The Annual Lowell Mason House Holiday Concert Marks its 9th Year

The Annual Lowell Mason House Holiday Concert Marks its 9th Year

The Annual Lowell Mason House Holiday Concert marks its 9th year with a performance beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2 at St. Edward’s Church at 133 Spring St. in Medfield.

Performers of all ages will share the gift of music with the community in the spirit of the holidays.

Helping to carry out the “Raising the Bar” theme of this year’s event will be two featured attractions: Guest speaker, Reagan Paras, a full-time associate professor at Berklee College of Music, and the announcement of a major grant to establish a new initiative at the
Lowell Mason House.

Paras is a conductor, singer and educator who has directed performance tours across the United States and abroad. In addition to his role at Berklee, he is artistic director for Many Voices: Mechanics Hall's Youth Singers, music director for The Nashua Choral Society, summer conductor
of the Kodály Music Institute Choir, co-founder of two chamber choirs, and a researcher. An advocate for music education, Paras serves on various executive boards for music associations across the northeast.

Regarding the major grant, details will be shared at the concert, but itwill ultimately propel Lowell Mason House renovation plans forward to allow the non-profit organization to offer a sustainable, high-quality, innovative music education facility that is open to the public.

Performance highlights for the 2023 Holiday Concert include:

• Return engagement of “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah conducted by Jonathan Gray, with Tara Gray providing piano accompaniment.
• Concert pianist David McGrory
• Medfield High School Chamber Strings and Jazz Combo
• First Parish Unitarian Universalist Choir
• Vocalists Becca and John Kornet, Eva Kendrick and John Castillo
• Pianist Ian Kasarjian, St. Edwards music director
• Trills ‘n Chills a cappella group
• Montrose School Treblemakers a cappella group
• Eric Bouwman-Wozencraft, Church of the Advent music director
• MEMO “Joy to the World” outstanding performers

Tickets for the concert are available online via LowellMasonHouse.net and at the concert door. Beginning Nov. 18, tickets will also be on sale at The Center (senior center) on Ice House Road, and immediately after 9:30 a.m. Sunday services at St. Edward’s.

Adult tickets are $25 each; senior citizen and student tickets are $20 each. Families purchasing multiple tickets have the option of paying a flat price of $60 if tickets are purchased together.

Known as the “father of music education” in America’s schools, Lowell Mason was born in Medfield in 1792. In addition to Mason’s role in music education, he was also a composer who wrote a number of well-known songs, including the holiday classic, "Joy to the World.”

The house where Mason was born and lived was saved from demolition and moved to its current Green Street location adjacent to Hinkley Pond in 2011. Each year, proceeds from the annual holiday concert bring the Lowell Mason House renovation and construction efforts closer to
completion for the ultimate benefit of music educators, students and the community at large.