History
The St. Louis Church Concert Series performed its inaugural concert in May 2006, realizing the dream of pastor Monsignor Joseph Luca and Jay Dausch, the latter who served as Executive Producer from 2006 through the 2022-23 season. Audience reception of that first concert, presented to dedicate the organ in the new church, was so positive that organizers planned another for Christmas and then the following spring. From those modest beginnings, the St. Louis Church Concert Series was born!
Since its establishment, the Concert Series has offered concerts free of charge or for a nominal admission fee. A survey of past programs underscores our commitment to artistic excellence and diverse programming. We have performed music by scores of composers, from the very familiar to the forgotten names in music history. We have explored a wide array of musical genres—classical, jazz, Americana, Latin rhythms, opera, Broadway, and more. We have featured specific instruments and orchestral sections, dedicated a piano, and celebrated the lives of individuals beloved by the Concert Series’ family, parish, and community– choir director Fred Beaudoin and long-time pastor Monsignor Joseph Luca.
Partnerships and Community Outreach
United in the common purpose of bringing people together through music, the Concert Series has linked arms with other local orchestras and music organizations. The 2020-21 season closed with “Reflect, Rejoice,” marking the Concert Series initial collaboration with the Columbia Orchestra and first Masterworks program. In spring 2022, the Concert Series presented “Bon Appétit!” in partnership with The Baltimore Concert Opera. Among other benefits, both partnerships afforded the opportunity to produce programs that would have been difficult to realize independently and brought fresh perspectives to presenting and performing the music.
The St. Louis Church Concert Series also continues to build on its tradition of community outreach, partnering with food pantries, child and family service organizations, and veterans’ support programs to collect needed items, encourage financial donations from Concert Series patrons, and to raise awareness about the partnering organizations’ work and impact.
Music for Everyone
Each season, the Concert Series has given “kids from one to 92” an escape from the doldrums of winter with spirited celebrations of the Christmas season. Spring concerts have explored the sacred music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, showcased the music of England and Italy, and paid tribute to our patron St. Louis the King. Children’s concerts, each revolving around a different theme, have allowed us to entertain younger audiences and their families. New seasons have launched with a program featuring a Grammy Award-winning soloist, a performance by a military chorus, organ recitals, and a cabaret centered on the Great American Songbook.
Today, the St. Louis Church Concert Series presents a broad array of concerts programs, designed to ENLIGHTEN, EDUCATE, and ENTERTAIN audience members of all ages, backgrounds, and interests. We invite everyone who loves music and believes in the power of music to inspire and draw people together to attend our concerts and become part of our story.
Our Artistic Directors
Paul Carroll
2007-2014
With the 2006 dedication of the new church, noted for its excellent acoustical properties, the stage was set for the inauguration of the Concert Series. The first three programs (2006-2007) were programmed and produced by a small parish team, under the guidance of choir director Fred Beaudoin (1985-2007), and featured performances by local, regional, and international artists. With the advent of Paul Carroll as the first artistic director in mid-2007, the Concert Series began to present outstanding musical programs, featuring the parish's own Orchestra of St. Louis, as well as the St. Louis Choir.
Heather Adelsberger
2014-2020
Heather Adelsberger became artistic director during the 2014-15 season, expanding the scope of the Concert Series performances, initiatives, and education programs. Working with colleagues, she built a program, professional orchestra, and concert choir and expanded the Concert Series to use all the unique venues on the St. Louis Parish campus. Under Heather’s direction, audiences were entertained with evenings of jazz and tango in the Social Hall, candlelight chamber music in the 1889 Chapel, and Christmas and spring concerts performed in the acoustical splendor of the church. As the primary and unparalleled inspirational force behind the selection of program repertoires, Ms. Adelsberger broadened audience reach and further cemented the Concert Series reputation as a prominent, valued arts organization in Howard County and beyond.
Colleen Daly Eberhardt
2020-present
In July 2020, the Concert Series welcomed its third artistic director, Colleen Daly Eberhardt. Equally at home on opera and concert stages, Colleen has appeared with opera houses, symphony orchestras, and choral societies regionally, across the country, and in Canada, embracing a diverse and demanding repertoire. Under Colleen’s direction, the Concert Series has continued to expand its reach in the community, partnering with various organizations such as Howard Community College’s Fueling Dragons Food Pantry, The Baltimore Station, and St. Vincent DePaul of Baltimore’s Head Start Program to collect in-kind donations at our Christmas and Spring concerts to bring both music and meaningful impact to the community.