Tenor Jonathan Mack will offer “A Cole Porter Songbook” on Saturday, January 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Pasadena Presbyterian Church, 585 East Colorado Blvd. in the Playhouse District of downtown Pasadena.

Pianist Vicki Ray will accompany Mack, who will sing songs, tell some Porter stories and even play the French horn during the evening.

As are all programs on the church 2015-2016 “Friends of Music at PPC” series, the recital is free (a freewill offering will be taken). A dessert reception will follow. Free parking is available and the Sanctuary is handicap-accessible.

The wide-ranging program will include such Porter favorites as “In the Still of the Night,” “Night and Day,” “Begin the Beguine,” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.”

Since graduating from the University of Southern California with degrees in voice and French horn, Mack has maintained a wide-ranging career in opera, concerts, recitals, the sound studio and as an educator in the United States and Europe. He currently serves as tenor soloist and section leader with the Kirk Choir at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

He has performed more than 50 roles during 18 seasons with Los Angeles Opera. While living in Germany for four years he was the leading lyric tenor for the opera houses in Kiel and Dortmund. In addition he made guest appearances in opera houses in West Germany, France and Holland. He has also appeared with orchestras around the world under such legendary conductors as Carlo Maria Giulini, Zubin Mehta, Pierre Boulez and Michael Tilson Thomas.

Grammy nominated pianist Vicki Ray is a leading interpreter of contemporary piano music. Known for thoughtful and innovative programming, which seeks to redefine the piano recital in the 21st century, Ray’s concerts often include electronics, video, recitation and improvisation.

Born in Indiana in 1891, Cole Porter in the 1920s and 1930s became one of the major songwriters for the Broadway musical stage. Unlike many successful Broadway composers, Porter wrote the lyrics and the music for his songs.

After a serious horseback riding accident in 1937, Porter was left disabled and in constant pain, but he continued to work. In 1948 he made a triumphant comeback with his most successful musical, “Kiss Me, Kate,” which won the first Tony Award for Best Musical. Porter eventually died in 1964 in Santa Monica.

Upcoming on the Friends of Music 2015-2016 Season

Saturday, February 27 at 7:30 p.m.
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Say it out loud — OK? This is a program of ensemble pieces, many of them featuring PPC iconic Æolian -Skinner pipe organ. There’ll be a great variety of music, including the West Coast premiere of “Apparitions” for organ and string quartet by Robert Sirota, who plans to attend.

Saturday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m. (note the earlier start time)
Handel’s Messiah
On the eve of Holy Week, enjoy a complete performance of Handel’s masterpiece offered by the Pasadena Singers and the Friends of Music Orchestra, with soloists Judith Siirila Paskowitz, Jennifer Appleberry, Jonathan Mack and Michal Dawson Connor, all conducted by Timothy Howard.

Friday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m.
19th Annual Good Friday Devotional Concert
Welsh composer Karl Jenkins’ “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace” will be the centerpiece of this annual concert sung by a choir of nearly 70 singers with the Friends of Music Orchestra, all conducted by Dr. Timothy Howard.

Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Daniel Kerr, organist
PPC’s former Staff Organist, now head of the organ and musicianship departments at BYU Idaho, returns to Pasadena for a recital on one of his “favorite organs anywhere.”

Saturday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m.
The Westminster Concert Bell Choir
Hailed internationally for its virtuosity, this ensemble from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, plays the world’s largest set of hand bells (eight full octaves), plus a six-octave set of hand chimes. Under the leadership of Kathleen Ebling Shaw, the group appears regularly on radio and television, and has made 11 solo recordings.

Saturday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Jazz for the City: The Bill Cunliffe Trio
Celebrated Jazz pianist Bill Cunliffe brings his trio to close the FOM concert season. This program coincides with “Make Music Pasadena. “

About Pasadena Presbyterian Church

Founded in 1875, Pasadena Presbyterian Church is the oldest congregation in the city. It continues to be a leader in the Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination as three language groups (English, Korean and Spanish) combine to worship, study and serve as one integrated church.

Music has been an integral part of the church’s outreach to the community since Dr. Howard Swan became the church’s music director in 1940. The church currently has hundreds of people participating in nine different choral and instrumental ensembles throughout the year.

In addition to its Friends of Music concert series, the church presents its weekly Music at Noon series, with musicians from around the world performing free concerts from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. in the sanctuary.

For more information on this concert and other PPC music events, log onto www.ppcmusic.org