Arlington Advocate Article

PACC Concert Series opens 2007/2008 series with Vox Lucens

By Merrith Sabo-Jones

Thu Nov 01, 2007, 09:53 AM EDT

The PACC Concert Series opens the 2007/2008 season with Vox Lucens, an A Capella Chamber Choir, with “The Story of Mary”, a concert of sacred music from the16th Century. This is a concert of beautiful music dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and is especially appropriate for the upcoming Advent Season. The concert will be on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m. in the Sanctuary of the Park Avenue Congregational Church in Arlington Heights; all proceeds will benefit the Park Avenue Congregational Church Music Program. The concert will run about an hour, without an intermission. A post-concert Artists’ reception will be held in the Parish Hall.

“Vox Lucens” (Latin for “a shining voice”) has performed several times in the concert series over the last few years. Early Music is best performed in an acoustically vibrant hall, which allows close harmonies and pure sound to resonate and fill the space and the PACC Sanctuary fits the bill – it is a wonderful space that enhances the music. From a humble start (meeting in members’ homes to enjoy singing madrigals) they have grown into a 14-member performance Chamber Choir.

Vox Lucens has performed at the Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church and the University Lutheran Church, and appeared with the Pavane Renaissance dance ensemble, the Concordia Consort, and the commedia dell’arte troupe I Sebastiani. They have also sung choral services at Trinity Church, Copley Square, and at Church of the Good Shepherd, Acton.

Their choral director, Jay Lane, explained the concept for this year’s concert: “Some of the most beautiful music in the Renaissance was dedicated to Mary the Mother of God. In Vox’s latest program, “The Story of Mary,” we tell the story of the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary in sacred song. Drawing from the works of Clemens, Guerrero, Gombert, and other sixteenth-century composers, we sing about Mary’s mother St. Anne, Gabriel’s announcement to Mary, the shepherds, and the three wise men; we also sing of Mary discovering Jesus’ resurrection, and Mary’s assumption into heaven.”

The group has recorded a CD of sacred music from the 16th century, which is the core of Vox Lucens’ repertoire. The CDs will be on sale at the Post-Concert Artist’s Reception will be held in the Parish Hall. More information on Vox Lucens, and samples of their music can be found at www.voxlucens.net.

Tickets in advance are $12/Adult, $8 student/senior and at the door are $15/Adult, $10 student/senior. The doors will open at 2:30 p.m. For more information, check the PACC Web site at www.pacc-ucc.org. Advance tickets may be purchased by contacting the church office at 781-643-8680.

The PACC Concert Series is a benefit concert series to fund the Organ Restoration and Music Program at the Park Avenue Congregational Church. Seventeen years ago the Music Committee undertook the task of restoring their historic Skinner organ. The committee resolved to raise the necessary funds by holding a series of concerts. This was the start of the PACC Concert Series. Concerts have ranged from classical voice and instrumentalists, to choral, to folk and jazz coffeehouses.

The Park Avenue Congregational Church, located on the corner of Park Avenue and Paul Revere Road, one block from Mass. Avenue in Arlington Heights, is handicapped-accessible and on MBTA bus route 77.

For more information on the PACC Concert Series, call the Church Office at 781-643-8680 or visit the Church’s Web site at www.pacc-ucc.org.