Transcript Staff Writer
In her 40 years as University Lutheran Church choir director, 50 years total directing Lutheran church choirs, Sammie Olkinetzky has been through 19 church organists and 9 pastors, outlasting them all with her love of music and devotion to recruiting, and keeping, singers for her choirs. And she has no plans to slow down any time soon.
"They'll have to make me quit," Olkinetzky said. "I love it too much."
University Lutheran Pastor Mike Girlinghouse, who has served the church since 2005, describes Olkinetzky as having a good sense of humor.
"Sammie knows what works musically in our church, both with the congregation and the capabilities of the choir," Girlinghouse said. "(It is) unique to have a choir that sings two anthems a week."
Throughout her career, Olkinetzky has encouraged everyone to pursue their passion to sing. She responds to people who claim they can't carry a tune in a basket by saying, "We'll even provide the basket if you'll but try to exercise your vocal cords."
Olkinetzky was honored last weekend at University Lutheran with a surprise celebration to commemorate her 50 years with Lutheran church choirs in Norman. There was cake, flowers and church members who grew up under musical tutelage of Olkinetzky, an extended family of sorts.
"I love my choir members," she said. "They're like a family to me."
Many of the young children Olkinetzky remembers sitting in the front pew so their parents in the choir could keep an eye on them during the service are now middle aged.
"They're grandparents now," she said. "It's really quite something."
Olkinetzky has even outlasted the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's hymnal book, the collection standard English-language liturgy and hymns used in ELCA churches everywhere since 1978. The Lutheran Book of Worship, known as "the green book," will be replaced this fall at University Lutheran with a new standard hymnal after 27 printings and nearly 20 years of use. Olkinetzky, still in her first printing, is nowhere near ready to be put on the shelf.
When Pastor Sally Roach served from 1999-2003, she especially enjoyed Olkinetzky's ability to "do so many styles of music" both contemporary and traditional "with a flare that fills people with a sense of the presence of God." The Lessons and Carols special Christmas services were Pastor Roach's favorites and brought members who had moved away back to attend the performances.
Olkinetzky's love of music started early when she was a child in Ada. Her father was a singer and insisted she take piano lessons as a child. She later went on to earn her master's degree in music education from the University of Oklahoma.
She doesn't like to choose a favorite piece of music, because it all moves her, but it was the beautiful, old German cantatas that drew her to the Lutheran church. She loves the cheery Christmas music of the annual University Lutheran Lessons and Carols service and the hymn "A Mighty Fortress is our God."
Sung each year on Reformation Day, the hymn, penned by Martin Luther, is like a national anthem of sorts. "Everyone stands up when we sing it," Olkinetzky said.
Olkinetzky's career began as a guest soloist performing Christmas and Easter cantatas with the Trinity Lutheran Church choir in Norman under the direction of John Norman.
When Norman left to continue his studies in 1957, he recommended Olkinetzky replace him as the director of two children's choirs and one adult choir. Olkinetzky calls this "the happiest coincidence of my life."
After 10 years at Trinity Lutheran, Sammie directed the choir for the newly formed University Lutheran Church with Pastor William H. Hecht. ULCSC met at Trinity before building its own sanctuary on Elm Street.
Hecht remembers Olkinetzky as "a genius ... the best choir director that I've ever known," and said she kept recruiting him for choir although he told her he was a "hopeless cause."
At ULSCS from 1968-1998, Pastor David Klumpp says Olkinetzky supplied a critical aspect to the worship service with stamina and courage.
"Music was one of our strong suits," Klumpp said. "You have to get people to sing in harmony and live in harmony -- and she works well in both."
For Pastor Mary Peterson who served as an interim pastor for ULCSC from 1998-1999, it was Olkinetzky's deep knowledge of the Lutheran liturgy and tradition and the skill "which she so joyfully and enthusiastically put to work" that make her an invaluable resource for any pastor.
Dan Hanttula contributed to this report
