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Press Releases
Highland Park Presbyterian Church Announces “Sanctuary Sounds: Masterworks for the Spirit”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Highland Park Presbyterian Church (HPPC) is pleased to announce the 2026-2027 season of Sanctuary Sounds: Masterworks for the Spirit, a concert series presented in the church's acoustically resonant sanctuary. The series, led by Artistic Directors Steven F. Greene and Susan Merdinger, will present five Saturday afternoon concerts between October 2026 and May 2027, featuring professional musicians from the Chicago area and beyond. All concerts are free and open to the public, with donations gratefully accepted.
The 2026-2027 season marks the inaugural full season of Sanctuary Sounds™, offering a wide-ranging program of chamber music, orchestral works, choral and organ performances, and special thematic concerts designed to serve the broader community. The series reflects HPPC's ongoing commitment to community engagement, cultural outreach, and the arts as an integral part of community and spiritual life. Funding for the series is provided through sponsorships, tax-deductible donations, and community support, with founding supporters playing an important role in establishing a lasting musical and cultural tradition at Highland Park Presbyterian Church.
2026-2027 SEASON LINEUP
Concert I: A Halloween Haunting
Saturday, October 24, 2026 · 2:00 p.m.
Pianist Susan Merdinger and members of the Sheridan Solisti present an imaginative program of “ghost-themed” classical works for piano, organ, and chamber ensemble by Bach, Beethoven, Saint-Saëns, Ilya Levinson, and Liszt. Author and narrator Karen Kaplan will present excerpts from her novel Conjoined, interwoven with music reflecting themes of memory, spirit, and the supernatural. A centerpiece of the program is the Chicago live premiere of Dybbuk Piano Trio by Grammy-nominated composer Ilya Levinson. Featuring Alex Koffman, violin, and Martine Benmann, cello.
Concert II: Holiday Cheer — 'Tis the Season
Saturday, December 5, 2026 · 2:00 p.m.
The Sheridan Solisti String Orchestra and the HPPC Choir, led by award-winning conductor Susan Merdinger, celebrate the holidays with beloved seasonal favorites, selections from Handel's Messiah, Leroy Anderson's Christmas Festival, and Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings.
Concert III: Valentine's Day — Romantic Fantasies and Rhapsodies
Saturday, February 13, 2027 · 2:00 p.m.
The celebrated Merdinger-Greene Duo presents a program for pianos, organ, and flute spanning French impressionism, Russian romanticism, and American jazz, including Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and a Chicago premiere of La Joie de Vivre by Aaron Alter, alongside works by Hue, Demarest, and Brahms.
Concert IV: The Classical Style — Chicago Style!
Saturday, April 17, 2027 · 4:00 p.m.
The Sheridan Solisti Chamber Orchestra, HPPC Choir, and Kol Zimrah Chamber Choir join forces for a major orchestral program featuring the Chicago premiere of Aaron Alter's Cantata of Praise and Beethoven's Triple Concerto. Susan Merdinger conducts and performs piano, joined by soloists violinist Ilya Kaler, cellist Nazar Dzhuryn, tenor Pavel Roytman, and soprano Stefanie Greene.
Concert V: Springtime Serenade and Pipes of Praise
Saturday, May 22, 2027 · 4:00 p.m.
The season concludes with a British-themed choral and organ festival featuring the Campanella Children's Choir under director Marianna Kosaya, with Steven F. Greene performing organ and piano. The program highlights the rich tradition of British sacred choral music with works by Benjamin Britten, John Rutter, and more.
“Our goal with Sanctuary Sounds is to open the doors of this beautiful sanctuary to the entire community and share music that uplifts, inspires, and unites,” said Susan Merdinger, Artistic Director. “Each concert this season has been thoughtfully designed to welcome listeners of every background, whether they are longtime concertgoers or experiencing live classical and choral music for the very first time.”
ABOUT SANCTUARY SOUNDS
Sanctuary Sounds™: Masterworks for the Spirit is a concert series presented at Highland Park Presbyterian Church that brings high-quality orchestral, chamber, choral, organ, and solo performances to the community in the beautiful and acoustically resonant setting of the church sanctuary. The series is designed to provide inspiring musical experiences that uplift, educate, and bring people together through great music.
The 2026–2027 season includes five Saturday afternoon concerts featuring professional musicians from the Chicago area and beyond, with programs spanning chamber music, orchestral concerts, choral and organ music, and special thematic programs designed to appeal to a wide audience.
All concerts in the Sanctuary Sounds series are presented free and open to the public, reflecting the church's commitment to community engagement, cultural outreach, and the arts as an important part of community and spiritual life. Funding for the series is provided through sponsorships, donations, and community support.
The 2026–2027 season represents the inaugural full season of Sanctuary Sounds™, and sponsorship and donor opportunities are still available for individuals and businesses who would like to help sustain and grow this community concert series. Founding supporters will play an important role in helping establish a lasting musical and cultural tradition at Highland Park Presbyterian Church. To make a fully tax-deductible donation, visit Sanctuary Sounds Donation and Sponsorship Page. For a complete schedule and updates, visit Highland Park Presbyterian Church or Sheridan Music Studio.
Media Contact:
Steven F. Greene, HPPC Music Director
Highland Park Presbyterian Church
551-486-3495
Susan Merdinger, Artistic Director
201-788-1968
www.hppcil.org • www.sheridanmusicstudio.com
Donate: Sanctuary Sounds Donation and Sponsorship Page
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