Concerts in the church are governed by Canon Law. A quick Google search should point you in the right direction.

Technically, it's the ordinary who has the latitude to determine whether and how to apply a number of the rules. Reservation of the Blessed Sacrament in a tabernacle in the sacristy or, if available, lower church is not uncommon where there is no separate reservation chapel.

We have a tabernacle in the sacristy to reserve the Blessed Sacrament for our festival of Lessons and Carols and other events. I would double-check with your diocese to see what applies in your case.

Ally, out of curiosity, is your Lessons and Carols really *that* outlandish that you would need to reserve the Holy Sacrament outside the church? It is a para-liturgical service, right?

We treat our lessons and carols as a proper liturgy, based on the office of readings for midnight mass (I believe), and not a concert.

Thank you all for your responses. There will be a concert in a neighboring church but in the same parish where I am located. Our pastor had never had a concert in any of the churches where he had served before, so I asked him if he was going to remove the Blessed Sacrament. He asked me to provide a reference. I sent him the links provided above. He thanked me but questioned whether that document would still be in force, given its date. He contacted the diocese, and as a result of their response, he has decided to retain the Blessed Sacrament in the church, with a request that the presenter of the concert be an advocate for reverence to the Blessed Sacrament, and that if that didn't work he would remove it in the future.

I can't say I am pleased with how this turned out. No one seems to have considered that a good portion of the audience will be non-Catholic (as I pointed out) and will not even think of genuflecting or bowing before the Blessed Sacrament. To them it will be a concert of classical music. I believe what will happen is the people will be quiet during the performance, and there will be some talking before. In other words, it will be like at Mass, and will be considered OK.

At least I tried.

Just this week our city's community college (excellent choral/vocal program, national ACDA performances, etc.) inquired whether we would host them and one of our high schools' ensembles for a concert prior to Lent. The pastor gave permission provided they sing only sacred classical pieces. Both schools assented. We've established with the college a set of protocols which they've known for years now.
We also present two sacred concerts for the two major seasons each year.
We always, always...reserve the Blessed Sacrament.
I know these conditions are prescribed in canonical documents and encyclicals. But I believe the pastor described above simply falls back on an arbitrary casual rationale "Jesus won't mind pretty music in the church." He is, of course, correct. However, the prescriptives regarding concertizing in churches, particularly if they're staged within the sanctuary, aren't for Him, they're for us: to, as mentioned above, respect the literal presence of the Living God within the walls; to witness to that reverence with the disciplines of postures acknowledging that presence and of the importance of the altar through bows and genuflections. Our catholic observances are powerful statements to other denominational Christians, Jews, unchurched and other folks who will comprise an audience. We live in an era when people of all ages, even those who attend modern (mega)churches, who think nothing of keeping men's hats on, dressing as if at a theme park, carrying their cappucinos and bagels into the naves during the "services" or talking incessantly when there's a "break in the action."
Our canons are evidence of the wisdom of tradition and the magisterium, as they all weren't just cognizant of current societal norms of their own era, but had foresight of the same into the future. The "It's no big deal" mentality misses the point entirely.

I believe that anytime people stand in front of the people with their backs to the Blessed Sacraments is bad, wrong, verboten...especially when it is a priest saying Mass.

The pulpit is always off-center just for that reason, no?

The ciborium and hosts are proceeded to the tabernacle in the Adoration Chapel, which is in a room opposite the sacristy on the Epistle side, rear of the Church.

I think Our Lord will hear and be present regardless, and is never off somewhere all by himself....

An organ recital is not a paraliturgy. If you want to make it one, you'd have to convert it into something clearly intended for contemplative prayer.

Then it wouldn't a recital. A recital focuses on a performance by a performer. In a prayer service, the performer's role is merely supporting, and it needs to look and feel that way.

I have always felt that the best way to experience sacred music or great organ music is sitting in a beautiful, resonant church, facing toward an occupied tabernacle.

My judgment call is usually based on the spatial relationship of performers to space. When an organist plays in the loft and there is no TV screen arrangement up front, yes it is a performance, but there is no way to see the performer. The listener is left to sit in the space and let their eyes take in the (hopefully) beautiful surroundings. Same thing when a choir sings a program in the loft.

Now, when the performers need to be in the front of the church, I prefer to reserve the Blessed Sacrament to a side altar (not out of the church). That way the business and performance up front avoids any risk of conflict with suitable reverence.

I believe that sacred music is one of the greatest motivators of prayer and especially awe in the presence of God, so whenever possible I prefer for people to experience it in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. If a piece is suitable for Mass, of course it is suitable for a sacred concert in front of the Blessed Sacrament. My two cents...

Our "First Friday Concerts" are technically prelude music for the Exposition & Benediction. For the annual period instrument orchestra Messiah sing-along we do remove the altar.

Does anyone know what they did in SLC during Charles Cole's recital?

Ok, I have a similar situation: We have a tabernacle behind the altar in the traditional place.
For our lessons and carols event, we are being asked to place the choir sitting between the tabernacle and the altar, facing out. Comments? should the sacrament be reposed elsewhere? The service is a pretty traditional L&C with readings and music.

We do not have a loft. We are a seminary, and the leadership would like to have the choir out front for the L&C so that the people can see them. We normally sing off to the side.

Interesting idea, thanks.