Concert Series

2023-2024 PACC Concert Series

Advance Tickets: $18 adults, $12 seniors/students
Tickets at the door: $23 adults, $15 seniors/students
concertseriestix@pacc-ucc.org, 781-643-8680

This season, the PACC Concert Series explores love, from romantic dalliances to the sacred and profound love of Christmas good tidings, to how Wagner’s women experienced (or did not experience) love in their varied relationships. Please join us for this fascinating exploration of the multifarious ways of love.

PACC Christmas Concert:
“Love Came Down”
December 3, 2023, at 3:00 PM

FOR ZOOM LINK: Send an email request to concertseriestix@pacc-ucc.org

Our 33rd annual PACC Christmas Concert is offered via Zoom this year with adult singers led by Jeffrey Brody, and young singers under the direction of Andrea Hart, as well an instrumental offering. With music ranging from intimate and tender, to reverent and grand, it offers carols from a variety of traditions, as well as selections from masterworks. While this concert is PACC’s gift to the community, we appreciate support for our pipe organ and music program with a suggested donation of $10 made via www.pacc-ucc.org.

 Berlin Wagner Group:
“Wagner’s Women – Archetypes and Inspirations”
May 5, 2024, at 3:00 PM

What has love to do with it? Wagner’s search for redemption through romantic love led him to write some of the most incredible opera characters for women ever written. Join us as we explore the women in Wagner’s life, both on and off the stage. Founded in 2017 by American Opera Singers and based in Berlin, Germany, the Berlin Wagner group, led by Peter Furlong, aims to bring a deeper appreciation for Wagner’s music and the composers he influenced to New England audiences.

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.

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: