Covenant Community Church (CCC) is bringing back its Music Ed Fest Sacred Concerts Tour beginning this weekend.
The music festival, which features a series of free concerts hosted at churches around the city to raise awareness for music education in the Dominican Republic, features concerts at 5 p.m. on May 17 at Covenant Community Church of Indianapolis and July 26 at Tabernacle Presbyterian Church. The concerts will feature a variety of artists alongside the Covenant Community Church Choir performing “soul-stirring traditional gospel” and contemporary sacred music, according to a press release.
Music Ed Fest was founded in 2025 by Pavel Polanco-Safadit, a Dominican-born pianist, composer and leader of Latin jazz band Pavel & Direct Contact. The festival is designed to raise funding to provide Dominican youth with training in jazz improvisation and Caribbean music — including classes and events at the National Conservatory, according to a press release.
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Although the concerts are free and open to the public, a free-will offering will be taken to support the foundation that funds Music Education programs in the Dominican Republic, according to a press release. Guests will also receive more information about the Music Education initiatives, along with words of insight and inspiration from CCC’s Senior Pastor, Rev. Dr. Wallace O. McLaughlin.
Both events will feature a musical program curated by the CCC Choir under the direction of Polanco-Safadit, along with musical artists such as vocalist Leah Crane, trombonist Rich Dole, bassist Steve Dokken and percussionist Germany Parker, according to a press release.
The second annual Music Ed Fest Sacred Concerts Tour takes place at 5 p.m. on May 17 at Covenant Community Church, 5640 Cooper Road, and at 5 p.m. on July 26 at Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, 418 E. 34th St. The concerts are free to attend. For more information, visit indycovenant.org.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
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