially came together in the year 2000 to help purchase a pipe organ for the Cornerstone Baptist Church, Brooklyn, New York. The choir's original mission has long since been accomplished and have continued to perform in churches and halls thorughout the New York City area.
Our repertoire includes requiems by Brahms, Faure and Verdi, Mendelssohn's Elijah, complete programs of African American Spirituals, art songs, anthems, hymn settings, gospel, arrangements, and numerous works by African American composers.
Brooklyn Ecumenical Choir-Just who is B.E.C?
ABOUT
MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to use concerts and appearances to expose, educate and minister through the universal language of music. We believe in spreading the gospel through singing African American spirituals, hymns, anthems, and contemporary gospel songs.
Proceeds are earmarked for scholarships which are presented annually to high school seniors pursuing a career in music.
MEMBERS
BROOKLYN ECUMENICAL CHOIR, INC.
Sopranos
Bellot, Karen Williams
Coles, Audrey
Davis, Gwen
Dean, Maisha Omotunde
Grosvenor, Felicia
Grosvenor, Kathleen
Hazzard, Colleen
Johnson, Tommie
Morris, Cecilia
Phillips, Audrey
Scott, Yolene
Waldron, Sherrylyn
Williams, Olive
Altos
Black, Kalita Morel
Brown, Akua Henderson
Douglas, Kimberly
Grant, Patricia
McRae, Robrette
Patterson, Dianne
Patterson, Joan E.
Powell, Beverly
Williams, Vivian
Tenors
Denson, Bennie
Hopson, Dallas
Keyes, Nathaniel
Moulton, Albert E.
Wrenn, Lawrence P.
Basses
Hunt, George
The Brooklyn Ecumenical Choir
Founders
Mrs. Patricia Pates Eaton ✞
(May 12, 1936 - September 14, 2022)
Co-Founder BEC
PATRICIA PATES EATON, Retired Co-Founder and Principal Conductor of the Brooklyn Ecumenical Chorus of Bedford Stuyvesant. Under her direction the Chorus performed major oratorios, Elijah, Verdi Requiem, Faure Requiem, Brahms Requiem, the Robert Ray Mass, I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes by Hailstock, complete programs of Negro Spirituals and complete programs of the music of Black Composers.
Mrs. Eaton is the Retired Principal Conductor of the New York All City High School Chorus, Retired teacher and coordinator of vocal music at Wadleigh Secondary School for the Arts and Martin Van Buren High School and former conductor of the Girls Choir of Harlem. She has conducted award winning choirs in Chicago and New York City that participated in concerts, television broadcasts and recordings. Mrs. Eaton has been Minister of Music at several New York City churches including Church of the Master (Presbyterian) Bethany Baptist Church (Brooklyn) and Bridge Street AWME Church. The choirs that she conducted were featured on two different radio stations simultaneously.
Patricia sang with the Metropolitan Opera Association, the New York Philharmonic, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, American Opera Society, the Opera Orchestra of New York; Rome Opera, Theatre de Westerns in Berlin, toured with the Robert de Cormier Singers and the Howard Roberts Chorale.
Mrs. Eaton produced a concert series "Three on 3 Music" which brings live performers to the Mount Morris Historic District and the Central Harlem community.
Patricia Pates Eaton is the recipient of the 2021 Roosevelt University Chicago College of Performing Arts Deans Alumni Award. In addition, she has been the recipient of awards from the Mayor of the City of New York, the City Council of the City of New York, the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, New York City Planning Board 10, the National Association of Negro Musicians and the New York City Music Teachers Association.
She is a member of The American Guild of Musical Artists, the American Choral Directors Association, a Life Member of The National Association of Negro Musicians, a Diamond Life Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and the NAACP.
She is the proud mother of Patrice.
Patricia Pates Eaton a native of Chicago, Illinois received her Bachelor of Music from Chicago Musical College in Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois and Master of Arts from Columbia University.
Mr. Lawrence P. Wrenn
Co-Founder BEC
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Wrenn received his Bachelor of Music Degree from Westminster College in Princeton, NJ and Masters in Music Education from Aaron Copeland School of Music at Queens College in New York City.
As Co-Founder and Co-Conductor – Mr. Wrenn remains committed to musical excellence in choral performance. He served as Minister of Music at the great Cornerstone Baptist Church in Brooklyn New York for over 25 years. Working with the Brooklyn Ecumenical Choir and presenting performances of Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Handel’s Messiah and other major sacred works, was and is especially exhilarating to him.
He has performed with the New York Philharmonic, in performances of Romeo and Juliette by Berlioz, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Verdi’s Requiem with Monserrat Caballe, Placido Doming also Paul Plishka, and the premier of Krzyzstof Penderecki’s Stephen, with Kathleen Battle and maestro Zubin Mehta.
Mr. Wrenn has been the Music Director of the Saint Marks United Methodist Church in Manhattan since 2010. Mr. Wrenn retired from the New York City Department of Education in 2012. Mr. Wrenn has been the Associate Conductor of the All City Chorus; has worked with the Summer Arts Institute for the Department of Education as choral conductor for The Middle School Vocal Studio; and is a member of the National Association of Negro Musicians.
Originally known as the Brooklyn Ecumenical Choir of Bedford Stuyvesant, the formation of a volunteer community choir with members from divergent faiths was the passion and vision of Co-Founders, Mrs. Patricia Pates Eaton and Mr. Lawrence P. Wrenn.
The choir initially came together in the year 2000 to create a pipe organ fund for the historic Cornerstone Baptist Church, Brooklyn, NY. The funds that were raised over a period of time, allowed for the purchase and dedication of the grand pipe organ in July 2005. Mission accomplished!
After the choir’s overwhelmingly successful debut concert featuring Mendelssohn’s Elijah, the members decided to continue rehearsing, singing and performing in churches, halls and events throughout New York City. In 2019 the choir attained 501 (c)(3) non-profit status as the Brooklyn Ecumenical Choir.