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Special Events

In addition to student performances throughout the year, we offer a variety of special events.  For a full roster of happenings, visit our school calendar page.  Here, we primarily feature faculty and guest special events which draw a regional, community-wide audience.

2020-2021 Special Events

21 Ways to Harmony in 2021

As we premiere each feature, we’ll post links for viewing.  Search our Blog Page by Special Events to view more information about each feature.

Coming Soon: 

  • November 20th – Feature 6.  This feature has been rescheduled from October 22nd.
  • December 31st – Feature 7

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Schedule of Features

No. 1 – Saturday, February 27th –From Music Lessons to Life in the Sciences: Parallels Beyond the Studio

No. 2 – Wednesday, March 17th – Chasing Dreams to American Shores:  A St. Patrick’s Day Special Event

No. 3 – Monday, May 31st – Lost But Not Forgotten: Music of War and Remembrance

No. 4 – Sunday, June 20th – Solstice Inspirations:  Dreaming on a Midsummer’s Night

No. 5 – Friday, August 13th – The Reality of Fear: Resolving Music Stereotypes

No. 6 – Monday, October 25 – Re-Scheduled to Saturday, November 20, 2021
We’re planning some exciting new outreach activity and have been busy coordinating students returning to in-person lessons.  As a result, Mr. Imperio is postponing feature No. 6 until November.  Please watch for email updates and we hope to have you with us for Feature No. 6 on 11/20/21.

No. 7 – Friday, December 31 – 21 to 22. Ways Forward

Links to Features Already Aired

Feature 5, Friday the 13th, Fear & Stereotypes.

Friday the 13th

Feature No. 4:   Solstice Inspirations:  Dreaming on a Midsummer’s Night

Solstice Inspirations

Feature No. 3:  Lost But Not Forgotten: Music of War and Remembrance

Lost but not Forgotten explores how composers speak to us, through music, about conflict, loss and healing.  Special guests with life experience during WWII share stories of life during wartime.

Lost But Not Forgetten

Feature No. 2:  Chasing Dreams to American Shores

A St. Patrick’s Day Special Event

Chasing Dreams to American Shores, Feature No. 2 of 7 for 21 Ways to Harmony in 2021, explores commonalities of the immigrant experience, using Irish fiddle music and poetry as our launching pad.

View Feature 2 Here

More information about Feature No. 2

Feature 1:  From Music Lessons to Life in the Sciences: Parallels Beyond the Studio

Special Guest:  Music school alumna Julia Nguyen, Ph.D., Chemistry.

View Feature 1 Here

More information about Feature 1.

Earlier Events – Still Available for Viewing

A New Year; A New Song

Introducing:  21 Ways to Create Harmony in 2021

View Event

Pakachoag Music School will share inspiring music and conversations for the New Year as we look at the many positive ways music and the arts contribute to community.

  • Hosted by Kristjon Imperio, Director of Programs and Outreach
  • Thursday, December 31st, 2020
  • 6:30 to 7:00 pm
  • Online via Pakachoag Music School on YouTube and Facebook

Featuring conversations, student and faculty music, & a special mystery guest!

We’ll post a direct link for A New Year; A New Song on this page on 12/31/20

Join Pakachoag Music School Program Director, Kristjon Imperio, for conversations and music.  We’ll take a quick look back on how Pakachoag kept music alive in 2020 and share hopes for 2021, including the School’s vision for its new Pakachoag Connect program.  We’ll pause to enjoy faculty and student music, and explore with special guests how we can celebrate individual and cultural diversity, through music and the arts.  Be prepared for some cute/ heart-warming moments as student musicians share some favorites.

 

2020 Music This Fall Virtual Open House

Wednesday, August 12 at noon and 4:00 pmMusic Open House 2020

Tuesday, August 25 also at noon and 4:00 pm

Take a tour, remotely, with Pakachoag Music School and the Worcester Children’s Chorus

Learn about some exciting new program offerings and discounts with the Chorus and Pakachoag.
Hear from parents & teachers.
Learn about remote vs. in-person; and more.

To register, please complete the quick form on this page and we’ll send you a secure link to join us.

2019-2020 Special Events

Student Recitals June /July 2020

Our fourth Harmonies from home can be viewed on Saturday, July 18th at 7:00 pm.

Click here to view via You Tube.

Harmonies From Home, 1, 2 and 3, streamed in June.

Faculty Concert with Harp, Clarinet, Piano

Update:  March 12, 2020, 7:00 pm

This concert was cancelled due to COVID-19.  We hope to re-schedule at a later date.

Celtic irish harp

The Night Dance: Folk Music of Ireland and Dance-Inspired Classical Selections.

“Strike the gay harp!  See the moon is on high…  oh could such heart stirring music be heard” from Thomas Moore’s The Night Dance.

Enjoy the beautiful traditional melodies of Ireland played by accomplished harpist and Pakachoag faculty member Susan Page Howland.  We’ll also treat you to some classical selections inspired by dance including an unusual transcription of a Bach Chaconne with pianist Kristjon Imperio and the Brahms Clarinet Sonata with Emma Gregory.    Hmm… Brahms, clarinet sonata and dance ?  We’ll shed a little light on how the theme connects.

The Worcester County Poetry Society joins us, reading dance-inspired poetry, including Thomas Moore’s The Night Dance and Irish favorites by Worcester-based award winning poet Curt Curtin.
Our featured performer Susan Page Howland, an award-winning harpist in her youth, holds a degree in music from New England Conservatory.  As a music student, Susan studied with a number of prominent harpists including the renowned Marcel Grandjany, faculty member at the Julliard School until his death in 1975.

Saturday, March 21st, 2020

2:00 pm

The Sanctuary at All Saints Church
10 Irving Street, Worcester  01609

Free.

Generously Sponsored by Paul and Patti Verderese

Reserve Tickets

***

Honors Student Masterclass & Social

With select high school students

Friday, April 3rd – 7:15 pm

This event will be both inspiring and educational as we celebrate a few of our hard-working students selected by teacher nomination to participate in this Honors Masterclass.  Watch for more information coming in February.

2020 In Review

Faculty & Friends Concert

Dreams of Harmony:  Music and Reflections for Martin Luther King Day

Monday, January 20th, 2020

2:00 pm

The Sanctuary at All Saints Church
10 Irving Street, Worcester  01609

Free.

A Pakachoag Faculty Special Event, with friends:  The Worcester Children’s Chorus and The All Saints’ Choirs.

Opening Remarks by Mary Keefe, State Representative for Worcester

Didn’t reserve a ticket?  Not a problem.  Please just come and enjoy.

Reserve Free Tickets

Pakachoag Music School invites you to join us for musical and spoken reflections on the contributions and dreams of Martin Luther King, Jr.  The program features tenor and Pakachoag faculty member Christon Carney, with pianist Kristjon Imperio in art songs, spirituals, and “Make Them Hear You” from Ragtime.

We’ll be joined by Pakachoag students, the Worcester Children’s Chorus, and members of the All Saints Choirs in this program of reflection and inspiration.

Generously sponsored by SEM, a leader in high security information end of life solutions.

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PAST Special Events

2018-2019 In Review

Spring Student Recitals schedules for April and May.  With a Studio Guitar Concert scheduled in June at the Worcester PopUp.

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Star Musing

Saturday, March 9, 2019
2:00 pm

A Pakachoag Faculty Special Event

Featuring Four Hands Organ, Violins with Harpsichord, Soprano, Cello & More
Music by Debussy, Holst, Mozart, LaGrenzi and other surprise selections.

  • Victoria Bartolomeo, Soprano
  • Amy Matherly, Laurie Knorr, Janeen Baker:
    Violins with Harpsichord
  • Ashley Peck, Cello
  • Sheila Reid, Violin & Debby Sedgwick, Piano
  • Curtis Smith & Kristjon Imperio: Four Hands Organ

The Sanctuary at All Saints Church
10 Irving Street, Worcester, MA  01609

Handicapped accessibility available but please call us ahead – 508-791-8159  – to review logistics.

*Here is an interesting read from ClassicalMusic.com about Holst’s the Planets (arr. Sykes) performed and recorded at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

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Experience the Harpsichord:  A Masterclass and Demonstration with Ian Watson.

Saturday, March 16th, 2019
3:00 pm Class & Demo
5:00 pm Concert, Sponsored by The All Saints Music Series

Come hear why the harpsichord is still alive and plucking. 

Ian Watson, Associate Conductor with the internationally respected Handel & Haydn Society and featured harpsichordist for the 1984 ‘Amadeus’ movie soundtrack, will lead us in learning about the instrument’s history and different types of harpsichords.  He’ll coach one or two pre-selected students at the harpsichord, and conclude our time together with a spirited demonstration of the instrument.

Attendees are invited to stay for the 5 pm concert, sponsored by Music at All Saints, featuring Mr. Watson, Harpsichord, and Guy Fishman, principal cellist with the Handel and Haydn Society.

The Sanctuary at All Saints Church
10 Irving Street, Worcester, MA  01609

Handicapped accessibility available but please call us ahead – 508-791-8159  – to review logistics.

2018-2019 In Review

From C to E:  Bach & More for Cello

Saturday, January 12, 2019
2:00 pm

A Pakachoag Faculty Special Event with Ashley Peck, Cello
Special Guest:  Shuangning Liu, Piano

Ms. Peck will perform the Bach Cello Suite No. 4 in E flat Major for Unaccompanied Cello and Prokofiev Sonata for Cello in C Major.  Join us and you will also be treated to a selection in D.  So why exactly did the composer pick that key?  We’ll share a little background on the composers and these famous works for Cello.

The Sanctuary at All Saints Church
10 Irving Street, Worcester, MA  01609

Handicapped accessibility available but please call us ahead – 508-791-8159  – to review logistics.

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Open House!

Saturday, September 29, 2018
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

  • Tour our new home at 10 Irving Street (2nd and 3rd Floors) at All Saints Church.
  • Learn about the architecture of this historic building.
  • Enjoy student and faculty music.
  • Meet our Community Partners.
  • Morning and Afternoon activities planned.
  • Free:  Peter Rabbit Puppet Show at 11:30 am in Huntington Hall
  • Faculty concert wraps up the day with an unusual array of music and instruments (see more below).

Look below for more information about the faculty concert.

Parking Information:  Guests may park in the church lot access via Pleasant Street and enter at the rear entrance off the lot; or park on Irving Street in the Worcester Public Schools Admin. Building (we have permission); metered parking available on Irving Street.  Or, you might wish to use the Pleasant Street Parking Garage two blocks east on Pleasant Street.

Stay tuned.  We’ve been so busy planing the open house, we’ve not yet finalized plans for additional special events.

Music on the 10’s:  A Walking Concert

Saturday, September 29, 2018
3:00 to 4:00 pm
Pakachoag Music School at 10 Irving Street
2nd and 3rd floors, All Saints Church

Join us for this unusual faculty and alumni concert, highlighting the new studios and performance halls at All Saints.

3:00 Introduction with Kristjon Imperio, Pakachoag Program Director

3:10 in the World Music Room:  Usha Verma, Sitar

  • Rag Shivranjani

3:20 in the Vivaldi Studio:  Susan Page Howland, Harp

  • Welcome (Turlough O’Carolan)
  • Lament (Turlough O’Carolan)
  • Farewell to Music (Turlough O’Carolan)

3:30 in the Bernstein Studio:  Cello Duos with Alumni Abbie and Renae

  • Study G Major-  August Nolck
  • Allegro, Opus 22 for Two Cellos- Friedrich August Kummer

3:40 Vinton Hall:  Janeen Baker, Harpsichord

  • Selections from Couperin and Scarlatti

3:50 in the Chopin Studio:  Debby Sedgwick and Curtis Smith, Four-hands Piano

  • Selections from Faure’s Dolly Suite

The School’ space is positioned on the 2nd and 3rd floors of All Saints Church.  While future special events will often be programmed on the first floor (with disabled access possible by special arrangement), this particular program is a walk-around concert on both 2nd and 3rd floors which are accessed by stairs.

2017-2018 in Review

Oboe & English Horn Concert

With faculty member Colton Ray Cox, Oboe & English horn

Tuesday, May 29, 2018
7:00 pm
Vinton Hall (2nd floor)

Pakachoag Music School 10 Irving Street
Worcester, MA  01609

Free.

Colton, who joined the Pakachoag faculty in 2017, will be playing Schumann, Persichetti and other selections.  Prospective oboists are welcomed and encouraged to meet Mr. Cox after the concert.

2017-2018 In Review

Indian Classical Music on Sitar

Sunday, April 22, 2018
4:00 pm
All Saints Church, 10 Irving Street, Worcester

Free.

Suggested donation:  $20 / $5 snrs. and student

Photo courtesy Worcester Magazine

With faculty member and sitarist Usha Verma and special guest Dr. Nishikant Sonwalkar, Tabla.

This most unusual 20 string instrument has roots stretching back centuries. Usha’s connection to the sitar is much more recent when at the age of 15 she learned to play in her native India.  Usha went on to major in music at Punjab University in Chandigarh, India, and later taught music at the college level.   Usha continues today to share her life-long passion for the Sitar as both performer and teacher.

 

Pakachoag Student performs with
Worcester Schubertiad’s

“A Celebration of Youth”

Wednesday, April 25, 2018
7:30 pm
First Baptist Church of Worcester
111 Park Ave, Worcester, MA  01609

Free.

Andrew Lefferts, piano student of Inna Muravnik, will play Haydn and Chopin as part of this concert which features winners of Worcester Schubertiad’s Classical Idol Competition for 2017-2018.

 

 

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