2025-26 Concerts at the Stone Church

Welcome to the 2025-26 Concert Season at the Stone Church Cultural Center

Season Subcription ticket sales are now closed. A ticket package for Spring 2025 concerts can be purchased at this link.

https://buytickets.at/friendsofthestonechurch

This posting will be displayed until the end of the 2025-26 concert season.

Friends of the Stone Church will present nine live music concerts by wonderful creative artists, between October 5, 2025 and June 14, 2026: four ticketed classical concerts, including one accompanied silent film on our historic Johnson & Son organ, and five free concerts, with donations always gratefully accepted! Throughout the season, we will offer opportunities to meet with the performing artists to share the joys of live music in our historic venue.

$80/person for four ticketed concerts* plus five free community concerts
The season subscription purchase covers one entry for each ticketed event on October 18, November 1,  April 11 and May 2. This represents a bargain price over individual concert tickets, which can be purchased through this link.

All events are free to those under 18.

Holders of the Massachusetts Card to Culture* (see explanation below) may request up to two free tickets at the box office for any ticketed concert on the concert day, or may make a reservation by email to events@friendsofthestonechurch.org. Please include name and email address or telephone number, concert date and # of tickets being reserved in your request.

Donations with ticket purchase support the costs of our cultural programs, and are welcome to assist Friends of the Stone Church in its mission to preserve the Cultural Center and offer creative arts and humanities programs.

2025-26 Concerts at the Stone Church Cultural Center  

New England Digital Accordion Orchestra Conducted by Anselmo (Sam) Falcetti

2 pm Saturday, October 5, 2025

This special memorial concert by the 20-person Orchestra of expert accordion players from Massachusetts and other New England States will be performed at no cost to the public. The concert will be held indoors, in the Center's main performance space. The program will be announced in summer of 2025.

Suggested donation to FOSC of $20.00

Partial support for the New England Digital Accordion Orchestra has been received from a private donor. This concert is not part of the subscription series.

Worcester Winds

2 pm, Saturday, October 18, 2025  * 

Worcester Winds is a dectet of two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two French horns, and 2 bassoons: ten music professionals based in New England. The ensemble is conducted by Jonathan Colby. Program to be announced.

Partial support for this concert has been provided to Worcester Winds by a grant from the Hardwick-New Braintree Cultural Council, a local agency which receives support from the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Musicians of the Old Post Road   "Rustic Classical"  Suzanne Stumpf and Dan Ryan, Artistic Directors

3 pm, Saturday, November 1, 2025 *

Sarah Darling and Jesse Irons on violin, Marcia Cassidy on viola, Suzanne Stumpf on flute, and Dan Ryan on cello

Musicians of the Old Post Road is a Boston area ensemble specializing in period instrument performance of diverse music from the Baroque to the late Romantic eras. Their program, entitled "Rustic Classical," presents chamber music from the Classical era with a Bohemian flair. Twice winners of the Noah Greenberg award for early music performance and scholarship, the group is distinguished in curating little-known historic repertoire and sharing what they discover, often in dialog with the audience. Each players is a consummate performer. Together, under the artistic direction of Suzanne Stumpf and Dan Ryan, they create unique and memorable concerts.

"Rustic Classical"  will explore boisterous chamber works, including an arrangement for flute and strings of Mozart's Rondo 'alla Turca" from his Piano Sonata in A Major. Also on the program:

Flute Quartet in G Major by Adalbert Gyrowetz

Notturno in E-flat Major by Johann Evangelist Brandl

Quintet for flute and strings by Adreas Lidl

 A set of traditional Hungarian Dances

Partial support for the Musicians of the Old Post Road concert has been provided by a private donor.

Free Holiday Concerts

Weir River Jazz 2 pm, Sunday, December 7, 2025
Weir River Concert Band 2 pm, Sunday, December 21, 2025

Weir River Jazz and The Weir River Concert Band rehearse bi-weekly in Boothman Hall at the Stone Church Cultural Center. As a community service, they offer free concerts with donations to benefit Friends of the Stone Church and other community causes. The groups receive a modest stipend from FOSC to cover organizational expenses.

Weir River Jazz, directed by John Sacco, is a classic 'Big Band' jazz group. Directed and led by Mr. Sacco on lead alto saxophone, the group's experienced brass and woodwind players, percussionist and volcalist enjoy improvisation. Their energetic, professional-level concerts including challenging repertoire of many origins, always with a 'swing.'

The Weir River Concert Band is a traditional community concert band comprising brass, woodwind and rhythm section players. Their narrated programs are ambitious, often incorporating music composed for the movies and Broadway, holiday tunes with humor, and 'pops' orchestra arrangements. Joanne Meegan, President is primary contact for anyone wishing to join or to have more information.

 (Donations at these concerts go to "Hardwick for Kids" drive by the local police dept)

Silents are Golden: Peter Krasinski Family Silent Film Night

Charlie Chaplin's "The Gold Rush" (1925)

7 pm, Saturday, April 11, 2026  *

Ninth Silents Are Golden concert
with live improvised accompaniment by organist Peter Krasinski on the Gilbertville Johnson & Son pipe organ

Organist, conductor and music educator Peter Krasinski is broadly recognized for his imaginative and energetic performances. Winner of First Prize in Improvisation from the American Guild of Organists National Competition,  he is known worldwide for his unique accompaniment to classic silent films. The "Gold Rush" takes viewers to the Klondike, Alaska where a comedy unfolds amid harsh conditions. Writer, producer, director and leading actor Charlie Chaplin plays his "Little Tramp." The film also stars Georgia Hale, Mack Swain, Tom Murray, Henry Bergman and Malcolm Waite. It is the fifth-highest grossing silent film in cinema history. Variety called The Gold Rush 'the greatest and most elaborate comedy ever filmed." The New York Times called it 'the outstanding gem of all of Chaplin's pictures, as it has more thought and originality than even such masterpieces of mirth as The Kid and Shoulder Arms."

Peter Krasinski is House Organist of the Providence Performing Arts Center, Principal Organist at Mechanics Hall, Organist at First Church of Christ, Scientist in Providence RI, and accompanist at Beth El Temple Center in Belmont, MA. He recently presented Master Classes at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, and appeared in an Oscar-winning move "The Holdovers." For more on the artist's calendar, visit www.Krasinski.org.

Mackenzie Melemed piano

Recital of Works from Mackenzie's Debut Album

2 pm, Saturday, May 2, 2026  *

Pianist Mackenzie Melemed originated in Worcester County, MA. A protegé of pianist Emmanuel Ax, Mackenzie won the Avery Fisher Career Grant , one of the highest honors to be bestowed on young American classical musicians, in 2022. He has performed as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic, the Edmonton Symphony, the Polish Radio Orchestra, and other prominent ensembles, and has appeared in recitals at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital, as well as at major venues and festivals across North America, Europe and Asia. Performing publicly In his youth, Melemed's career developed in early studies with pianist Olga Rogach and at the Bancroft School in Worcester, MA. He received his Artist Diploma, Master of Music, and Bachelor of Music degrees from The Julliard School. While in New York, he learned the Finnish language at Columbia University. From his current home in Helsinki, Finland, he travels worldwide to perform and teach. He also teaches piano performance online in his "Pianostics" program. The New York Times called Melemed 'an excellent young pianist.' Other reviewers have remarked about his 'flexible and natural relationship with music' [Harri Hautala of Aamuleht];  his 'dazzling technique...that keeps the audience captivated throughout the performance" [John Falskow of Suburban Times]; and his brilliance and maturity as an artist [Juha Pekka-Peltonen of Satakunnan Kansa].

Mackenzie's Debut Album Program:

J. S. Bach Prelude and Fugue in B-flat minor (WTC Book I) BWV B67

Franz Liszt Funerailles

Johannes Brahms Variations on a Theme by R. Schumann Op9

Avner Dorman: Lament and Variations

Laura Kaminsky Threnody, October 2024

Sir Stephen Hough Prelude and Fugue (Aeolian)

Special conditions will apply to donors who supported the creation of the recording, as established by the artist in his project funded by Kickstarter. For more information about Mackenzie Melemed, go to https:/www.mackenziemelemed.com/about

Free Concerts On the Lawn

Weir River Jazz 2 pm, Sunday, June 7, 2026
Weir River Concert Band 2 pm, Sunday, May 31, 2026 - Note New Date, updated January 2026

Weir River Jazz and The Weir River Concert Band return to perform dynamic, dramatic programs under the tents at the Stone Church Cultural Center. These events are free. Donations are encouraged to benefit Friends of the Stone Church in its mission to preserve the landmark historic building and to support local musicians.

Free Tickets available for ticketed concerts:

The Massachusetts Card To Culture covers all holders of a current EBT, WIC, or Commonwealth Connector Care Insurance card. Click on links for each card for more general information about this program.

The Massachusetts Card to Culture is a venture of the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, in collaboration with interagency partners the Department of Transitional Assistance, Massachusetts Health Connector, and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program. The Card to Culture is improving health and well-being through cultural participation and increasing access to cultural experiences for all Massachusetts residents.

Support for Spring Concerts at the Stone Church, including the Silent Film, Mackenzie Melemed Concert, and Concerts on the Lawn, comes from the Cultural Councils of North Brookfield and of Petersham. These local agencies receive support from the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.