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Sanctuary Choir

The TUC Sanctuary Choir sings a wide variety of sacred music ranging from 16th century European church music, to music by contemporary composers, to African-American spirituals. Most of our members are amateurs. We are blessed to have experienced leaders: Takamichi Shiozawa, director; Miwako Horii and Ignatius Banda, organists.

Members: The choir, like the congregation, has members from many countries and church backgrounds. One of the joys of membership is sharing music (and food!). Members range in age from high school to more “mature” singers.
Schedule: The choir sings an introit and an anthem at the 11:00 service three Sundays a month. On the 3rd Sunday of each month we sing at the 8:30 service. During the summer months (from mid-June to the end of August), there is only one service at 10:00. The choir sings every Sunday during the summer, except during the month of August.

In June and December there is a special Choir Sunday for which the choir prepares a twenty-to-thirty-minute program, usually a longer choral work. On special Sundays (Choir Sunday, Palm Sunday and Easter) the choir sings at both services (see Our repertoire page). We also sing on Christmas Eve. Sometimes we sing at weddings or funerals of church members.

Rehearsals are on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 and on Sunday mornings from 10:00 to 10:45.

In October we have a weekend retreat, usually at the Tozanso YMCA facility in Gotemba. We spend our time in intense practice, especially for the upcoming Choir Sunday, devotions, and fellowship.
Profile of Leaders


Takamichi Shiozawa

Takamichi Shiozawa (Choir Director) has been at TUC since 1970. He has a successful career in both singing and teaching. His performance as a baritone includes a bass solo in In Terra Pax by Frank Martin under the composer’s direction at Dartmouth College, U.S.A. Also notable is his performance of the bass solo in Mozart’s Vespers at the Mozart Festival in Philharmonic Hall, New York. Both were performed in the 1960s and received high praise in a New York Times review. In Japan, he has taught voice and directed choral music at conservatories and local choirs. He received his vocal training at Tokyo University of the Arts and The Juilliard School.



Miwako Horii
Miwako Horii (Organist) has been at TUC since 1977. Her numerous performances include organ recitals in the Tokyo area as well as the annual performance of Handel’s Messiah (organ and harpsichord) at Aoyama Gakuin University. She studied at Aoyama Gakuin and received organ training at Tokyo University of the Arts. She also teaches regularly at other churches and at Aoyama Gakuin.


Ignatius Banda
Ignatius Banda (Organist) is a young organist. His organ career includes organist at St. Anselm’s Catholic Church in Meguro.   His repertoire ranges from classical to jazz, with a specialization in 20th century French composers. He studied organ with Tanaka Yumiko and Brian Ashley, jazz piano with Eddie Mendenhall, and classical piano with Yamaha.