Original Song Project: A Showcase of Unificationist Musicians

Photos courtesy of Sunhwa Reiner

Young Unificationists from across the country recently had the chance to tap their creative side while producing their own music. Fourteen young adults participated in the second annual Original Song Project from Aug. 15 to 19 in Manhattan. The weeklong workshop, led by founder and director Sunhwa Reiner, brought together musicians of varying levels who all wrote and performed their original songs in an open concert.

Reiner, who is a piano and vocal instructor, first launched the workshop in summer 2022 to create “a space for Unificationist musicians and friends to experience the transformative power of songwriting,” she says. “I believe that through hands-on creativity, people can foster their relationships with God and understand themselves much more deeply. God is, after all, a creator.”

The songwriting workshop drew participants from Florida, Maryland, Colorado, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, who quickly bonded over their shared love of music despite their different backgrounds. Reiner said although many of the participants hadn't written a song before, they were eager to learn something new.

“Many expressed that this songwriting experience gave them more confidence and that they experienced a deep personal growth,” Reiner says. “They shared different ways the workshop impacted them, with one participant stating it was ‘life-changing,’ and another felt that God inspired them to come.”

The workshop helped others cultivate greater passion and dedication toward music, Reiner noted. “Many of the original songs expressed a deep and unique part of each participant,” she says. “There were themes such as being creators of their own life path, family relationships, being there for others in a time of need, and searching for home.”

The songs spanned diverse genres and featured a variety of instrumental combinations. With the help of staff, including Iasmin Lumibao, Sarah Falconi, and Yoshiha Tsuchida, the group worked with professional songwriter and pastor Joe Young of Florida who led the songwriting lectures. 

“Joe has a passion and talent for songwriting and storytelling,” says Reiner. “As the founder and pastor of The Living Room Ministry, his expertise and guidance helped everyone to write their own original song and perform them in a final concert open to the public.”

Participants also enjoyed a personal tour of the Manhattan Center courtesy of Markus Karr, Roy Clark, and Scott Avery, and saw a music show at the historic Apollo Theater. “They explored New York City and felt the inspiration of the spirit and energy of the city’s atmosphere,” Reiner says. 

More than 150 people came to the concert showcase at the end of the workshop at the Manhattan Family Church, while another 700 people saw the YouTube livestream. “We’re very grateful to everyone who supported this effort,” says Reiner. “The individual donors, local churches, concert attendees, and volunteers all made it possible for our songwriters to have this incredible experience.”

You can listen to a playlist of the workshop’s original songs here, and donate to support the Original Song Project here.