Chesapeake Music Celebrates Five Years at The Ebenezer Theater with a Huge Thank You to Paul and Joanne Prager

By Maria Grant

It’s hard to believe that this year’s Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival, which takes place June 12–20, will mark five years at the glorious Ebenezer Theater—a perfect environment for the high-caliber performances that Chesapeake Music offers the community.

So how did this partnership come about? It all started on Valentine’s Day 2020 when then Chesapeake Music President Barry Koh decided to check out what was going on with the renovations to what had once been The Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal Church in Easton, originally constructed in 1856.

When Barry entered the building, he couldn’t help but think what a perfect venue it would be for chamber music concerts. Barry and his wife Susan, who was on the Board of Chesapeake Music and Chair of the Chamber Music Festival, decided to set up a meeting with Paul Prager who had bought the building and was renovating it in his usual first-class style. Barry said he and Susan stressed to Paul how perfect the building would be to showcase CM’s outstanding first-class performances. Barry exclaimed, “That very day, Paul said, ‘Let’s do it.’ It was amazing.”

Julia Foxwell, Bluepoint Hospitality’s Director of Community Engagement, confirmed the Pragers’ “commitment to cultivating a diverse music culture at The Ebenezer Theater.” Julia also added, “Many CM concert goers are Bluepoint ‘regulars’ so opening a renovated theater to them felt right.”

Shortly after that meeting, the pandemic hit and renovations slowed down considerably. But by the end of 2020, CM and Paul Prager had negotiated an agreement and all signs were go.

Because the first concert was scheduled to take place in mid-June of 2021, renovations soon kicked into overdrive. Matthew Mason, Director of Brand Development for Bluepoint Hospitality, worked at breakneck speed to ensure that everything would be ready in time. Barry recalls Matt’s attention to detail, ensuring that everything was top-drawer and ready for that first audience.

In addition to amazing acoustics, the Bluepoint team restored the interior in a Victorian Gothic and Aesthetic Movement design. They kept the original stained-glass windows and gothic arches, and added period wallpapers, transformed a pressed-tin ceiling by adding 24K gold leaf, and added a dramatic celestial canopy over the stage. The auditorium accommodates up to 180 people.

Susan recalled, “I still remember how excited the musicians and artistic directors were when they first entered the renovated theater. They were ecstatic. They loved the stage, the acoustics, the whole vibe. It was thrilling to hear them practice and witness so many expressions of pure joy.”

Co-artistic Director of Chesapeake Music Catherine Cho agrees: “Having a home at The Ebenezer Theater has brought an essential sense of connection and grounding to Chesapeake Music both within our artistic family and in our bonds with the community. It allows for space to breathe and create and centers our vision with its inspiring aura and ambiance. We are forever grateful.”

David Faleris, who became Executive Director of Chesapeake Music in 2024, also expressed his deep appreciation for the Pragers’ generosity. “There’s a reason we take a moment at every concert to thank Mr. and Mrs. Prager from the stage. This is a very special place to call ‘home,’ and it’s impossible to convey the magnitude of positive impact this has on Chesapeake Music and our community.”

This year’s Festival theme is “Musical Memories,” curated to connect us, spark joy, offer moments of quiet reflection, and ignite our imaginations. The programs include music by Schubert, Dvořák, Mozart, Schumann, Shostakovich, Beethoven, Brahms, and more, as well as performances by a soprano, returning and debut violinists, pianists, winners of this year’s Chesapeake Chamber Music Competition, and, of course, performances by Chesapeake Music’s Artistic Directors, Marcy Rosen, and Catherine Cho.

For detailed information on Chesapeake Music’s 41st Chamber Music Festival including programs, dates, times, and to purchase tickets, be sure to visit ChesapeakeMusic.org.

Maria Grant, formerly principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm, now focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.