Concert Series

2026-2027 PACC Concert Series

Park Avenue Congregational Church, 50 Paul Revere Road, Arlington, MA 02476
Advance Tickets: Adults $18, Seniors & students $12. At the door: $23 & $15
Reserve tickets: concertseriestix@pacc-ucc.org
For more info: 781-643-8680

Sunday, November, 15th 2026 at 2:00 PM
A Journey of Musical Stories: Arias, Songs, & Duets 
Sara Michale Smith, soprano; Leslie Jacobson Kaye, mezzo-soprano; 
Joanna Porackova, contralto, and Nathan Johnson, piano

This musical journey with exceptional singers presents works by Handel, Bizet as well as modern composers. It includes PACC’s own Jeffrey Brody’s highly dramatic version of Lady Macbeth’s mad scene.  Sara Smith has performed in New England opera companies as well as in concerts of classical, art song, and Broadway repertoire.  Leslie Jacobsen Kaye is equally at home on opera and recital stages.  Joanna Porackova has performed with the Boston Lyric Opera and the Boston Wagner Society as well as famous opera companies throughout the world.

Sunday, December 6th, 2026 at 3:00 PM
PACC’s 36th Annual Christmas Concert: Heavenly Light
PACC Festival Choir, PACC Youth Choir, and other special guests 

Christmas is a time of family, friends, and music that brings us memories of past celebrations and messages of hope in dark times.  This year’s concert honors the “heavenly light” of this special season with celebratory vocal and instrumental selections from a variety of times and cultures, as well as opportunities to sing along to traditional carols.  While this concert is PACC’s gift to the community every year, we appreciate support for our historic E. M. Skinner pipe organ and music program.  Suggested donation $10-$15.

Saturday, April 3rd, 2027 at 3 PM
Lo que  traigo conmigo (The Things I Carry)
Carlos Vargas, piano

Important things that make us who we are can find us without our having chosen them.  This concert traces the contours of an artistic identity thriving at the intersection of two worlds. Starting with songs and dances from Carlos Vargas’ native Dominican Republic, it proceeds to works from Europe and the United States, as well as South America.   We are honored to present this highly skilled, discerning, and passionate pianist who is presently a member of the faculty of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and the New School of Music in Cambridge.

About the series

In 1989, the Music Committee of the Park Avenue Congregational Church undertook the task of restoring our historic Skinner organ. At that time, a price of $60,000 was quoted for the restoration work. Restoration work proceeded slowly due to budget constraints. In 1991 our then choir director, John Cavicchia, directed a Christmas Concert with our Choir, putting the money raised towards the restoration fund. This was the start of the PACC Concert Series.

In addition to our annual Christmas concert, we have invited a number of soloists and groups, all professionals, to perform in the acoustically vibrant Sanctuary as well as more informally in the Parish Hall. Concerts have ranged from classical, to choral, to folk coffeehouses. While the initial restoration process is nearly complete, good stewardship of our beautiful instrument means we need to establish an on-going fund for future repair and maintenance so that we will never again be faced with such a large task for restoration. As a result, the Music Committee has decided to continue its mission of promoting local musicians in the PACC Concert Series, which will raise funds for additional projects in the Music program at PACC and establishing a permanent fund for the E. M. Skinner Organ Maintenance.

Our Sanctuary seats about 300 and features a handsome brick interior with exceptional acoustics – chamber music and a capella groups particularly enjoy using our Sanctuary as a performance space.  It is large enough for a good sized concert, yet intimate enough that everyone can see the performance easily.

We have some recordings of Concert Series performances for you to hear.

If you are an artist looking for a venue or looking for information about participating in our Concert Series, contact the Concert Series Committee using this link.

Prior seasons

Be sure to explore the names of performers from some of our prior seasons, and try to see them again this year when they perform in the New England area:

Press releases for the concert series have appeared in modified form in the Arlington Advocate and on YourArlington: