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By Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
Every year, the halls of All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas welcome the community to immerse themselves in the sounds of memorable music. Individuals, families, and groups gather to be uplifted and inspired by local, regional, and nationally acclaimed artists through the Sacred Music Concert Series. Now in its 11th anniversary season, the series has become a fixture in the Manassas arts scene, offering accessible concerts open to everyone.
Founded in 2013 as an outreach of the parish’s Music Ministry, the series offers five free concerts each year. Tim Lewicki, Director of Music and Coordinator of Liturgical Ministries at All Saints Catholic Church, has guided the program since 2016. He says the series’ roots run deep in the community, thanks to the vision of its founder. “The series was founded by my predecessor, Dr. William Atwood, a few years after the current church building was dedicated,” he shares. “The concerts were designed to bring quality musicians and performers to the Manassas area and beyond.”
But there is a spiritual aspect as well. “The Church has always been a supporter of the arts,” says Lewicki. “The arts help to transform the ordinary and point our minds to the heavenly Artist.”
A Season of Variety
Within the church’s walls, a beautifully restored pipe organ stands amid superb acoustics, creating what Lewicki describes as the ideal setting for concerts of every kind. Each season is carefully curated to offer audiences a rich and varied musical experience. “The concerts are purposefully planned to offer a variety of music and styles. While there is an emphasis on classical and sacred music, our concerts have often featured music from jazz and other contemporary forms,” he explains. Performers are asked to present 60- to 75-minute programs, a length that is “attainable for families.” Many concerts are scheduled for Friday evenings.
A typical season includes a choral concert, a chamber ensemble, piano or organ recitals, and Advent Lessons and Carols featuring the All Saints Music Ministry. Over the years, the series has welcomed esteemed ensembles and soloists such as The Westminster Concert Bell Choir, Dr. Peter Latona from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Voix de Femmes Women’s Choir, and The Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra.
While the lineup for the upcoming season is still coming together, Lewicki promises favorites will return. “We almost always have an Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols featuring our All Saints Music Ministry. I do schedule at least one concert that will feature the organ, usually a solo organ recital, and a chamber group or two,” he says.
Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols
Spotlight on Local Talent
A key mission of the concert series is to shine a light on local musicians, according to Lewicki. Last year’s season opener featured Manassas pianist Abigail Johnson, whose program paired advanced works by Chopin with contemporary pieces by Max Richter and her own arrangement of JYKE’s “Golden Hour.” Other local favorites have included the Manassas String Quartet, harpist Meghan Davis, and organist Lisa Tyler, who joined the Woodbridge-based Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra in a performance of Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 to close out the 10th anniversary season.
Pianist Abigail Johnson
Lewicki says he strives to present a varied season, balancing new faces with returning favorites, and featuring both sacred and secular works as part of the series. Musicians interested in joining the series are encouraged to reach out. Interested solo performers and ensembles are requested to submit a written proposal via e-mail containing the following information: Name and bio of the performer or group; a brief description of the program to be presented, including music titles; requested honorarium; contact information; and audio samples.
A Celebration of Beauty
Reflecting on the series’ impact, Lewicki shares, “When the Sacred Music at All Saints Concert Series started, it was the early days of the Hylton Performing Arts Center. The Manassas community was hungry for the arts. Our series is just one of many options in the greater Manassas area, giving an opportunity for people to experience the beauty of live music.”
He says he draws inspiration from Pope Francis’s words in Evangelii Gaudium: “Every expression of true beauty can thus be acknowledged as a path leading to an encounter with the Lord Jesus… a renewed esteem for beauty as a means of touching the human heart and enabling the truth and goodness of the Risen Christ to radiate within it.” For Lewicki, the concerts are a way of living out this vision. “It is our hope that the concerts we present show this beauty and goodness and raise our minds to something higher.”
In an age of screens and distractions, the Sacred Music at All Saints Concert Series offers the community a chance to gather, listen, and be uplifted together, he says. “Music has the unique ability to express emotions and thoughts that words cannot. Experiencing live music in our world full of technology, screens, and constant noise allows the community to connect with each other. This was especially true in our post-COVID concerts, when people were longing for connections again – including our performers who respond to the energy of a live audience.”
Handbell Choir
Welcoming All Audiences
The concerts are free to attend, with a free-will offering collected at the door to support future programs. Each event also includes a meet-the-artist reception with light refreshments, encouraging fellowship and connection between audience and performers. “All are welcome to any of our concerts,” Lewicki says. “Maybe one positive, uplifting concert leads to coming back for another or attending another event at the parish.”
Concert schedules are released during the summer. For more information about upcoming concerts, visit allsaintsva.org/praying/music-ministry/sacred-music-at-all-saints-concert-series, or follow @AllSaintsVA and @AllSaintsVaConcerts on Facebook. To join the mailing list, fill out the form on the website at allsaintsva.org or contact Lewicki directly at tlewicki@allsaintsva.org.
Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt has written for Prince William Living for more than 10 years. An award-winning author and poet, she can be reached through her website, KatherineGotthardt.com.
